Read Online Smirke 01 - An Unlikely Hero by Cari Hislop - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cari Hislop
Ads: Link
sarcastic.” After
five more minutes of deliberate silence his pride cracked. “I’m
sorry.” The words felt strange on his lips, but he sighed with
relief as she picked up her chair and turned back to face him as if
nothing had occurred.
“Would you
like me to move my chair in front of the window Mr Smirke?”
“Yes, that
would be helpful Miss Lark.”
“About
here?”
“That will do.
Dare I ask why you’re smiling?”
“I was just
thinking how the image of you sitting there sketching would make a
beautiful painting.” John glowed with pleasure as he concentrated
on sketching his ward oblivious to the rest of the room. Two hours
later he closed his sketchbook almost pleased with the result and
rubbed his chest as he watched his ward try on her finished apron.
The large bachelor button could only catch the eye, stitched over
her right breast.
“Umm…” John
coughed to clear his waterlogged tongue. “Do you realise men will
see that and think you’re announcing a desire to wed?”
“Yes of
course.” Her smile seemed to command the rhythm of his heart. “If
it was spring I’d tuck a real cornflower in my bosom and think
about the man I want to marry and wait and see if it wilted by
evening, but it’s not likely to make much difference. The man of my
dreams doesn’t want to marry a penniless truth-fairy.”
“What are you
talking about? Don’t tell me you think you’re a fairy.”
“Agnes…”
John’s question was forgotten as Miss Lark rushed to the window to
see who or what was causing the commotion outside. “What a
magnificent coach and six…they look like they’ve come a
distance.”
John joined
her at the window as a long list of detested relations came to
mind. “Thank goodness…it’s only Peter.”
“Peter, your
brother the Viscount of Adderbury? How exciting. Do you think he’ll
stay long?”
John’s
pleasant smile soured. “He’s probably just passing through.”
“Does he look
like you? James says he’s one of the kindest men in England and
that he’s looking for a wife.”
“Whoever he’s
looking for, he’s not looking for you.”
“James
said…”
“I don’t care
what James said, I am your guardian and I don’t like you referring
to my brothers by their Christian names.”
“But James
insisted. He says I’m family.”
“James is too
kind.”
“Well isn’t
that what you’re supposed to be if you don’t want to end up in
hell? I thought you were trying to reform your evil ways? You don’t
appear to be doing a very good job to me.”
John clenched
his teeth as his blood pressure increased at the sight of an
impudent raised eyebrow. “I am being kind. And how would you know
what I’m trying to do?”
“Agnes told
me. She says you said…”
“Agnes doesn’t
know anything and neither do you.”
“My father
didn’t think women knew anything either. He said women should
always marry men at least fifteen years older. Apparently having
one foot in the grave makes a man wiser, but I always thought that
was stupid. Look at you, you’ve been dead and you don’t seem very
wise to me. If you were wise you wouldn’t have challenged that man
to a duel when you were unfit to wave about a sword.”
John’s flushed
burgundy as fury marinated his tongue, “I’m not old!”
“You’re
thirty-three…that’s old to me.”
“I’m a man in
my prime.”
“Will I be in
my prime at thirty-three?”
“You’re a
woman; you’ll be old.”
“Not as old as
you…you’ll be almost fifty…”
“John! You old
dog, you’re looking well for a d-d-dead man.” John turned to find
his eldest brother smiling down at him from his six foot five
inches with open arms. “We were upset when we heard reports that
you’d fallen on a sword and met your maker. It’s g-good to see you
so alive and well.” John stepped into his brothers’ cheerful
embrace, his anger momentarily forgotten.
“Don’t mention
swords you
five more minutes of deliberate silence his pride cracked. “I’m
sorry.” The words felt strange on his lips, but he sighed with
relief as she picked up her chair and turned back to face him as if
nothing had occurred.
“Would you
like me to move my chair in front of the window Mr Smirke?”
“Yes, that
would be helpful Miss Lark.”
“About
here?”
“That will do.
Dare I ask why you’re smiling?”
“I was just
thinking how the image of you sitting there sketching would make a
beautiful painting.” John glowed with pleasure as he concentrated
on sketching his ward oblivious to the rest of the room. Two hours
later he closed his sketchbook almost pleased with the result and
rubbed his chest as he watched his ward try on her finished apron.
The large bachelor button could only catch the eye, stitched over
her right breast.
“Umm…” John
coughed to clear his waterlogged tongue. “Do you realise men will
see that and think you’re announcing a desire to wed?”
“Yes of
course.” Her smile seemed to command the rhythm of his heart. “If
it was spring I’d tuck a real cornflower in my bosom and think
about the man I want to marry and wait and see if it wilted by
evening, but it’s not likely to make much difference. The man of my
dreams doesn’t want to marry a penniless truth-fairy.”
“What are you
talking about? Don’t tell me you think you’re a fairy.”
“Agnes…”
John’s question was forgotten as Miss Lark rushed to the window to
see who or what was causing the commotion outside. “What a
magnificent coach and six…they look like they’ve come a
distance.”
John joined
her at the window as a long list of detested relations came to
mind. “Thank goodness…it’s only Peter.”
“Peter, your
brother the Viscount of Adderbury? How exciting. Do you think he’ll
stay long?”
John’s
pleasant smile soured. “He’s probably just passing through.”
“Does he look
like you? James says he’s one of the kindest men in England and
that he’s looking for a wife.”
“Whoever he’s
looking for, he’s not looking for you.”
“James
said…”
“I don’t care
what James said, I am your guardian and I don’t like you referring
to my brothers by their Christian names.”
“But James
insisted. He says I’m family.”
“James is too
kind.”
“Well isn’t
that what you’re supposed to be if you don’t want to end up in
hell? I thought you were trying to reform your evil ways? You don’t
appear to be doing a very good job to me.”
John clenched
his teeth as his blood pressure increased at the sight of an
impudent raised eyebrow. “I am being kind. And how would you know
what I’m trying to do?”
“Agnes told
me. She says you said…”
“Agnes doesn’t
know anything and neither do you.”
“My father
didn’t think women knew anything either. He said women should
always marry men at least fifteen years older. Apparently having
one foot in the grave makes a man wiser, but I always thought that
was stupid. Look at you, you’ve been dead and you don’t seem very
wise to me. If you were wise you wouldn’t have challenged that man
to a duel when you were unfit to wave about a sword.”
John’s flushed
burgundy as fury marinated his tongue, “I’m not old!”
“You’re
thirty-three…that’s old to me.”
“I’m a man in
my prime.”
“Will I be in
my prime at thirty-three?”
“You’re a
woman; you’ll be old.”
“Not as old as
you…you’ll be almost fifty…”
“John! You old
dog, you’re looking well for a d-d-dead man.” John turned to find
his eldest brother smiling down at him from his six foot five
inches with open arms. “We were upset when we heard reports that
you’d fallen on a sword and met your maker. It’s g-good to see you
so alive and well.” John stepped into his brothers’ cheerful
embrace, his anger momentarily forgotten.
“Don’t mention
swords you
Similar Books
