Read Online Tananguard 02 - To Love a Lord by Diedre Clark - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diedre Clark
Ads: Link
friendship…nothing more ,” she said doubtfully.
“Yes. No needless flirting to show my intentions. No hid den innuendos. Simply you and I getting to know each other as two individuals.”
“No attempted kisses?” she asked, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut. It had been such a nice kiss, and it had sparked such warmth within. She could feel her cheeks coloring at the memory.
He smiled slyly. “I will try to be a gentleman.”
“Try?” she said in alarm.
He laughed. “No kisses.”
She took a deep breath and released it. “Very well. I agree , but only on one condition.”
“And what is that?”
“You call me Sophia Murrieta, especially to your peers. It is a respected name in Spain. It will not tarnish your own name.”
He sighed. “I do not care about such things.”
“That is my condition, Mr. Tananguard,” she said stubbornly.
“Very well, but only if you call me Connor when we are alone or even when your housekeeper is present. Mr. Tananguard is such a hassle.”
“My housekeeper?” she asked in puzzlement. She didn’t have a housekeeper. Mrs. Lovegood had been such when her uncle and aunt had occupied the home next door. She had been the housekeeper to both households, but when her uncle and aunt were forced to move, they simply asked Mrs. Lovegood to care for their home. She lived there, caring for the home as instructed and continuing her work for Josephine’s parents. And now that Josephine was the only one living here permanently, Mrs. Lovegood only assisted when Josephine truly needed help. But she was not Josephine’s housekeeper. She must have said as much to Connor to keep appearances.
“Yes, Mrs. Lovegood. Where is she, by the way?” he asked curiously.
“She…yes, she went to the market,” Josephine said. It would be wise to keep that pretense for now. A woman living alone was unheard of, and her brother was rarely there. The home was his, but Josephine saw him once or twice a year if that.
“I see. Well? What say you?” he asked.
She studied him in contemplation.
“It is not a difficult decision. I am Connor, your friend and confidant. And you are Sophia.” He waited for a reply.
Her face furrowed, but she nodded in agreement. “ A friendship it is.”
*
Connor spent the rest of his morning with Sophia, finding it very difficult to keep his hands away from her. It would have been easier if Mrs. Lovegood returned. He very much wanted to take Sophia in his arms again. It had felt so right kissing her and holding her close. But he would be patient and prove to her he was honest in the fact he wanted to court her for marriage. Until then, he would be a complete gentleman even without a chaperone.
High noon came sooner than Connor would have liked, and he found himself bidding Sophia goodbye in order to make his luncheon with Cunningham. The meeting worried him after insulting Lady Cunningham so readily the day before. Connor knew Cunningham was not partial to his wife, but surely he would defend her honor.
Connor was quite surprised to find he was wrong. Cu nningham had nothing but praise for Connor for yesterday’s event.
“I would have supported you whole-heartedly had I remained. I should have remained. The incident would not have occurred had I,” he’d said with remorse. “Rebecca can be very harsh, and I’m certain your actions were well justified.”
Connor certainly believed they were, but shouldn’t Cunningham stand up for his wife in such things? Connor studied the man. He didn’t know him well, not anymore. Declan and he had been friends when they were boys—Connor being the younger by little over two years—but Cunningham had been sent to boarding school at the age of eight and had rarely returned to Westbrook. He was sensible and honorable, though. That much Connor still knew.
“Why did you marry her?” Connor blurted out. He recalled what Sophia told him yesterday, but he wondered Declan’s side of the matter.
Declan’s
“Yes. No needless flirting to show my intentions. No hid den innuendos. Simply you and I getting to know each other as two individuals.”
“No attempted kisses?” she asked, wishing she had just kept her mouth shut. It had been such a nice kiss, and it had sparked such warmth within. She could feel her cheeks coloring at the memory.
He smiled slyly. “I will try to be a gentleman.”
“Try?” she said in alarm.
He laughed. “No kisses.”
She took a deep breath and released it. “Very well. I agree , but only on one condition.”
“And what is that?”
“You call me Sophia Murrieta, especially to your peers. It is a respected name in Spain. It will not tarnish your own name.”
He sighed. “I do not care about such things.”
“That is my condition, Mr. Tananguard,” she said stubbornly.
“Very well, but only if you call me Connor when we are alone or even when your housekeeper is present. Mr. Tananguard is such a hassle.”
“My housekeeper?” she asked in puzzlement. She didn’t have a housekeeper. Mrs. Lovegood had been such when her uncle and aunt had occupied the home next door. She had been the housekeeper to both households, but when her uncle and aunt were forced to move, they simply asked Mrs. Lovegood to care for their home. She lived there, caring for the home as instructed and continuing her work for Josephine’s parents. And now that Josephine was the only one living here permanently, Mrs. Lovegood only assisted when Josephine truly needed help. But she was not Josephine’s housekeeper. She must have said as much to Connor to keep appearances.
“Yes, Mrs. Lovegood. Where is she, by the way?” he asked curiously.
“She…yes, she went to the market,” Josephine said. It would be wise to keep that pretense for now. A woman living alone was unheard of, and her brother was rarely there. The home was his, but Josephine saw him once or twice a year if that.
“I see. Well? What say you?” he asked.
She studied him in contemplation.
“It is not a difficult decision. I am Connor, your friend and confidant. And you are Sophia.” He waited for a reply.
Her face furrowed, but she nodded in agreement. “ A friendship it is.”
*
Connor spent the rest of his morning with Sophia, finding it very difficult to keep his hands away from her. It would have been easier if Mrs. Lovegood returned. He very much wanted to take Sophia in his arms again. It had felt so right kissing her and holding her close. But he would be patient and prove to her he was honest in the fact he wanted to court her for marriage. Until then, he would be a complete gentleman even without a chaperone.
High noon came sooner than Connor would have liked, and he found himself bidding Sophia goodbye in order to make his luncheon with Cunningham. The meeting worried him after insulting Lady Cunningham so readily the day before. Connor knew Cunningham was not partial to his wife, but surely he would defend her honor.
Connor was quite surprised to find he was wrong. Cu nningham had nothing but praise for Connor for yesterday’s event.
“I would have supported you whole-heartedly had I remained. I should have remained. The incident would not have occurred had I,” he’d said with remorse. “Rebecca can be very harsh, and I’m certain your actions were well justified.”
Connor certainly believed they were, but shouldn’t Cunningham stand up for his wife in such things? Connor studied the man. He didn’t know him well, not anymore. Declan and he had been friends when they were boys—Connor being the younger by little over two years—but Cunningham had been sent to boarding school at the age of eight and had rarely returned to Westbrook. He was sensible and honorable, though. That much Connor still knew.
“Why did you marry her?” Connor blurted out. He recalled what Sophia told him yesterday, but he wondered Declan’s side of the matter.
Declan’s
Similar Books
