Read Online Rules of Attraction by Christina Dodd - Free Book Online
Authors: Christina Dodd
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Dougald. In his face she sought some semblance of his former character, but this confrontation felt like the clash between interrogator and prisoner— and she knew very well which role Dougald fancied he played.
In as crisp as tone as she could manage, she said, "If you are done complaining, I would like to meet your aunt now— always supposing there really is an aunt."
"My dear Hannah, I would not lie to you about such a great thing." He allowed her to change the subject without objection. Of course. He would view her action as retreat. "Great-aunt, twice removed."
"I don't recall any mention of you having such a relative."
"Of course not. We are so distantly connected I had scarcely ever heard mention of her myself. But Aunt Spring has lived at Raeburn Castle all of her life." He sighed as if much put upon. "Gathering companions."
"Companions?" Hannah questioned. "I wasn't informed of any companions."
"Ladies of an elderly bent and interfering nature whom I have inherited along with the castle."
"Ah." She understood completely. If he wished to win the goodwill of the people on the estate, he couldn't fling an old woman from the only home she'd ever known; nor could he remove her friends.
Hannah looked him over, observing the lines of bitterness deeply engraved around his mouth, the severity he exuded. " I am to care for all of them?" she asked.
"Aunt Spring is the great-aunt. She suffers from moments of vagueness and is fond of rocks."
"Rocks?"
He didn't expatiate. "The other ladies are fine. More than fine. They are healthy with the exception of some hearing loss— that would be Miss Isabel, who owns a telescope and views the stars."
"Stars."
"Miss Ethel grows flowers."
"Growing flowers seems a more typical activity for an elderly lady."
"Typical." He seemed to consider the word, then shook his head. "I wouldn't expect typical. Miss Minnie takes a faint spell occasionally, and sketches. They all sew." He tapped his fingertips together. "You don't mind taking care of four such ladies, do you?"
What was she supposed to say? "Not at all."
"After all, the more work you're given, the happier you are."
Forgetting to be cautious of this new Dougald, she snapped, "Absolutely correct. Thank you for thinking of me."
One corner of his grim mouth lifted. She'd risen to the bait. He'd annoyed her; she had responded. If they were playing a game, he had won. If they were at war, then she had just handed him a weapon with which to wound her. She had to be more careful. She had to remember that, at this moment, he controlled her. Her comings and goings, her work and her leisure. He was the master, she the servant, at least until she had somehow worked out a way to escape him.
Escape Dougald … it seemed that with every encounter, she was trying to run away from him. Looking at him now, running away didn't seem like a bad idea.
Yet she held her cool composure like armor, and said, "It's good of you to hire someone to care for them."
She thought she annoyed him with her serenity, but before she could verify it his brief flash of irritation disappeared.
"It's not good of me at all," he said. "They are four eccentric women who have been making trouble ever since I arrived. I want them contained."
"Trouble?" Hannah searched her mind. "There was no mention of trouble in your letter… but then, there wouldn't be, would there?"
"The last main earl— the one who managed to survive for thirty-odd years— was Aunt Spring's brother, and he allowed her to take in any stray she wished. Once the number had reached overwhelming proportions, they were ungovernable."
Hannah scarcely contained a grin to see him so disarmed. "I thought there were only four of them."
With excruciating leisure, Dougald stood. "Do you find me laughable?"
Humor faded, and she found herself rising to her feet to face him. "Not laughable, but you speak of these ladies as if they were a battering ram and you a long-suffering portal."
For the first
In as crisp as tone as she could manage, she said, "If you are done complaining, I would like to meet your aunt now— always supposing there really is an aunt."
"My dear Hannah, I would not lie to you about such a great thing." He allowed her to change the subject without objection. Of course. He would view her action as retreat. "Great-aunt, twice removed."
"I don't recall any mention of you having such a relative."
"Of course not. We are so distantly connected I had scarcely ever heard mention of her myself. But Aunt Spring has lived at Raeburn Castle all of her life." He sighed as if much put upon. "Gathering companions."
"Companions?" Hannah questioned. "I wasn't informed of any companions."
"Ladies of an elderly bent and interfering nature whom I have inherited along with the castle."
"Ah." She understood completely. If he wished to win the goodwill of the people on the estate, he couldn't fling an old woman from the only home she'd ever known; nor could he remove her friends.
Hannah looked him over, observing the lines of bitterness deeply engraved around his mouth, the severity he exuded. " I am to care for all of them?" she asked.
"Aunt Spring is the great-aunt. She suffers from moments of vagueness and is fond of rocks."
"Rocks?"
He didn't expatiate. "The other ladies are fine. More than fine. They are healthy with the exception of some hearing loss— that would be Miss Isabel, who owns a telescope and views the stars."
"Stars."
"Miss Ethel grows flowers."
"Growing flowers seems a more typical activity for an elderly lady."
"Typical." He seemed to consider the word, then shook his head. "I wouldn't expect typical. Miss Minnie takes a faint spell occasionally, and sketches. They all sew." He tapped his fingertips together. "You don't mind taking care of four such ladies, do you?"
What was she supposed to say? "Not at all."
"After all, the more work you're given, the happier you are."
Forgetting to be cautious of this new Dougald, she snapped, "Absolutely correct. Thank you for thinking of me."
One corner of his grim mouth lifted. She'd risen to the bait. He'd annoyed her; she had responded. If they were playing a game, he had won. If they were at war, then she had just handed him a weapon with which to wound her. She had to be more careful. She had to remember that, at this moment, he controlled her. Her comings and goings, her work and her leisure. He was the master, she the servant, at least until she had somehow worked out a way to escape him.
Escape Dougald … it seemed that with every encounter, she was trying to run away from him. Looking at him now, running away didn't seem like a bad idea.
Yet she held her cool composure like armor, and said, "It's good of you to hire someone to care for them."
She thought she annoyed him with her serenity, but before she could verify it his brief flash of irritation disappeared.
"It's not good of me at all," he said. "They are four eccentric women who have been making trouble ever since I arrived. I want them contained."
"Trouble?" Hannah searched her mind. "There was no mention of trouble in your letter… but then, there wouldn't be, would there?"
"The last main earl— the one who managed to survive for thirty-odd years— was Aunt Spring's brother, and he allowed her to take in any stray she wished. Once the number had reached overwhelming proportions, they were ungovernable."
Hannah scarcely contained a grin to see him so disarmed. "I thought there were only four of them."
With excruciating leisure, Dougald stood. "Do you find me laughable?"
Humor faded, and she found herself rising to her feet to face him. "Not laughable, but you speak of these ladies as if they were a battering ram and you a long-suffering portal."
For the first
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