Read Online Miss Featherton's Christmas Prince (The Marriage Game Book 9) by Ella Quinn - Free Book Online Page A

forward to seeing you at dinner.”
    She gazed at their hands. “Thank you again for the wine.”
    As he released her fingers he wished he were a gypsy and could read her mind. This was much worse than he had ever thought it would be. No one he knew had been betrayed to such an extent. No one to whom he could turn for advice on the matter, who had suffered such betrayal. Except perhaps himself, with regard to his father. The only difficulty with that was Damon had not yet resolved his feelings concerning the matter.
    As he left the drawing room, he asked a footman to escort him to his chambers, and found himself being led to the rooms he had occupied since he left Eton.
    He had been through a war. Surely he could find a way to break through Miss Featherton’s defenses, as they had breached the walls at the siege of Badajoz. The images of fire and blood rushed back to him and he fought the memories. The success of the Forlorn Hope, the rape of the city. Even Wellesley, now the Duke of Wellington, had trouble controlling the soldiers. Officers had been ordered to shoot misfeasors on sight.
    Damon shook himself. He did not need those memories to haunt him here. Miss Featherton would have nothing to fear from him. When he won his siege of her, she would finally be free of her enemies.

CHAPTER SIX
    A manda snoodled toward the center of the drawing room’s wall of windows, took out the note from Lord Throughgood, and read it.

    My dearest Miss Hiller,
    Please meet me in the drawing room. I shall arrive no later than half past four.
    Your humble servant,
    C. Throughgood

    It was only an hour until he arrived, but it seemed like a lifetime. Except that she had to wash off the dust from the road, and dress. Oh goodness. Would she have enough time?
    She glanced at her mother, who appeared to be unaware she had received an illicit message. Not that it mattered. Her father had given her permission to receive letters from Lord Throughgood, and respond to him, after he had read them of course. In Papa’s absence, Mama was to read them. Amanda caught her mother’s eye and indicated she was leaving.
    As she made her way to the door, her happiness dimmed. The air between Meg and Lord Hawksworth seemed alive, shimmering, but neither of them was acting as if anything was going on. There had to be something other than mere politeness between them. Perhaps Meg needed a reason to spend time with his lordship. If only Amanda could think of some scheme to throw them at one another. Unfortunately, nothing came immediately to mind. Perhaps Lord Throughgood would have an idea. The more she had come to know him, the more she respected his commonsensical approach to problems. When she was concerned about their families getting along, he had the idea for his mother to invite her and her parents to stay a few days at Grantville so that their parents would feel comfortable together. Lady Bellamny had agreed to take over chaperoning Meg.
    Happily, her ladyship’s house had enough chambers to allow Meg and Amanda to have their own rooms. Normally they would have shared a room, but under the circumstances, that did not appeal to Amanda. Not that she planned a secret assignation, nothing of the sort, but she and her family would be spending time with the Grantvilles. Sharing a room would make that difficult. Not to mention that Meg was so dour right now, and Amanda did not wish to have her spirits lowered.
    She pinched herself until it hurt. That was not being fair to Meg. Perhaps Amanda and Lord Throughgood could be an example of how a couple in love should be.
    Amanda’s maid, Lucy, was already laying out the pale pink velvet gown she would wear to dinner. “I must hurry.”
    “Yes, miss. Your wash water is coming.”
    Amanda wanted to pace, which was not at all like her. Just as she was about to fetch the water herself, a light tapping sounded, and Lucy opened the door, then stood aside while a young woman went directly to the bowl and filled