Read Online The Adventuress by TASHA ALEXANDER - Free Book Online Page A

of strength and humor, Mr. Fairchild’s sensitivity was not so easily hidden. I had come upon him twice in the past days, staring at the ocean from the pier across from the hotel, his eyes misty. Naturally, he bucked up as soon as he saw me, but I could tell the effort took a toll on his spirit.
    We set off along La Croisette, the wind stronger next to the water than it had felt directly outside the hotel, but the bright sun warmed the air, and we could not have asked for a more beautiful day. The weather changed with astonishing frequency, from hot, to perfect, to chilly, sometimes in the space of a single hour, but that only added to the charms of Cannes. While there, one never had to accept for the long term the monotony of that singular grey that plagues the skies of England. Even when it rained, the wind would soon blow away the clouds to reveal the cerulean sky.
    â€œAmity is quite a force of nature, isn’t she?” Mr. Fairchild asked as he escorted me along the pavement. “Just the sort of girl for Bainbridge. Until I met her, I never thought he would voluntarily agree to matrimony.”
    â€œHe was quite set against it,” I said.
    â€œYet now he is on the verge of being happily settled. She is a capital girl. I am immensely fond of her.” He coughed. “Do you mind if I smoke?”
    â€œNot at all,” I replied. “Everyone is immensely fond of Amity. She is possessed of the sort of exuberance for life to which no one can object.”
    â€œNo gentlemen, at least. I think she is less successful among the ladies.”
    â€œHer parents give her a wider berth than that to which we are accustomed in England,” I said. “I believe we all envy her that.”
    â€œYou are discretion itself, Lady Emily,” Mr. Fairchild said. “Do not think me unaware of her … shortcomings, shall we say? I aim to be congenial and polite in most situations, a position that does not always afford one the pleasure of candor.”
    â€œYou are not fond of her, despite your statement to the contrary?” I raised an eyebrow.
    â€œI would not go so far as that. It is simply that—” He blew a silver stream of smoke toward the sky. “I ought not to be so uncharitable.”
    â€œI do not like to think of myself as relishing gossip, but I suspect you and I are closer on this subject than I would have anticipated.”
    â€œAmity acts more like a schoolmate than a fiancée,” Mr. Fairchild said, taking a deep drag on his cigarette before looping my arm through his and starting to walk again. It seemed as if the guests of every hotel in Cannes had poured out onto La Croisette, eager to take advantage of the day. We stepped aside to avoid slamming into a small boy who was skillfully rolling a hoop along the pavement while a smaller girl chased after him. “She is the only lady I have ever met who asked if I would teach her how to bowl a cricket ball. Can you imagine? Christabel nearly fainted when she heard her friend ask, and told me in no uncertain terms that she could think of nothing more tedious than my favorite game.” He smiled. “A point of view that does not trouble me in the least. Once Amity realized Bainbridge has no interest in the sport, she told me she no longer needed to learn. I half expected her to come with us to the casino that awful night, and that she would drink all of us under the table.”
    â€œCome now, Mr. Fairchild, you cannot think her capable of such a thing!”
    â€œIt is beneath me to say it, but I implore you not to judge me. I have always felt a bit protective of Bainbridge. There is so much bluster to him, with all his talk of being useless and vapid and bent on nothing but debauchery. Beneath all that, I think he is not so corrupt as he would like us to believe.”
    â€œI could not agree more.”
    â€œIf only you had married him!” He finished his cigarette and flicked away the