Read Online Penelope & Prince Charming by Jennifer Ashley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Ashley
Tags: Fiction
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“Darling, what is the matter?”
He frowned at her. “You have been pretending that today is simply an amusing aberration. It is not. This is serious business.”
“I know.” Her eyes widened. “Imagine, a prince coming all this way to marry me. It was too droll.”
Michael’s eyes were cold. “Droll is not the word I thought of. You would have done it, wouldn’t you?”
His look began to frighten her. “Of course I would not have. You know that. You heard me turn him down.” She forced a laugh. “Michael, pet, you cannot think a box of rubies and a prince could sway me from your side.” She leaned into his chest, rubbed her palms up and down his arms.
His heart beat slow and hard beneath her ear.
“But you were swayed,” he said.
She looked up, her breath catching. “Michael…”
“I can never give you rubies, you know that. I cannot make pretty speeches and promise you a kingdom. You know what I have to offer, and it is not much. Not even as much as your husband gave you.”
“I know, but I hated him.” She seized upon this argument in her confusion. “I’d rather have the little bit you give me and be with you.”
There, that should settle his pride. Men set such a store on how much they had or didn’t have.
He still did not open his arms. She stepped back, put her hands on her hips. The movement opened her dressing gown a little. She hoped a glimpse of round flesh would make him come to her.
He did not move. Drat the man.
“Well, if you are going to be jealous,” she tried, “you can just go.”
His look grew more stern. “This man is prepared to marry your daughter and carry her off God knows where. And you stand here bleating about jealousy. Are you not the least bit concerned about Penelope?”
She grew offended. “Of course I am concerned! How can you say that? She is my daughter.”
“All the man has done is wave around a box of rubies and go on about an old ring. Penelope at least has the sense to be skeptical. You seem to be willing to hand her over on very slender evidence.”
Hurt welled up inside her. She remembered the day Sir Hilton Trask had stood at the top of the stairs in their London house and shouted, “Simone, you are the stupidest woman alive!”
She knew she wasn’t smart like Penelope and didn’t give a fig for what was in books. But she was smart in other ways, she knew she was. Her husband—and her daughter—simply never gave her a chance.
“Well, you are here, pet, to think of things like that, and make certain everything is all right.” Flattering a man for his wisdom never hurt, either.
His voice was quiet. “I cannot help remembering how enthralled you were when you saw the rubies. I cannot help remembering that you forgot I was in the room until Meagan reminded you.”
She stared at him. Was he mad? She could never forget Michael was in the room. His presence caught at her, making her heart beat fast as though she was a giddy girl. She’d simply wanted to see how far Prince Damien would go. Really.
She forced a laugh. “Oh, you are jealous, that is all. Do go away if you want to sulk.”
She turned to the dressing table, loosening the gown as she went, to let it slide down and bare her shoulders.
He would come after her. He’d fold his arms around her waist, bury his lips in the curve of her neck and tell her how beautiful she was. Then he’d pull off the dressing gown and catch her breasts in his hands. He’d suckle them, and she’d run her hands through his unruly hair. The man made love with feral grace.
On the other side of the room, Michael said, “Yes, Ithink it would be best if I go. I will stay until this business with Penelope and this man is settled, and then I shall take Meagan and go back home.”
She spun around. “What are you talking about?”
He watched her for another quiet moment. “I said I would go. It is for the best. People are talking.” He turned away. “Good night, Simone.”
Before her stunned
He frowned at her. “You have been pretending that today is simply an amusing aberration. It is not. This is serious business.”
“I know.” Her eyes widened. “Imagine, a prince coming all this way to marry me. It was too droll.”
Michael’s eyes were cold. “Droll is not the word I thought of. You would have done it, wouldn’t you?”
His look began to frighten her. “Of course I would not have. You know that. You heard me turn him down.” She forced a laugh. “Michael, pet, you cannot think a box of rubies and a prince could sway me from your side.” She leaned into his chest, rubbed her palms up and down his arms.
His heart beat slow and hard beneath her ear.
“But you were swayed,” he said.
She looked up, her breath catching. “Michael…”
“I can never give you rubies, you know that. I cannot make pretty speeches and promise you a kingdom. You know what I have to offer, and it is not much. Not even as much as your husband gave you.”
“I know, but I hated him.” She seized upon this argument in her confusion. “I’d rather have the little bit you give me and be with you.”
There, that should settle his pride. Men set such a store on how much they had or didn’t have.
He still did not open his arms. She stepped back, put her hands on her hips. The movement opened her dressing gown a little. She hoped a glimpse of round flesh would make him come to her.
He did not move. Drat the man.
“Well, if you are going to be jealous,” she tried, “you can just go.”
His look grew more stern. “This man is prepared to marry your daughter and carry her off God knows where. And you stand here bleating about jealousy. Are you not the least bit concerned about Penelope?”
She grew offended. “Of course I am concerned! How can you say that? She is my daughter.”
“All the man has done is wave around a box of rubies and go on about an old ring. Penelope at least has the sense to be skeptical. You seem to be willing to hand her over on very slender evidence.”
Hurt welled up inside her. She remembered the day Sir Hilton Trask had stood at the top of the stairs in their London house and shouted, “Simone, you are the stupidest woman alive!”
She knew she wasn’t smart like Penelope and didn’t give a fig for what was in books. But she was smart in other ways, she knew she was. Her husband—and her daughter—simply never gave her a chance.
“Well, you are here, pet, to think of things like that, and make certain everything is all right.” Flattering a man for his wisdom never hurt, either.
His voice was quiet. “I cannot help remembering how enthralled you were when you saw the rubies. I cannot help remembering that you forgot I was in the room until Meagan reminded you.”
She stared at him. Was he mad? She could never forget Michael was in the room. His presence caught at her, making her heart beat fast as though she was a giddy girl. She’d simply wanted to see how far Prince Damien would go. Really.
She forced a laugh. “Oh, you are jealous, that is all. Do go away if you want to sulk.”
She turned to the dressing table, loosening the gown as she went, to let it slide down and bare her shoulders.
He would come after her. He’d fold his arms around her waist, bury his lips in the curve of her neck and tell her how beautiful she was. Then he’d pull off the dressing gown and catch her breasts in his hands. He’d suckle them, and she’d run her hands through his unruly hair. The man made love with feral grace.
On the other side of the room, Michael said, “Yes, Ithink it would be best if I go. I will stay until this business with Penelope and this man is settled, and then I shall take Meagan and go back home.”
She spun around. “What are you talking about?”
He watched her for another quiet moment. “I said I would go. It is for the best. People are talking.” He turned away. “Good night, Simone.”
Before her stunned
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