Read Online Simon's Brides by Allison Knight - Free Book Online

kitchen.
     
    Ellie grinned. “Caro and I decided, since we had no breakfast, we should stop for something to eat.”
     
    “Fine,” Amy nodded. “Tell the others.”
     
    “It’s Dora’s idea,” Ellie said. “She’s hungry.”
     
    Amy smiled. Her sisters all teased Dora who could always eat twice as much as the rest of them and not gain a stone. But food sounded wonderful to Amy as well. She needed something to help her wake up. Her sleep had been anything but restful.
     
    Amy left the kitchen and stopped to gaze at the small pile beginning to grow beside the front door. She smiled and turned toward her room.
     
    Just then the front door flew open.
     
    She didn’t have to guess to know who had arrived. Her whole body tingled.
     
    Grimacing, she turned to face her adversary.
     
    “Come in, Simon.”
     
    Simon stalked into the room, his body stiff, his face rigid, his eyes radiating anger. Clifford stood behind him.
     
    Simon stepped forward and grabbed Amy’s forearm. Once again, a stab of heat rushed through her and she took a deep breath. She shook her head, closed her eyes and tried to identify what he did to her. Fear, she told herself. It had to be fear that caused the sensations that raced through her body.
     
    “I told you I wanted someone to escort you here,” Simon snarled.
     
    She opened her eyes and glowered at him, immune to his angry gaze. How dare he speak to her in that tone? After all, she had managed for almost a year without his guidance.
     
    She felt her own anger escalate. He also needed to learn more about her.
     
    “I don’t take orders well,” she informed him. “Besides, we’ll soon be finished here. If you want to help, you can take Clifford with you and send him back with a wagon.”
     
    “Clifford stays.”
     
    “Clifford is not necessary. My Lord, you forget. We lived in this cottage for over nine months without any protection.”
     
    “Clifford stays. And, I’m here now. From the moment I returned to London and read your father’s will, you became my responsibility.”
     
    The word responsibility made Amy sick to her stomach and she thought she would gag if he said it one more time.
     
    “All right,” she muttered. “Then Clifford can stay. You’d better leave, so we can get finished,” she announced, wishing him back to London.
     
    He opened his mouth and Amy cringed. She expected an angry retort, but nothing came. Finally, Simon said, “All right. I’ll send Chester back with a wagon. But, I want everybody at the house by noon.”
     
    Amy glanced around her. There was still much to be packed. “We’ll try.”
     
    “I mean it, Amy. Before noon.”
     
    “Yes, my Lord,” she snapped.
     
    She waited another moment, and watched as Simon turned around and stomped back down the path.
     
    A sudden relief surged through her. Why? She scowled as she watched him disappear from sight. She drew her first breath since he had slammed through the cottage door. What was there about this man that affected her so?
     
    She shook her head. Somehow she had to ignore the sensations Simon generated in her. She sighed and turned to Clifford standing in the doorway.
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
     
    Five
     
    “We will do what we have to do, and if we get home later than Simon wants, so be it,” Amy informed her sisters.
     
    “Clifford, you go to the orchard,” she said.
     
    “You need to hurry, Mistress. The Baron ain’t one to be put off.”
     
    “I’ll handle Simon Warner, don’t you worry. You just go relax under one of the fruit trees. I’ll call you when we have everything ready.” She watched as he hesitated, before he left the house.
     
    “Simon wants us to hurry,” she mentioned making her way back to the kitchen. “But take your time. We don’t want to break anything or worse, forget anything. Simon will probably not let us return here. Now, let’s eat and have some of that tea. Then, we’ll finish.”
     
    While she ate Amy