Read Online The Convenient Bride by Teresa McCarthy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Teresa McCarthy
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trouble now, Mama? Will he miss my
tea party?"
A few
feet away, Miss Garland burst forth with laughter and left the room.
"What
exactly happened in there?" Emily stood in her husband’s study, perusing a
book from the earl's shelves.
Clayton
planted his hands to his hips, wanting his sister's full attention. But the devil
of it was, Jared's breeches were too blasted uncomfortable. It was deuced hard
to act manly when he knew two women had been laughing at him.
As he
yanked at the waist, he noticed his sister was thumbing through a book on
Egyptian architecture. No doubt the volume was pulled for the red-haired
tea-spiller, he thought, watching Emily's lips starting to tremble.
"If
you can contain your amusement, I may be able to explain."
Emily
glanced over her shoulder, her violet eyes dancing. "I—I am not
laughing."
"Dash
it, Em. It was all Nigel's fault."
His
sister closed the book with a snap. "That dog would never cause any
trouble."
Clayton's
brows went up. "Really? I have heard differently. As a matter of fact, I
have it from a higher authority that good old Nigel trapped you beneath Jared's
bed."
Emily's
face reddened. "That was a long time ago."
"Before
you were married?"
"Nothing
happened," she said, her chin set into a stubborn line.
"Point
taken. That is exactly what I am trying to say."
Emily
placed the book on a nearby end table and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You tried nothing with Briana? You weren't so foolish as to ask her to be
your bride? Your convenient bride, I might add."
Could
his sister read minds now? "What do you take me for?"
"You
are known to be an excellent horseman, a superb swordsman, a decent
rifleman"—she paused—"and an excellent flirt."
Clayton
reddened. "I don't know who you have been talking to, but it isn't
true."
Emily
shrugged.
"Nothing
happened! It was an accident!"
"I
believe you."
"Then
why are you so short with me?"
Emily's
arms fell to her sides. "I'm worried about Briana. Since her sister and
father passed away, she has not been the same."
A cold
ball of guilt began to grow in his stomach as he thought about his conversation
with the lady. All he had been thinking about was that deuced will. He clearly
had not been listening to her—he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts.
Perhaps Miss Garland was correct after all. He was an idiot.
Clayton
walked across the room and paged through the book Emily had pulled. "I had
forgotten about the drowning incident and what effect it would have on her. But
what the devil is wrong with talking about the weather and her mama's
headaches?"
Emily's
eyes burned into him. "How could you have forgotten about Clarice's
death?"
"I
didn't forget. I remember reading it in the papers. I hadn't forgotten they had
been in mourning the previous year either. A man doesn't forget a thing like
that."
"You
were thinking about the will and not paying attention to Briana, weren't you?
As a gentleman, it was not well done of you. You used to do the same thing when
we were children."
He
clapped the book closed. "It's not as if I said something terrible!"
Clayton
knew he would have to find the lady and apologize. Emily was correct. It was
not well done of him.
"Did
her sister commit suicide?" he asked bluntly.
The
fight seemed to go out of Emily. "Oh, Clay, I don't know. They say she
drowned in the Thames, just like you said."
Clayton
shook his head. "All females should learn to swim."
"She
knew how to swim, Clay. Don't you remember that time at Elbourne? Briana and
her sister came out that summer. You were swimming with your friends from
school in the nearby lake. I think Lord Kingsdale was with you. Clarice dove
under the water and bit your ankle. In the meantime, Briana and I dumped your
clothes in the bushes beyond the road."
The
mention of Kingsdale brought a frown to Clayton's face. He had parted ways with
the man a few years ago when Kingsdale had vehemently begun to oppose many
government policies. He had
tea party?"
A few
feet away, Miss Garland burst forth with laughter and left the room.
"What
exactly happened in there?" Emily stood in her husband’s study, perusing a
book from the earl's shelves.
Clayton
planted his hands to his hips, wanting his sister's full attention. But the devil
of it was, Jared's breeches were too blasted uncomfortable. It was deuced hard
to act manly when he knew two women had been laughing at him.
As he
yanked at the waist, he noticed his sister was thumbing through a book on
Egyptian architecture. No doubt the volume was pulled for the red-haired
tea-spiller, he thought, watching Emily's lips starting to tremble.
"If
you can contain your amusement, I may be able to explain."
Emily
glanced over her shoulder, her violet eyes dancing. "I—I am not
laughing."
"Dash
it, Em. It was all Nigel's fault."
His
sister closed the book with a snap. "That dog would never cause any
trouble."
Clayton's
brows went up. "Really? I have heard differently. As a matter of fact, I
have it from a higher authority that good old Nigel trapped you beneath Jared's
bed."
Emily's
face reddened. "That was a long time ago."
"Before
you were married?"
"Nothing
happened," she said, her chin set into a stubborn line.
"Point
taken. That is exactly what I am trying to say."
Emily
placed the book on a nearby end table and crossed her arms over her chest.
"You tried nothing with Briana? You weren't so foolish as to ask her to be
your bride? Your convenient bride, I might add."
Could
his sister read minds now? "What do you take me for?"
"You
are known to be an excellent horseman, a superb swordsman, a decent
rifleman"—she paused—"and an excellent flirt."
Clayton
reddened. "I don't know who you have been talking to, but it isn't
true."
Emily
shrugged.
"Nothing
happened! It was an accident!"
"I
believe you."
"Then
why are you so short with me?"
Emily's
arms fell to her sides. "I'm worried about Briana. Since her sister and
father passed away, she has not been the same."
A cold
ball of guilt began to grow in his stomach as he thought about his conversation
with the lady. All he had been thinking about was that deuced will. He clearly
had not been listening to her—he had been so wrapped up in his thoughts.
Perhaps Miss Garland was correct after all. He was an idiot.
Clayton
walked across the room and paged through the book Emily had pulled. "I had
forgotten about the drowning incident and what effect it would have on her. But
what the devil is wrong with talking about the weather and her mama's
headaches?"
Emily's
eyes burned into him. "How could you have forgotten about Clarice's
death?"
"I
didn't forget. I remember reading it in the papers. I hadn't forgotten they had
been in mourning the previous year either. A man doesn't forget a thing like
that."
"You
were thinking about the will and not paying attention to Briana, weren't you?
As a gentleman, it was not well done of you. You used to do the same thing when
we were children."
He
clapped the book closed. "It's not as if I said something terrible!"
Clayton
knew he would have to find the lady and apologize. Emily was correct. It was
not well done of him.
"Did
her sister commit suicide?" he asked bluntly.
The
fight seemed to go out of Emily. "Oh, Clay, I don't know. They say she
drowned in the Thames, just like you said."
Clayton
shook his head. "All females should learn to swim."
"She
knew how to swim, Clay. Don't you remember that time at Elbourne? Briana and
her sister came out that summer. You were swimming with your friends from
school in the nearby lake. I think Lord Kingsdale was with you. Clarice dove
under the water and bit your ankle. In the meantime, Briana and I dumped your
clothes in the bushes beyond the road."
The
mention of Kingsdale brought a frown to Clayton's face. He had parted ways with
the man a few years ago when Kingsdale had vehemently begun to oppose many
government policies. He had
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