Read Online Lord Will & Her Grace by Sophia Nash - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sophia Nash
Tags: Regency, London, Lord, regency england, scandal, lord will, season, flirtation, sophie, secret passion, passionate endeavor
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I'm afraid Lord William isn't what you think."
A knock sounded at the door, signaling the
bath water's delivery. Sophie scurried behind the screen. "And
where is my cousin this morning?"
"Mr. Mornington and his sisters paid a call.
They all decided to take the morning air in the direction of the
cliffs."
Chapter Five
IT had been two days since William had
inadvertently drunk seawater and sand while observing the
delectable Miss Somerset ascend the path homeward in a wet,
transparent gown that clung deliciously to her curves.
He smiled in remembrance and motioned his
horse into a gallop along the road leading to the small fishing
port.
She'd managed to avoid him during those two
days although memories of her had not. He couldn't get the image of
her out of his mind—her trusting eyes, and her laughter. And she'd
provoked emotions he hadn't thought he possessed anymore.
At one point in his life he might have held a
bit of romantic drivel in his heart that he had thought passed for
that wilting emotion called love. He frowned at the word. But that
had been for just a short while. A very short while.
A red fox dashed across the road, making his
horse skitter to the side. William brought the gelding immediately
back under control.
Mornington had tried to force him to desist
his wooing activities when he'd confronted William two evenings ago
in the masculine lair of his library.
"I'll not have it. It won't do at all. You
were lucky I was able to divert my sisters and Miss Owen's
attention from the beach before they spied you and Miss Somerset in
that, that heated posture," Mornington had said.
"My friend, you didn't have any scruples
about the lady when I first arrived. May I ask you if you are more
concerned with your sisters's reactions, Miss Somerset's
reputation, or is it your concern for the cousin's tender
sensibilities? Is that what prompted this warning?" William had
asked.
Mornington's face had turned an interesting
shade of scarlet.
" Mon Dieu , it's as I thought. Cupid
has flung his arrow and found his mark—and only after what, two or
three encounters with the dark beauty? Are you ready to give up the
ghost in bachelor's heaven, then?"
He had flustered Mornington almost beyond
speech.
His friend had readjusted his cravat and
patted his forehead with a handkerchief. "It ain't right, I tell
you, for any reason. I won't try to hide anything from you. But I
won't allow you to rut about in a careless fashion and ruin lives
in the process."
"I'm never careless, Charles. And I promise
you I won't ruin anyone's life other than my own. Perhaps I will
surprise you."
Mornington had snorted his dissent.
But William had meant it.
As his horse negotiated the uneven road on
this cloudless day, exhilaration coursed through his veins.
Everything was falling flawlessly into place—just like the
successful days of old when he and Farquhar had accepted
assignments to ferret out informants and thwart Napoleon's
missions.
There was something stimulating in the thrill
of the chase. Walking the narrow line between success and disaster
made victory all the sweeter. His courtship of the heiress was
proving more intoxicating than he'd ever imagined.
She was in the cup of William's hand. She was
falling in love with him. He was sure. He couldn't have mistaken
the look in her eyes. And unbelievably, he was quite possibly
falling in—oh, God forbid, he didn't really think that.
He doubted it would ever happen again.
Besides, that first time, in retrospect, couldn't really be called
anything but a foolish youthful passion. He pushed his horse to
gallop faster.
So what was it—that certain yearning for
Sophie Somerset, coupled with obsessive thoughts? It was at least a
surprise. And he liked surprises. William laughed out loud,
startling his horse in the process.
Who would have guessed that it would so
conveniently fit into his pressing needs for capital? He would be
able to face Mr. Derby, and now Mr. Thompson, and
A knock sounded at the door, signaling the
bath water's delivery. Sophie scurried behind the screen. "And
where is my cousin this morning?"
"Mr. Mornington and his sisters paid a call.
They all decided to take the morning air in the direction of the
cliffs."
Chapter Five
IT had been two days since William had
inadvertently drunk seawater and sand while observing the
delectable Miss Somerset ascend the path homeward in a wet,
transparent gown that clung deliciously to her curves.
He smiled in remembrance and motioned his
horse into a gallop along the road leading to the small fishing
port.
She'd managed to avoid him during those two
days although memories of her had not. He couldn't get the image of
her out of his mind—her trusting eyes, and her laughter. And she'd
provoked emotions he hadn't thought he possessed anymore.
At one point in his life he might have held a
bit of romantic drivel in his heart that he had thought passed for
that wilting emotion called love. He frowned at the word. But that
had been for just a short while. A very short while.
A red fox dashed across the road, making his
horse skitter to the side. William brought the gelding immediately
back under control.
Mornington had tried to force him to desist
his wooing activities when he'd confronted William two evenings ago
in the masculine lair of his library.
"I'll not have it. It won't do at all. You
were lucky I was able to divert my sisters and Miss Owen's
attention from the beach before they spied you and Miss Somerset in
that, that heated posture," Mornington had said.
"My friend, you didn't have any scruples
about the lady when I first arrived. May I ask you if you are more
concerned with your sisters's reactions, Miss Somerset's
reputation, or is it your concern for the cousin's tender
sensibilities? Is that what prompted this warning?" William had
asked.
Mornington's face had turned an interesting
shade of scarlet.
" Mon Dieu , it's as I thought. Cupid
has flung his arrow and found his mark—and only after what, two or
three encounters with the dark beauty? Are you ready to give up the
ghost in bachelor's heaven, then?"
He had flustered Mornington almost beyond
speech.
His friend had readjusted his cravat and
patted his forehead with a handkerchief. "It ain't right, I tell
you, for any reason. I won't try to hide anything from you. But I
won't allow you to rut about in a careless fashion and ruin lives
in the process."
"I'm never careless, Charles. And I promise
you I won't ruin anyone's life other than my own. Perhaps I will
surprise you."
Mornington had snorted his dissent.
But William had meant it.
As his horse negotiated the uneven road on
this cloudless day, exhilaration coursed through his veins.
Everything was falling flawlessly into place—just like the
successful days of old when he and Farquhar had accepted
assignments to ferret out informants and thwart Napoleon's
missions.
There was something stimulating in the thrill
of the chase. Walking the narrow line between success and disaster
made victory all the sweeter. His courtship of the heiress was
proving more intoxicating than he'd ever imagined.
She was in the cup of William's hand. She was
falling in love with him. He was sure. He couldn't have mistaken
the look in her eyes. And unbelievably, he was quite possibly
falling in—oh, God forbid, he didn't really think that.
He doubted it would ever happen again.
Besides, that first time, in retrospect, couldn't really be called
anything but a foolish youthful passion. He pushed his horse to
gallop faster.
So what was it—that certain yearning for
Sophie Somerset, coupled with obsessive thoughts? It was at least a
surprise. And he liked surprises. William laughed out loud,
startling his horse in the process.
Who would have guessed that it would so
conveniently fit into his pressing needs for capital? He would be
able to face Mr. Derby, and now Mr. Thompson, and