Read Online The Lady and the Earl (Seabrook Family Saga) by Christine Donovan - Free Book Online Page B

even
begun.”
    “Don’t fret, little sister,” Spencer said. “With your generous dowry, there’ll
be many a gentleman needing to fill his family’s pockets, vying for your hand.
You’ll have your husband, if they can convince me they’re worthy of you.”
    Mary’s eyes widened, and she looked around. “Do you see anyone worthy
of me now?”
    William sighed. Poor Mary, willing to marry the first gentleman who
came along. Did she not want love? What was he saying? Love, bloody hell. He’d
had that once and look what it had done to him. No, Mary would be better off
marrying a poor titled gentleman and leave the love to Lizzie, who, he had the
feeling, would hold out for that ever-mystifying emotion. Spencer had his hands
full with them. It almost made William wish he had a younger sister to take
care of. Almost. He smiled.
    “I, for one, wish to talk about Lady Amelia again,” Spencer said,
clearly not comfortable with Mary’s question. “Don’t you think she might be a
tad too young for you, cousin?”
    William did not mistake the challenge in Spencer’s eyes.
    “Well, I do need an heir,” William replied.
    “You do not.” Spencer grinned. “You have me.”
    William smothered a cough. “That’s true. I’ll tell you three this, and
keep it to yourselves. There can be nothing but friendship between Lady Amelia
and me. She will never be allowed anything more.” He ignored the three sets of
eyes focused on him. “If and when I do marry, the woman I choose will be a
widow or someone on the shelf, but still young enough to produce an heir.”
    William rubbed his chin but shook his head. Did he really want that?
His eyes fell on Amelia across the crowded ballroom, and his heart stopped. Why
couldn’t his heart listen to his head? Amelia was not the one for him. She
needed and deserved someone without scandal attached to him.
    She needed a man without demons chasing him on a daily basis.
    She deserved a man without dark secrets.
    “Excuse me,” Spencer said, pulling William out of his unpleasant
musings. “I believe this is my turn to dance with Lady Isabella.”
    ***
    As Spencer wove his way across the overly warm ballroom he wondered,
not for the first time, why he bothered with Lady Isabella. Any fool could see
she fancied herself in love with Norwich. He always seemed to go after the
unattainable. Spencer prided himself in believing he was nobody’s fool. Perhaps
he could be of use to the lady another way. He smiled and bowed before his
dance partner and ignored his sudden lightheadedness at glimpsing her beauty up
close.
    He could not kid himself. Spencer truly wanted to drown himself in the
deep blue of her eyes, and his hands itched to pull the pins from her light
blond hair and bury his face in the silky tresses. Never mind what he wanted to
do with the rest of her lush body… Get a grip on your lust , he
admonished himself.
    “I believe this is my waltz, Lady Isabella,” Spencer said, his calm
voice contradicting his excitement.
    He ignored the momentary flicker of annoyance in her eyes. When she
nodded and smiled, he almost stumbled.
    The feel of her hand lightly resting on his forearm sent waves of heat
crashing through his body. If he could just convince her she loved him instead
of Norwich, he would consider himself the luckiest gentleman alive.
    Once he held Isabella in his arms, he forgot to breathe.
    “Are you unwell, Mr. Spencer?” she inquired, looking at him
solicitously.
    “No. I’m perfectly fine. I’ve not seen you for some time, Lady
Isabella. Are you and your family well?” He knew he sounded like a tongue-tied
youngster dancing for the first time.
    “My family’s well. Thank you for asking. How is yours?” Isabella asked.
    “Everyone is fine, except Mother. She didn’t quite feel herself and
stayed home this evening.” He still sounded like a young buck. “You must be delighted
that your brother and sister are back from America.”
    Finally, he had a smile from