Read Online The Fallen Woman (A Regency Romance) by K.L. O'Keefe - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: K.L. O'Keefe
Ads: Link
empty.
“Is that it?” Leona whispered to her father. “He waits for me, I arrive, we get married… and that’s it? What a fine ceremony this will be!”
“Try to be pleasant,” Mr. Lennox admonished his daughter. “The man is dying, remember? Don’t make this a day he’ll regret for the rest of his short life.”
Leona continued to hiss at her father as he led her down the aisle. “I plan to be as pleasant as I can be, considering the circumstances.”
“The circumstances could be far worse, considering the state you’re in.”
“Thank you, Father, for repeatedly reminding me of my giant blunder on my wedding day.”
When they reached the aisle’s end, Mr. Lennox was more than happy to hand his daughter off to Lord Randall. And Leona, truth be told, was just as happy to be rid of her father. If it was the last time she saw him, she didn’t think she would mind. Her new life was laid out before her, and she had no choice but to live it.
As the vicar proceeded to join them in holy matrimony, Leona felt detached from her body. She felt like a disembodied soul, observing a person who looked like herself doing something beyond her control. She couldn’t even bring herself to look in Lord Randall’s direction. She wondered how he felt about having her as a wife. Did it make him happy, or was he hoping for something different?
If he knew the truth about her, he would definitely wish for something different. Leona felt a knot of guilt coiling in her abdomen, tugging her stomach like a tight-fitting corset. Lord Randall’s new wife wasn’t the sort of woman he thought she was. If he knew the truth, she knew he would never have her.
Leona would never have to worry about Lord Randall changing his mind. The vicar uttered the final words, Lord Randall kissed her hand, and it was done. She was suddenly a viscountess, the wife of a man she barely knew.
She prayed she wouldn’t retch on her husband’s fancy coat.
Chapter Ten
Leona didn’t retch, but she was always closer to retching than she wanted to be. She held her breath several times, hoping the sensation of nausea would dissipate. The rocking of the carriage and the midsummer heat did nothing to quell her upset stomach.
“My lord,” Leona shyly addressed the man sitting across from her. She looked up at him, briefly meeting his gaze. She only gave him quick glances, because the sight of him made her uneasy. Her thoughts made her uneasy. Every time Leona looked at him, she thought about sharing his bed. That sort of thought would make anyone uneasy, would it not? “How long ‘til we reach Randall Hall?”
“The longest part of the journey is over. We should be there within the hour,” he politely informed her. “Miss Lennox?”
“Yes?”
“Now that I am your husband, I would like it if you dispensed with formalities. I’d like it if you would call me Tristan.”
“Tristan,” she repeated softly. “Okay, I shall call you that from now on. And… you should call me Leona. After all, my name isn’t Miss Lennox anymore. I lost that name when I became your wife!”
Tristan chuckled. It was a fake chuckle, thick with apprehension. When realized he was apprehensive, Leona was a bit relieved. At least she wasn’t the only one who thought this was an awkward situation. “Oh, yes. Yes, of course. I forgot. How foolish of me. Yes. You’re no longer Miss Lennox, are you?”
Leona shook her head, secretly amused by the way he was babbling.
“I suppose you’re Lady Randall now.”
“ Leona ,” she corrected him. “I want you to call me Leona. It wouldn’t seem right if my husband addressed me any other way.”
When Tristan got quiet, so did Leona. It was the first time she had been in such close quarters with her husband, and it wouldn’t be the last time. When would the situation feel less unnatural? Would there ever be a time when conversing with him would feel… normal? At least she wasn’t alone with him—yet. Mary was sitting
“Is that it?” Leona whispered to her father. “He waits for me, I arrive, we get married… and that’s it? What a fine ceremony this will be!”
“Try to be pleasant,” Mr. Lennox admonished his daughter. “The man is dying, remember? Don’t make this a day he’ll regret for the rest of his short life.”
Leona continued to hiss at her father as he led her down the aisle. “I plan to be as pleasant as I can be, considering the circumstances.”
“The circumstances could be far worse, considering the state you’re in.”
“Thank you, Father, for repeatedly reminding me of my giant blunder on my wedding day.”
When they reached the aisle’s end, Mr. Lennox was more than happy to hand his daughter off to Lord Randall. And Leona, truth be told, was just as happy to be rid of her father. If it was the last time she saw him, she didn’t think she would mind. Her new life was laid out before her, and she had no choice but to live it.
As the vicar proceeded to join them in holy matrimony, Leona felt detached from her body. She felt like a disembodied soul, observing a person who looked like herself doing something beyond her control. She couldn’t even bring herself to look in Lord Randall’s direction. She wondered how he felt about having her as a wife. Did it make him happy, or was he hoping for something different?
If he knew the truth about her, he would definitely wish for something different. Leona felt a knot of guilt coiling in her abdomen, tugging her stomach like a tight-fitting corset. Lord Randall’s new wife wasn’t the sort of woman he thought she was. If he knew the truth, she knew he would never have her.
Leona would never have to worry about Lord Randall changing his mind. The vicar uttered the final words, Lord Randall kissed her hand, and it was done. She was suddenly a viscountess, the wife of a man she barely knew.
She prayed she wouldn’t retch on her husband’s fancy coat.
Chapter Ten
Leona didn’t retch, but she was always closer to retching than she wanted to be. She held her breath several times, hoping the sensation of nausea would dissipate. The rocking of the carriage and the midsummer heat did nothing to quell her upset stomach.
“My lord,” Leona shyly addressed the man sitting across from her. She looked up at him, briefly meeting his gaze. She only gave him quick glances, because the sight of him made her uneasy. Her thoughts made her uneasy. Every time Leona looked at him, she thought about sharing his bed. That sort of thought would make anyone uneasy, would it not? “How long ‘til we reach Randall Hall?”
“The longest part of the journey is over. We should be there within the hour,” he politely informed her. “Miss Lennox?”
“Yes?”
“Now that I am your husband, I would like it if you dispensed with formalities. I’d like it if you would call me Tristan.”
“Tristan,” she repeated softly. “Okay, I shall call you that from now on. And… you should call me Leona. After all, my name isn’t Miss Lennox anymore. I lost that name when I became your wife!”
Tristan chuckled. It was a fake chuckle, thick with apprehension. When realized he was apprehensive, Leona was a bit relieved. At least she wasn’t the only one who thought this was an awkward situation. “Oh, yes. Yes, of course. I forgot. How foolish of me. Yes. You’re no longer Miss Lennox, are you?”
Leona shook her head, secretly amused by the way he was babbling.
“I suppose you’re Lady Randall now.”
“ Leona ,” she corrected him. “I want you to call me Leona. It wouldn’t seem right if my husband addressed me any other way.”
When Tristan got quiet, so did Leona. It was the first time she had been in such close quarters with her husband, and it wouldn’t be the last time. When would the situation feel less unnatural? Would there ever be a time when conversing with him would feel… normal? At least she wasn’t alone with him—yet. Mary was sitting
Similar Books
