if she can play the piano and sing for our entertainment.’
‘I hope you’re not getting too attached to those youngsters, sir.’
‘Why not, pray? They liven the place up and amuse me no end. Lucy is as lively as a flea, and the too-dignified Miss Jarvis beat me at chess the last time we played – and had the bad manners to crow about it. Miranda is quick-witted and clever. She seems to have gathered a lot of knowledge in her short life.’
‘May I ask what is to happen to them in the future?’
James
had
allowed himself to become attached to the sisters. He hadn’t had female company in the house for a long time and found them a distraction from the seriousness of his business life. He’d considered the various options open to them and hadn’t liked any of them.
‘It’s possible that I’ll make them my wards, furnish them with a dowry and find them suitable husbands when they turn sixteen – which can’t be that far off. It will give me a purpose in life. I often notice something gracious and womanly about the elder girl; she’s mature beyond her years. Sometimes she seems more woman than child.’
‘But, sir—’
‘Enough, Pridie. I’m a man and I know exactly what I’m about where women are concerned.’
Pridie grinned. ‘Do you, indeed, Sir James … I often wonder if you see beyond the end of your nose.’
Filled with fatherly feelings towards the youngsters he’d rescued, he said, ‘Go about your business now.’
‘No!’ Miranda said, knowing full well that if she wore the blue brocade gown Mrs Pridie offered, she would no longer be able to disguise herself as a child and they would be sent packing.
Lucy had no such scruples. Her spots had now faded to little more than a trace, and she danced across the room with a wide smile on her face in an ankle-length swirl of pink chiffon over satin. She wore a big bow in her hair with flowing ribbons dotted with little silk rosebuds.
Mrs Pridie sighed. ‘The master is not in the best of moods, luvvy. Take my advice. It would not be wise to put your head in that particular lion’s mouth tonight.’
‘Then I won’t go down at all. Tell Sir James I’m unwell.’
‘He won’t believe it when you displayed no evidence of it earlier.’
‘He’ll have to, because he wouldn’t drag me down the stairs by my ears.’
Pridie’s lips pursed. ‘I wouldn’t be too sure of that, young lady. On your own head be it, then.’
Miranda didn’t want to spoil Lucy’s enjoyment. ‘Take Lucy down with you, Pridie. She can tell me all about it when she comes up to bed. Be on your best behaviour, Lucy. Don’t forget your manners.’
Advice she should have given herself, she realized, when a few minutes later the door opened and slammed back against the wall.
Dropping the book she’d just started, Miranda jumped up from the chair and stammered as she backed towards the bed, ‘What … do you think you’re doing?’
He came to stand in front of her, a solidly handsome figure gazing down at her through eyes that glowed like fiery coals. ‘In this house, I give the orders and you obey them.’
‘I’m not hungry.’
‘That’s a lie, since you missed lunch. I expect you to put on the clothing I provided you with, and come down to dinner like any other civilized young woman.’
A quiver of nervousness crept into her voice. ‘I prefer my own clothes.’
‘Do you … do you indeed?’ Reaching out, he grasped her ragged dress in both fists and split it asunder.
His eyes widened in surprise as his glance ran over her exposed body, which she tried to cover with her hands.
He drew them aside, and she closed her eyes and drew in an agonized breath, almost paralyzed by shock, when his hands gently cupped her breasts, before sliding lightly down over her belly to flatten against the dark thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs.
‘Don’t do that,’ she pleaded, her voice low with the shame of being handled, and she found the courage to push
‘I hope you’re not getting too attached to those youngsters, sir.’
‘Why not, pray? They liven the place up and amuse me no end. Lucy is as lively as a flea, and the too-dignified Miss Jarvis beat me at chess the last time we played – and had the bad manners to crow about it. Miranda is quick-witted and clever. She seems to have gathered a lot of knowledge in her short life.’
‘May I ask what is to happen to them in the future?’
James
had
allowed himself to become attached to the sisters. He hadn’t had female company in the house for a long time and found them a distraction from the seriousness of his business life. He’d considered the various options open to them and hadn’t liked any of them.
‘It’s possible that I’ll make them my wards, furnish them with a dowry and find them suitable husbands when they turn sixteen – which can’t be that far off. It will give me a purpose in life. I often notice something gracious and womanly about the elder girl; she’s mature beyond her years. Sometimes she seems more woman than child.’
‘But, sir—’
‘Enough, Pridie. I’m a man and I know exactly what I’m about where women are concerned.’
Pridie grinned. ‘Do you, indeed, Sir James … I often wonder if you see beyond the end of your nose.’
Filled with fatherly feelings towards the youngsters he’d rescued, he said, ‘Go about your business now.’
‘No!’ Miranda said, knowing full well that if she wore the blue brocade gown Mrs Pridie offered, she would no longer be able to disguise herself as a child and they would be sent packing.
Lucy had no such scruples. Her spots had now faded to little more than a trace, and she danced across the room with a wide smile on her face in an ankle-length swirl of pink chiffon over satin. She wore a big bow in her hair with flowing ribbons dotted with little silk rosebuds.
Mrs Pridie sighed. ‘The master is not in the best of moods, luvvy. Take my advice. It would not be wise to put your head in that particular lion’s mouth tonight.’
‘Then I won’t go down at all. Tell Sir James I’m unwell.’
‘He won’t believe it when you displayed no evidence of it earlier.’
‘He’ll have to, because he wouldn’t drag me down the stairs by my ears.’
Pridie’s lips pursed. ‘I wouldn’t be too sure of that, young lady. On your own head be it, then.’
Miranda didn’t want to spoil Lucy’s enjoyment. ‘Take Lucy down with you, Pridie. She can tell me all about it when she comes up to bed. Be on your best behaviour, Lucy. Don’t forget your manners.’
Advice she should have given herself, she realized, when a few minutes later the door opened and slammed back against the wall.
Dropping the book she’d just started, Miranda jumped up from the chair and stammered as she backed towards the bed, ‘What … do you think you’re doing?’
He came to stand in front of her, a solidly handsome figure gazing down at her through eyes that glowed like fiery coals. ‘In this house, I give the orders and you obey them.’
‘I’m not hungry.’
‘That’s a lie, since you missed lunch. I expect you to put on the clothing I provided you with, and come down to dinner like any other civilized young woman.’
A quiver of nervousness crept into her voice. ‘I prefer my own clothes.’
‘Do you … do you indeed?’ Reaching out, he grasped her ragged dress in both fists and split it asunder.
His eyes widened in surprise as his glance ran over her exposed body, which she tried to cover with her hands.
He drew them aside, and she closed her eyes and drew in an agonized breath, almost paralyzed by shock, when his hands gently cupped her breasts, before sliding lightly down over her belly to flatten against the dark thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs.
‘Don’t do that,’ she pleaded, her voice low with the shame of being handled, and she found the courage to push
Similar Books
