Read Online Midnight Temptations With a Forbidden Lord by Tiffany Clare - Free Book Online Page B

and let her eat her meal. He wanted to bet a shilling that his daughter would cry off and say she was too full to eat it come the end of breakfast time. He did nothing of the sort and smiled to himself instead.
    “You know it’s about time you married,” Bea said.
    They were back to this, were they?
    “I haven’t found a woman that I like enough for such a task.”
    “Task? You make it sound like an exercise.”
    “It most certainly is. You have lived with me your entire life. You know I’m very particular about a lot of things.” His sister had brought this up the last time they’d spent family time together over the Easter holiday. “You are awfully insistent that I do this.”
    “You should still find a wife. You can have more children before you’re too old. I wouldn’t mind looking after them as I have Ronnie and Rowan.”
    Ronnie let out a cry of excitement and bounced in his chair. “I want a little sister, Papa. Can I have one? Please? I’ve always wanted one.”
    “And why shouldn’t it be a brother?” Rowan said between mouthfuls. “You are already bossy enough. I need someone to stand up for me.”
    “I wouldn’t have to be bossy if you did what I told you to do.”
    “Papa,” Rowan protested.
    “Children.” Tristan’s command was firm but gentle. “There is no sense fighting over this. When the time comes, we’ll discuss it as a family. Now finish your breakfast. The faster your lessons are completed, the sooner we can go to the park.”
    They both ate with added gusto. Tristan picked up his coffee, drained the contents, and made his way over to the breakfast platters. Perhaps his sister was sad she couldn’t have another child now that she had retreated from society. The members of the haute ton thought Bea was unfit for marriage because of her questionable parentage. No one knew about the boy being hers, though.
    Tristan was approaching his thirtieth birthday, and his sister was right in saying that he should settle down and marry. Perhaps Lady Charlotte could fill the role of wife? He nearly laughed out loud at the idea, but managed to hold it back as he spooned a few potatoes onto his plate. Lady Charlotte would sooner run to the next degenerate for aid in her ruin than consider the idea of marriage to him.
    Sitting back down at the table, he looked across at his sister who was explaining how to properly hold the knife and fork to Rowan.
    He could never marry someone who didn’t accept his family exactly as they were. He wouldn’t make any other arrangements, his children would always be around, legitimate or not. His sister, too, because he loved her just as fiercely as he loved Rowan and Ronnie. Could Lady Charlotte accept his life as it was?
    Oddly enough, he mulled over the idea a while longer: marriage to the young lady might be a perfect solution for them both …
    *   *   *
     
    Charlotte tucked the letter she’d penned into her bodice, not sure what she would do with it. Goodness, she wasn’t sure why she had written a letter to the marquess, but she felt she needed to prove her continued interest in him after last night’s disastrous end. She was afraid she hadn’t hidden her shock well enough. But in all fairness, how was she supposed to react after his bold announcement that he had children?
    Children.
    And the fact that they did not have a mother could only mean one thing …
    She would not think about that right now.
    Steeling herself, she gingerly walked down the stairs of her townhouse, holding her dress up so she didn’t trip. Genny was directly behind her. They were set to enjoy the afternoon air with Mr. Warren. And though her stomach protested the very idea of spending a beautiful afternoon with this particular man, she put on her best fake smile and greeted him cordially with a tilt of her chin.
    “Good day to you, Mr. Warren. I’m so pleased the weather has turned around in favor of our carriage ride through the park.”
    “You are as bright