Read Online The Bride Sale by Candice Hern - Free Book Online

words. “And if anything like that happened, it would be my fault and my fate. No one would be to blame.”
    â€œI would,” James said.
    â€œWhy?”
    He fished out the bill of sale and waved it before her. “Have I not signed a paper, madam,” he said, almost shouting, “making me responsible for you? Itwould go hard with me if some mischief should occur to you while under my protection.”
    She glared at him through narrowed eyes, but James could read the indecision and confusion there as plain as a barn fire on a dark night. She didn’t know what to do.
    And neither did he. Why not just let her go? It would certainly solve a huge dilemma. What made him play this role of noble protector? He almost laughed at the absurdity of it.
    â€œOf course, if you have someplace to go,” he said in a mocking tone, “I would not dream of stopping you. Indeed, I seem to be making gross assumptions without any foundation. I must apologize for being so precipitous. Perhaps you have friends or family in the area? If so, I would be happy to take you to them in the morning. There is no need for you to tramp out alone on such a night.”
    She dropped her gaze and looked at her feet. Ha! He had her.
    â€œ Do you have someone to go to?” he prompted.
    She continued to watch her toes for a moment. Finally, she looked up and met his eyes. “No, my lord,” she replied in a soft voice. “I have no friends in the West Country.”
    Something in her manner—her pride? her courage?—goaded him into mocking her, daring her to go, pushing her to admit defeat. “Well then,” he said in a tone sure to convey his scorn, “perhaps you have friends somewhat more distant to whom you wish to go? And you meant to hire a chaise in town for the journey?”
    â€œNo, my lord.”
    â€œNo friends or family anywhere to take you in?”
    â€œNo, my lord.”
    â€œWell.” James tapped his chin with steepled fingers and beetled his brow. “Well. That is most unfortunate. Ah, but perhaps you meant to hire a companion and find a cottage of your own so that you could live independently. Is that what you had planned, Mrs . Osborne?”
    â€œNo, my lord.”
    â€œDo you in fact have the means to live independently?”
    â€œNo, my lord.”
    â€œI thought not. I suspect if you had, your husband would have taken it for himself, would he not?”
    â€œYes, my lord.”
    â€œWell then, madam, what had you planned to do? Where the devil were you going in the dead of night in the middle of Cornwall?”
    â€œI was going to follow the river into the next town,” she said, attempting a dignified posture beneath the heavy layers of clothing.
    â€œBodmin?”
    â€œI suppose so.”
    â€œAnd what did you plan to do in Bodmin?” he asked.
    â€œLook for employment, some sort of position. Then, as I earned a bit of money I could begin to pay you back the two hundred pounds.”
    What the devil? “I beg your pardon?”
    â€œThe two hundred pounds you…you paid for me.”
    â€œGood God, woman, you are not an indenturedservant! Do not concern yourself with the two hundred pounds.”
    â€œI should not wish to be beholden to you, my lord,” she said. “I will pay you back. If it takes me the rest of my life, I will pay you back. But I must find employment first.”
    James clucked his tongue and shook his head. The foolish, prideful woman. What was she thinking? “Mrs. Osborne, have you no wits? In the first place, the money was not given to you but to your husband. You are in no way beholden to me. You may come or go as you please.”
    Her eyes widened. What had she expected? That he would keep her under lock and key? But of course that must be precisely what she had thought, otherwise she would not be trying to escape like a criminal in the middle of the night, decked out like the rag-and-bone