Read Online The Bellerose Bargain by Robyn Carr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robyn Carr
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you will be given apartments in Whitehall, and our betrothal will be announced. I think it should fall into place nicely."
She nodded at his words, only half of which she heard, and kept her eyes glued to his. The recollection was clear now that she saw him again. His green eyes glittered and danced as though within him there was joy, but the heavy brows countered the joy with a look of sternness. He was most handsome, and when sober, his voice had a pleasant and comfortable sound.
"Do you need anything more of me?" he asked.
"No, milord," she said.
"Then I’ll leave you to your grooming and take the noon meal with you, if that is satisfactory."
"Aye, milord," she responded.
He moved to the door and stepped out, closing it behind him. Alicia moved slightly and looked at the closed door, remembering the face and voice. The door suddenly popped open and he startled her again. "Lock the door, madam. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you now."
"Yes, milord," she said again. The door closed and she did as he ordered. Then she looked at the door again. A slow smile crept over her face. "Yes, milord," she repeated, her eyes beginning to glow with pleasure. "Oh, yes, milord."
Four
The life of Charlotte Bellamy had been completely dull, from the point of view of Alicia. Geoffrey Seavers sat across the small table in her room at the inn and told her all he knew of the young woman. She had lived in the small farming village, remained mostly uneducated but for what her aunt was willing to teach her, and had few friends. She was virtually unknown until it was discovered that she was due an inheritance.
Seavers had made it his business to talk to those few men who had known Fergus Bellamy closely during his service to the crown. He asked after the knight’s reputation and had expected to learn something of this woman he was seeking to wed. But the questions gained him few answers. Fergus seldom spoke of his daughter and did not visit her or bring her to London that she might be introduced to his friends. It appeared likely that Fergus used the presence of offspring to facilitate the restoration of the lands he felt he deserved. It was poor timing on the knight’s part, in that case, to die so abruptly and never have the chance to enjoy his estate.
"Little enough for me to remember," Alicia reported with a shrug when Geoffrey had completed his story.
"Aye, there’s little, but it would do nicely if you could make attempts to remember your father regularly and with sadness."
"And the aunt?" she questioned.
"From what Rodney was able to learn, she was not fond of Charlotte and they did not share much love. Much mention of her seems unnecessary." He looked at her across the short distance and nodded once. "You shall have to accustom yourself to the name, however. And with all due respect, I shall be addressing you as Charlotte from now on. Even in our private moments."
"Our private moments, milord? I didn’t think there would be many of those." Geoffrey’s look was somewhat puzzled, not confused by her statement, but certainly at a loss as to how to deal with it. "I understood I was to play the part of Charlotte, not become her entirely."
"We shall have to share rooms," he said. "Surely you understand that."
Alicia simply met his eyes. She was not prepared to face his anger, but neither would she let him think that any desire he harbored would be met by this eager slave. She recognized his plan—and had one of her own.
"I hope you have prepared yourself to play the part of a wife, Alicia. For what all eyes see, you should be devoted to my needs and dependent on my strong arm. That certainly requires that we at least share rooms. For the sake of talkative servants, if nothing else."
"You will not be disappointed in my performance, Lord Seavers, but do you expect too much? Am I to live the part I play, or simply play the part well?"
Geoffrey smiled lazily. He leaned back from the table slightly as he studied
She nodded at his words, only half of which she heard, and kept her eyes glued to his. The recollection was clear now that she saw him again. His green eyes glittered and danced as though within him there was joy, but the heavy brows countered the joy with a look of sternness. He was most handsome, and when sober, his voice had a pleasant and comfortable sound.
"Do you need anything more of me?" he asked.
"No, milord," she said.
"Then I’ll leave you to your grooming and take the noon meal with you, if that is satisfactory."
"Aye, milord," she responded.
He moved to the door and stepped out, closing it behind him. Alicia moved slightly and looked at the closed door, remembering the face and voice. The door suddenly popped open and he startled her again. "Lock the door, madam. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you now."
"Yes, milord," she said again. The door closed and she did as he ordered. Then she looked at the door again. A slow smile crept over her face. "Yes, milord," she repeated, her eyes beginning to glow with pleasure. "Oh, yes, milord."
Four
The life of Charlotte Bellamy had been completely dull, from the point of view of Alicia. Geoffrey Seavers sat across the small table in her room at the inn and told her all he knew of the young woman. She had lived in the small farming village, remained mostly uneducated but for what her aunt was willing to teach her, and had few friends. She was virtually unknown until it was discovered that she was due an inheritance.
Seavers had made it his business to talk to those few men who had known Fergus Bellamy closely during his service to the crown. He asked after the knight’s reputation and had expected to learn something of this woman he was seeking to wed. But the questions gained him few answers. Fergus seldom spoke of his daughter and did not visit her or bring her to London that she might be introduced to his friends. It appeared likely that Fergus used the presence of offspring to facilitate the restoration of the lands he felt he deserved. It was poor timing on the knight’s part, in that case, to die so abruptly and never have the chance to enjoy his estate.
"Little enough for me to remember," Alicia reported with a shrug when Geoffrey had completed his story.
"Aye, there’s little, but it would do nicely if you could make attempts to remember your father regularly and with sadness."
"And the aunt?" she questioned.
"From what Rodney was able to learn, she was not fond of Charlotte and they did not share much love. Much mention of her seems unnecessary." He looked at her across the short distance and nodded once. "You shall have to accustom yourself to the name, however. And with all due respect, I shall be addressing you as Charlotte from now on. Even in our private moments."
"Our private moments, milord? I didn’t think there would be many of those." Geoffrey’s look was somewhat puzzled, not confused by her statement, but certainly at a loss as to how to deal with it. "I understood I was to play the part of Charlotte, not become her entirely."
"We shall have to share rooms," he said. "Surely you understand that."
Alicia simply met his eyes. She was not prepared to face his anger, but neither would she let him think that any desire he harbored would be met by this eager slave. She recognized his plan—and had one of her own.
"I hope you have prepared yourself to play the part of a wife, Alicia. For what all eyes see, you should be devoted to my needs and dependent on my strong arm. That certainly requires that we at least share rooms. For the sake of talkative servants, if nothing else."
"You will not be disappointed in my performance, Lord Seavers, but do you expect too much? Am I to live the part I play, or simply play the part well?"
Geoffrey smiled lazily. He leaned back from the table slightly as he studied
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