Read Online The Bridal Contract (Darrington family Book 3) by Sandra Sookoo - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandra Sookoo
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“What did you do?” She barely managed to force the question out from through clenched teeth.
High color blazed in Charles’ cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
“What happened?” Now that the truth was out, Eloisa wanted all of it. She clutched Helen’s hand. “Now, if you please.”
He fixed his gaze to the rather shabby carpet. “Three months ago I lost my purse in my last game of cards for the night. I’d been drinking and wasn’t thinking clearly, but I’d honestly thought I’d had a good hand. I couldn’t tell Cecilia what I’d done. She’d already warned me about my habits.”
“Go on.” She wouldn’t give him quarter.
“I thought I could win it all back with no one the wiser.” Charles rallied and his voice grew stronger. “I snuck back to White’s after everyone went to bed. I wagered it all—the property, most of what I had in the bank, some of Cecilia’s family jewelry. All I needed was one great hand. And I had that.”
“Fool. No one is that lucky when they’re pockets are already to let.” She frowned. “You lost, and I’m assuming to him?” She gestured with her thumb to Lord Everly.
“Not right away. I was actually winning.” A ghost of a smile crossed Charles’ face. “Then, he kept upping the stakes. Running scared I thought, but then I couldn’t match the raises, and I…” He shoved a hand through his thinning blond hair. “I put Helen on the altar.”
“And Lord Everly had the better hand.” Of course he did. Charles wasn’t the expert at any of the games he thought he was. “I honestly thought better of you.”
At that moment, Everly waddled over. “The lure of the gaming tables doesn’t discriminate, Miss Hawthorne.” He grinned, and his two chins quivered. “Now, I’ll advise you not to meddle in affairs you don’t understand.”
“How can you say that?” She shot to her feet, anger heating her insides. “I will fight with my dying breath to keep my sister out of your clutches.”
When the lord laughed, his belly jiggled. “How very Gothic of you, my dear.” The sunlight made his nearly bald scalp gleam as pink as a baby rat. “You should be glad for your sister’s future. She’ll have elevated status, will be a lady and have everything she’s ever wanted. She’ll be the toast of London for her beauty and status.”
“At what cost?” Eloisa asked softly. She’d no idea their coffers were as empty as they were. No way would this man accept a plea or a promise for Helen’s freedom.
“Well, the cost to me is high, but at least I won’t send Charles to the poorhouse or debtor’s prison, and neither will you have to become someone’s poor relation.” Lord Everly’s chuckle echoed in the silent room. “Your sister will bear sons, hopefully, and I’ll install her in the country, where she won’t be able to cause many ripples in my life in London. She’ll be the envy of rural life and will run the estate as she pleases.”
Sour bile hit the back of Eloisa’s throat. Helen squeezed her hand tightly. “What would it take for you to void the bargain?”
Both Everly and Charles looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “Obviously, pay me every farthing your brother owes,” the lord rejoined. “There really isn’t anything else. I’m a man of some discernment, Miss Hawthorne. It’s my responsibility as an upstanding member of the ton to uphold the dignity and distinction that separates the titled from the not. Some men need to understand there are consequences to their actions.” His voice went hard. “I expect the wedding will be planned straightaway.” His chuckle sounded like ominous thunder. “Nuptials in a month’s time and no need for a special license. No exceptions.” He swept the room with his beady-eyed gaze then rested them on Helen. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I cannot believe this is happening to me!” Helen burst into noisy tears then left the room from a different door than Lord Everly had
High color blazed in Charles’ cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
“What happened?” Now that the truth was out, Eloisa wanted all of it. She clutched Helen’s hand. “Now, if you please.”
He fixed his gaze to the rather shabby carpet. “Three months ago I lost my purse in my last game of cards for the night. I’d been drinking and wasn’t thinking clearly, but I’d honestly thought I’d had a good hand. I couldn’t tell Cecilia what I’d done. She’d already warned me about my habits.”
“Go on.” She wouldn’t give him quarter.
“I thought I could win it all back with no one the wiser.” Charles rallied and his voice grew stronger. “I snuck back to White’s after everyone went to bed. I wagered it all—the property, most of what I had in the bank, some of Cecilia’s family jewelry. All I needed was one great hand. And I had that.”
“Fool. No one is that lucky when they’re pockets are already to let.” She frowned. “You lost, and I’m assuming to him?” She gestured with her thumb to Lord Everly.
“Not right away. I was actually winning.” A ghost of a smile crossed Charles’ face. “Then, he kept upping the stakes. Running scared I thought, but then I couldn’t match the raises, and I…” He shoved a hand through his thinning blond hair. “I put Helen on the altar.”
“And Lord Everly had the better hand.” Of course he did. Charles wasn’t the expert at any of the games he thought he was. “I honestly thought better of you.”
At that moment, Everly waddled over. “The lure of the gaming tables doesn’t discriminate, Miss Hawthorne.” He grinned, and his two chins quivered. “Now, I’ll advise you not to meddle in affairs you don’t understand.”
“How can you say that?” She shot to her feet, anger heating her insides. “I will fight with my dying breath to keep my sister out of your clutches.”
When the lord laughed, his belly jiggled. “How very Gothic of you, my dear.” The sunlight made his nearly bald scalp gleam as pink as a baby rat. “You should be glad for your sister’s future. She’ll have elevated status, will be a lady and have everything she’s ever wanted. She’ll be the toast of London for her beauty and status.”
“At what cost?” Eloisa asked softly. She’d no idea their coffers were as empty as they were. No way would this man accept a plea or a promise for Helen’s freedom.
“Well, the cost to me is high, but at least I won’t send Charles to the poorhouse or debtor’s prison, and neither will you have to become someone’s poor relation.” Lord Everly’s chuckle echoed in the silent room. “Your sister will bear sons, hopefully, and I’ll install her in the country, where she won’t be able to cause many ripples in my life in London. She’ll be the envy of rural life and will run the estate as she pleases.”
Sour bile hit the back of Eloisa’s throat. Helen squeezed her hand tightly. “What would it take for you to void the bargain?”
Both Everly and Charles looked at her as if she’d grown a second head. “Obviously, pay me every farthing your brother owes,” the lord rejoined. “There really isn’t anything else. I’m a man of some discernment, Miss Hawthorne. It’s my responsibility as an upstanding member of the ton to uphold the dignity and distinction that separates the titled from the not. Some men need to understand there are consequences to their actions.” His voice went hard. “I expect the wedding will be planned straightaway.” His chuckle sounded like ominous thunder. “Nuptials in a month’s time and no need for a special license. No exceptions.” He swept the room with his beady-eyed gaze then rested them on Helen. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I cannot believe this is happening to me!” Helen burst into noisy tears then left the room from a different door than Lord Everly had
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