Read Online Loving the Marquess by Suzanna Medeiros - Free Book Online

She found it impossible to
believe that had only been two days ago. So much had changed in such a short
time.
    She still found it almost impossible to believe that Overlea
had proposed to her and that she had actually accepted. Of course, given the
alternative presented by Edward Manning, marriage to the marquess was the
better option. The only option. And marrying Overlea would secure Catherine and
John’s futures. John would not need to wait to see if he could secure a
scholarship to attend Oxford. And with Overlea’s backing, she was certain
Catherine would be considered quite a catch. She would be able to choose a
husband from any number of candidates.
    She was not unaware of the irony of their situation. One
Manning had stripped away almost everything from their family, leaving them
only their dignity. Then that man’s son had threatened to take even that from
them. It seemed strangely fitting, then, that another Manning would return
everything they had lost.
    Somehow she would have to convince John of that. She wasn’t
looking forward to telling him her news. She knew Catherine would go along with
her decision once she’d gotten over her initial surprise. Her sister had no
memory of what their life had been before, so the loss of everything they’d
once had was not so devastating to her. John, though only a year older, seemed
to remember all too clearly.
    Louisa looked about the small dining room with its simple
furnishings. Soon they would leave here, the cottage to which they’d been
exiled all those years ago that was now their home. Tomorrow, when Overlea
arrived to discuss the details of their arrangement, she’d learn just how long
it would be before their circumstances changed yet again. This time, however,
it would be for the better. She had to hold onto that belief.
    She pushed back the suspicion that Overlea was hiding
something from her. For her own peace of mind it was better not to waste time
worrying about what it might possibly be before she had to.
    Giving herself a mental shake, she brought herself back to
the task at hand. Catherine would be downstairs soon and John home from his
lessons. She had just enough time to clean up before dinner. She was starting
up the stairs to do so when John burst through the front door.
    “Louisa,” he called, halting her progress. “I need to speak
to you and Catherine.”
    “Can this wait until dinner?”
    The expression on his face gave her pause. He looked both
guilty and determined, and it made her uneasy.
    “We need to talk,” he said. His gaze went to the top of the
stairs. “Good, Catherine is here. We can settle this at once.”
    Unease swept through her. Somehow her brother must have
found out about her visit to Overlea Manor. Either that or he’d learned of
Edward’s proposition. Neither alternative boded well.
    “Let me explain—” she started, but John cut her off.
    “You won’t dissuade me this time, Louisa. My mind is made up
and I have already spoken to Reverend Harnick.”
    She looked at Catherine who was now standing, silent, beside
her, but it was clear she, too, had no idea what their brother wanted to
discuss.
    “I told Reverend Harnick that I will not be applying for a
scholarship to Oxford, but hope, instead, to find some way of supporting us. He
knows of some families that he believes would be willing to hire me to tutor
their children in Latin and Greek.”
    It she still had doubts about her decision to accept
Overlea’s proposal, they were gone in that moment. She’d hoped to put off
telling her siblings about that decision until she’d spoken to Overlea again
and they had settled the details, but time was no longer a luxury.
    “That won’t be necessary.”
    “Yes, it is,” John cut in. “I’m the man of this family now
and it’s time I started acting like it.”
    “Listen to me, John—”
    “I’m done listening. I should have done this a long time
ago, but I let you convince me that Father would be upset if I