your fortune. He has made an agreement with my grandfather to retain control of your estate after the marriage.”
Her shoulders sagged. “That is true.”
“But there is one thing they have forgotten. I have signed nothing. I will gladly turn over your fortune and estate to you on your twenty-first birthday if you agree to my proposal. Consider it my gift to you in exchange for our bargain.”
Ginny’s smile was brilliant. “Can you do that, Lord Devon?”
The rogue smiled back. “Hadn’t you heard? I do anything I choose.” He winked at her.
Ginny grinned from ear to ear. “Then you most certainly have a deal, Lord Devon.”
“Do call me, Tyler,” he whispered close to the raspberry lips that would soon belong to him.
He hadn’t started out the day hunting treasure; but since he had come upon one he knew enough not to let it go.
* * *
Completely satisfied, they each thought they had the situation well in hand.
Chapter Seven
“Ye did wot?”
Mabel was having an apoplectic fit. “Ye spoke with the man in yer undergarments? Are ye daft?” Her bulky figure paced the bedroom, arms thrown wide.
Lord Devon had given Ginny a hoist into the tree after she had convinced him she could negotiate safely back into her bedroom. If his broad palm lingered too long on her backside as he assisted her... Well, it was probably due to concern for her safety.
“Calm down, Mabel. Don’t you see? It couldn’t have worked out better if I had planned it myself.”
From Mabel’s expression, it was apparent she didn’t ‘see’. Ginny pressed on. “Lord Devon and I have agreed.
We’ve struck a bargain. He wants his freedom as much as I do so we’re to get married in name only.”
“Are ye tellin’ me the rake seen ye in yer unmentionables and told ye he wouldna’ touch ye?”
Mabel lifted a craggy eyebrow. “Was ye born yesterday?
And him being the rogue he is!”
Ginny waved her concerns away. “I’m telling you, he isn’t interested. He only wants his freedom. Why, the man was like clay in my hands.”
“Hmph! I’m thinking he just wants to be in yer hands, period.”
Ginny was scandalized. “Mabel Dooley!”
The older woman squinted her eyes at Ginny.
“And wot does his Lordship give ye in return fer leaving ye alone. As if that makes sense to a sane body.”
“Only my inheritance when I reach my majority.
At last I shall be free from Uncle Jediah.”
Mabel shook her head in exasperation. “Now, Regina Thomlinson, ye’ve cooked up some harebrained schemes in the past, but this is beyond all. And ye did it by yer onesome without yer lamebrained cousin adding his skewered bit t’ the stewpot! Mark my words, girl– yer in fer it.”
“Don’t be silly. What could possibly go wrong?”
Mabel gave her a look of total disbelief. “Be tellin’
me, Ginny,“ she drawled slyly. “Is he as handsome as wot they say?”
Ginny flushed. She nervously shoved a stray lock of hair out of her face. “I– I suppose he isn’t too hard on the eyes.”
Mabel eyed her knowingly. The rake had already gotten to her and the girl didn’t even know it. Well now, this was intriguing... Her Ginny had never shown a wit o’ interest in any man, swearin’ she’d never get shackled.
Now here she was, having been in the rakehell’s presence only a short time, already agreeing to marriage, and heaven-knew-what-else.
Mabel decided she had to meet this Lord Devon.
Anyone who could talk her ladyship around the bend must have a bright candle in the belfry. She had her suspicions that there was more to this man than what was bandied about. The plot was about to thicken for sure.
Ginny threw open the doors to her wardrobe and inspected the contents. “Lord Devon is currently speaking with Uncle. Of course, he won’t mention that we’ve already met. Please, Mabel, help me dress for dinner?”
Mabel nodded at “Reggie’s” clothes. “Shall I put these away then?”
“No, nothing has
Her shoulders sagged. “That is true.”
“But there is one thing they have forgotten. I have signed nothing. I will gladly turn over your fortune and estate to you on your twenty-first birthday if you agree to my proposal. Consider it my gift to you in exchange for our bargain.”
Ginny’s smile was brilliant. “Can you do that, Lord Devon?”
The rogue smiled back. “Hadn’t you heard? I do anything I choose.” He winked at her.
Ginny grinned from ear to ear. “Then you most certainly have a deal, Lord Devon.”
“Do call me, Tyler,” he whispered close to the raspberry lips that would soon belong to him.
He hadn’t started out the day hunting treasure; but since he had come upon one he knew enough not to let it go.
* * *
Completely satisfied, they each thought they had the situation well in hand.
Chapter Seven
“Ye did wot?”
Mabel was having an apoplectic fit. “Ye spoke with the man in yer undergarments? Are ye daft?” Her bulky figure paced the bedroom, arms thrown wide.
Lord Devon had given Ginny a hoist into the tree after she had convinced him she could negotiate safely back into her bedroom. If his broad palm lingered too long on her backside as he assisted her... Well, it was probably due to concern for her safety.
“Calm down, Mabel. Don’t you see? It couldn’t have worked out better if I had planned it myself.”
From Mabel’s expression, it was apparent she didn’t ‘see’. Ginny pressed on. “Lord Devon and I have agreed.
We’ve struck a bargain. He wants his freedom as much as I do so we’re to get married in name only.”
“Are ye tellin’ me the rake seen ye in yer unmentionables and told ye he wouldna’ touch ye?”
Mabel lifted a craggy eyebrow. “Was ye born yesterday?
And him being the rogue he is!”
Ginny waved her concerns away. “I’m telling you, he isn’t interested. He only wants his freedom. Why, the man was like clay in my hands.”
“Hmph! I’m thinking he just wants to be in yer hands, period.”
Ginny was scandalized. “Mabel Dooley!”
The older woman squinted her eyes at Ginny.
“And wot does his Lordship give ye in return fer leaving ye alone. As if that makes sense to a sane body.”
“Only my inheritance when I reach my majority.
At last I shall be free from Uncle Jediah.”
Mabel shook her head in exasperation. “Now, Regina Thomlinson, ye’ve cooked up some harebrained schemes in the past, but this is beyond all. And ye did it by yer onesome without yer lamebrained cousin adding his skewered bit t’ the stewpot! Mark my words, girl– yer in fer it.”
“Don’t be silly. What could possibly go wrong?”
Mabel gave her a look of total disbelief. “Be tellin’
me, Ginny,“ she drawled slyly. “Is he as handsome as wot they say?”
Ginny flushed. She nervously shoved a stray lock of hair out of her face. “I– I suppose he isn’t too hard on the eyes.”
Mabel eyed her knowingly. The rake had already gotten to her and the girl didn’t even know it. Well now, this was intriguing... Her Ginny had never shown a wit o’ interest in any man, swearin’ she’d never get shackled.
Now here she was, having been in the rakehell’s presence only a short time, already agreeing to marriage, and heaven-knew-what-else.
Mabel decided she had to meet this Lord Devon.
Anyone who could talk her ladyship around the bend must have a bright candle in the belfry. She had her suspicions that there was more to this man than what was bandied about. The plot was about to thicken for sure.
Ginny threw open the doors to her wardrobe and inspected the contents. “Lord Devon is currently speaking with Uncle. Of course, he won’t mention that we’ve already met. Please, Mabel, help me dress for dinner?”
Mabel nodded at “Reggie’s” clothes. “Shall I put these away then?”
“No, nothing has
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