Read Online Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn - Free Book Online

after several seconds, he said, “Thank you.”
    He picked up the reins again, but before he could set them in motion, she asked, “What will you do now?”
    He smiled at that. Well, not really, but the corner of his mouth moved a little. “What will I do?” he echoed.
    â€œWill you go to Northumberland? To London?” Will you remarry?
    â€œWhat will I do,” he mused. “Whatever I please, I imagine.”
    Miranda cleared her throat. “I know that your mother was hoping that you would make yourself present in London during Olivia’s season.”
    â€œOlivia doesn’t need my help.”
    â€œNo.” She swallowed. Painfully. That was her pride sliding down her throat. “But I do.”
    He turned and assessed her with raised brows. “You? I thought you had my little brother wrapped up neatly with a bow.”
    â€œNo,” she said quickly. “I mean, I don’t know. He’s rather young, don’t you think?”
    â€œOlder than you.”
    â€œBy three months,” she shot back. “He’s still at university. He’s not going to wish to marry soon.”
    His head tilted, and his gaze grew penetrating. “And you do?” he murmured.
    Miranda fought the urge to leap over the side of the curricle. Surely there were some conversations a lady shouldn’t have to endure.
    Surely this had to be one of them.
    â€œI would like to marry someday, yes,” she said haltingly, hating that her cheeks were growing warm.
    He stared at her. And he stared at her. And then he stared at her some more.
    Or maybe it was barely a glance. She really couldn’t tell any longer, but she was beyond relieved when he finally broke the silence—however long it had lasted—and said, “Very well. I shall consider it. I owe you that, at least.”
    Good Lord, her head was spinning. “Owe me what?”
    â€œAn apology, to begin with. What happened last night…It was unforgivable. It’s why I insisted upon escorting you home.” He cleared his throat, and for the barest of moments looked away. “I owe you an apology, and I thought you’d rather I did it in private.”
    She stared straight ahead.
    â€œA public apology would require that we tell my family just what exactly I was apologizing for,” he continued. “I didn’t think you’d want them to know.”
    â€œYou mean you don’t want them to know.”
    He sighed and raked his hand through his hair. “No, Idon’t. I can’t say I’m proud of my behavior, and I would rather my family didn’t know. But I was also thinking of you.”
    â€œApology accepted,” she said softly.
    Turner let out a long, weary sigh. “I don’t know why I did it,” he continued. “It wasn’t even desire. I don’t know what it was. But it wasn’t your fault.”
    She gave him a look. It wasn’t difficult to decipher.
    â€œAh, bloody—” He let out an irritated breath and looked away. Brilliant job , Turner. Kiss a girl and then tell her you didn’t do it out of desire . “I’m sorry, Miranda. That came out the wrong way. I’m being an ass. I can’t seem to help myself these days.”
    â€œPerhaps you ought to write a book,” she said bitterly. “One hundred and one ways to insult a young lady. I daresay you’re up to at least fifty by now.”
    He took a deep breath. He wasn’t used to apologizing. “It’s not that you aren’t attractive.”
    Miranda’s expression turned to disbelief. Not at his words, he realized—at the mere fact that he was saying them, that she was being forced to sit there and listen as he embarrassed them both. He should stop, he knew, but the hurt in her eyes had awakened a painful little corner of his heart that he’d kept shuttered for years, and he had this strange compulsion to make things