Read Online Seductive Lies (Secret Lives Series) by Colleen Connally - Free Book Online
Authors: Colleen Connally
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m’lord,” he said. “It is only Mrs. Hammett is searching for letters from her sister. Quite distraught. I thought it best if I inspected the study.”
“Why the devil would her letters be in my study!” Arthur caught himself. It was Bessie.
Whatever possessed his brother to marry such a nitwit! He would not wager a guess. Ewan had married her before he returned from his stint in the Royal Navy. His serious brother and a woman who didn’t have an intelligent thought in her head!
“They aren’t in here,” Arthur said irritably, motioning for his butler to leave him.
The butler bowed stiffly from the waist and withdrew from the room.
Arthur sighed heavily and took a sip of his glass. Bessie had a lot of nerve. To invade his study! It was his sanctuary. He had no tolerance for that simpleton. He would have to have another conversation with Ewan.
He had enough dealing with bird-witted imbeciles. It wasn’t the first time. He found himself dealing with the Navy’s own incompetence the moment he touched his foot on English soil again. He found people staring at him as if he was a ghost. Only then did he discover that some nitwit from the Defense Department had conveyed mistaken information.
For a brief period of time, his family thought he had died. The truth of the matter was he hadn’t even been injured. It had been his friend and partner on their mission, Lieutenant Nigel Whitmore. The poor man lay in a hospital. His recovery was still in doubt, for the blade penetrated deep, causing injuries that the doctors feared would eventually take his friend’s life.
The rumor of Arthur’s demise persisted until he returned and made an appearance in the flesh. Truly, he hadn’t given much thought to the oversight. His concern centered on Harriet and her desertion… then his grandfather became ill. Arthur realized the old man manipulated Arthur on his deathbed to do his bidding, playing upon his sense of honor and duty. Arthur held to his word. He became the Viscount his grandfather desired.
Viscount of Daneford, hero of Napoleonic War—he had it all, except he didn’t have her. He downed his glass and strode back over to the decanter. Pouring his glass, his eyes caught sight of a bundle under the small table across from the settee.
Good Lord! The woman had been in his study. He placed his glass down and crossed over to the table. Leaning down, he picked up the neat bundle of letters. He turned to call out for his butler, but the name caught in his throat.
He glared down at the bundle. Letters. Suppose it had news of Harriet ? Where she was… who she was with… more importantly, why she had left him… It was wrong. An invasion of privacy. Wasn’t he the one who forbade anyone to mention Harriet’s name?
No, he had to know where she was. He had to see her. He had to know why she left him. He backed up to the settee and opened up the first letter.
* * * *
A hazy sun shone in the sky. In her sturdy boots, Harriet took the path back up to the place that had been her home for well over a year. A chill wind whipped at her skirts. Quickening her steps, she pulled her cloak more firmly about her and pushed forward.
Harriet didn’t mind the walk most days down into the village. Any escape from that stuffy house was welcome. Today, though, she was in a foul mood. She grimaced at the frustration that filled her. Something was terribly wrong…
Since Harriet arrived, she had dwelt in a living nightmare. Long rendered powerless by events beyond her control, she had reached a crossroads, one where she had to choose between living and existing. Guilt, hurt…pain wrenched tightly to her soul.
Had she not encouraged Arthur to seek honor and glory in the fight against the devil Napoleon, he might not have been lost. Her brave, courageous Arthur! Destined never to see his handsome face again. Lost forever to her.
Moreover, she had not heard from her family. Nothing. All her letters had gone unanswered. Today, the
“Why the devil would her letters be in my study!” Arthur caught himself. It was Bessie.
Whatever possessed his brother to marry such a nitwit! He would not wager a guess. Ewan had married her before he returned from his stint in the Royal Navy. His serious brother and a woman who didn’t have an intelligent thought in her head!
“They aren’t in here,” Arthur said irritably, motioning for his butler to leave him.
The butler bowed stiffly from the waist and withdrew from the room.
Arthur sighed heavily and took a sip of his glass. Bessie had a lot of nerve. To invade his study! It was his sanctuary. He had no tolerance for that simpleton. He would have to have another conversation with Ewan.
He had enough dealing with bird-witted imbeciles. It wasn’t the first time. He found himself dealing with the Navy’s own incompetence the moment he touched his foot on English soil again. He found people staring at him as if he was a ghost. Only then did he discover that some nitwit from the Defense Department had conveyed mistaken information.
For a brief period of time, his family thought he had died. The truth of the matter was he hadn’t even been injured. It had been his friend and partner on their mission, Lieutenant Nigel Whitmore. The poor man lay in a hospital. His recovery was still in doubt, for the blade penetrated deep, causing injuries that the doctors feared would eventually take his friend’s life.
The rumor of Arthur’s demise persisted until he returned and made an appearance in the flesh. Truly, he hadn’t given much thought to the oversight. His concern centered on Harriet and her desertion… then his grandfather became ill. Arthur realized the old man manipulated Arthur on his deathbed to do his bidding, playing upon his sense of honor and duty. Arthur held to his word. He became the Viscount his grandfather desired.
Viscount of Daneford, hero of Napoleonic War—he had it all, except he didn’t have her. He downed his glass and strode back over to the decanter. Pouring his glass, his eyes caught sight of a bundle under the small table across from the settee.
Good Lord! The woman had been in his study. He placed his glass down and crossed over to the table. Leaning down, he picked up the neat bundle of letters. He turned to call out for his butler, but the name caught in his throat.
He glared down at the bundle. Letters. Suppose it had news of Harriet ? Where she was… who she was with… more importantly, why she had left him… It was wrong. An invasion of privacy. Wasn’t he the one who forbade anyone to mention Harriet’s name?
No, he had to know where she was. He had to see her. He had to know why she left him. He backed up to the settee and opened up the first letter.
* * * *
A hazy sun shone in the sky. In her sturdy boots, Harriet took the path back up to the place that had been her home for well over a year. A chill wind whipped at her skirts. Quickening her steps, she pulled her cloak more firmly about her and pushed forward.
Harriet didn’t mind the walk most days down into the village. Any escape from that stuffy house was welcome. Today, though, she was in a foul mood. She grimaced at the frustration that filled her. Something was terribly wrong…
Since Harriet arrived, she had dwelt in a living nightmare. Long rendered powerless by events beyond her control, she had reached a crossroads, one where she had to choose between living and existing. Guilt, hurt…pain wrenched tightly to her soul.
Had she not encouraged Arthur to seek honor and glory in the fight against the devil Napoleon, he might not have been lost. Her brave, courageous Arthur! Destined never to see his handsome face again. Lost forever to her.
Moreover, she had not heard from her family. Nothing. All her letters had gone unanswered. Today, the
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