Read Online My Brown-Eyed Earl by Anna Bennett - Free Book Online

lord.” Miss Lacey stood at the threshold of his study, wringing her hands. The drab, navy gown she wore lent her face a pale, almost ghostly pallor. She had removed the bits of grass from her hair and the smudges of dirt from her cheeks, effectively erasing all traces of their intimate, if accidental, encounter. Pity, that.
    Will waved a hand at the chair beside him. “Come in, please. Sit.”
    She perched on the edge of the seat, folded her hands in her lap, and pursed her lips, adopting a pose that could have been called either Demure Governess or Determined Spinster . “Earlier in the coach,” she began, “you did not allow me to speak.”
    â€œWhy do I have the feeling you’re about to rectify that now?”
    â€œI would be remiss if I did not thank you for coming to my aid in the park.”
    Will nodded. Perhaps it wasn’t the most graceful thank-you, but she was a proud creature, and, if he were honest, he respected that about her. In an effort to meet her halfway, he said, “I regret that I had to tackle you. I would have avoided doing so if it were possible.”
    â€œI understand. It was the lesser of two evils. I am in your debt.”
    Will started to disagree and say she owed him nothing, but checked himself and mentally tucked her admission in his pocket. It might prove useful in future dealings with his governess. “The important thing is that no one was hurt.”
    â€œYes, about that.” She wrung her hands some more. “I feel that I must apologize for”—her cheeks instantly flushed bright pink—“the extremely unfortunate and entirely accidental contact that my knee happened to make with your…”
    Will raised both brows and feigned ignorance. “With my what , Miss Lacey?”
    The flush on her cheeks deepened and spread like a strawberry-colored ink stain, crawling down her pretty neck and disappearing behind the ridiculously high collar of her gown. “You know very well what I’m referring to.”
    â€œYou give me far too much credit. I’m not a reader of minds.” It was not well done of him, but damned if he could resist the chance to tease her.
    She blew out a long breath and shot him a wary look. “Very well. I shall attempt to clarify as best I can. You were on the ground, and I was on—” She shook her head and started over. “We were both on the ground—”
    Will frowned for effect. “That’s not precisely the way I remember it, but do go on.”
    â€œI was attempting to stand,” she continued through gritted teeth, “when my knee made incidental and regrettably injurious contact with…”
    He leaned forward. “Yes?”
    She crossed her arms, frustration rolling off of her in waves. “You know.” For the briefest of moments her gaze darted to the front of his trousers before returning to his face. Good God. It was incredibly improper and arousing as hell.
    He leaned an elbow on the mantle behind him and crossed his legs at the ankles, hoping to create room in his trousers for his growing erection. “I confess that I do know, Miss Lacey. The question is, do you ?”
    â€œI know enough, my lord,” she tossed back at him. “And frankly, I’m not impressed.”
    If he’d been sipping brandy, he would have choked on it. “You’re not?”
    â€œNo,” she sniffed. “It seems exceedingly … fragile.”
    â€œ Fragile ?”
    She shrugged. “Consider the damage I inflicted with my knee. I wasn’t even trying.”
    â€œTruly? Because I’m beginning to have my doubts about that.”
    She gasped. “You are thwarting my attempts to apologize for hurting you. Why do you enjoy humiliating me so?”
    He opened his mouth to reply, then sank into the chair opposite her. Jesus, he was an ass. “It was poorly done of me. If it’s any consolation, it