Read Online The Notorious Widow by Allison Lane - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Allison Lane
Tags: Regency Romance
Ads: Link
ahead.
CHAPTER FIVE
When Blake entered the library the next morning, he was not happy. Sleep had been a long time coming. He wanted to blame the lumpy bed, but he’d slept quite soundly on worse. The real culprit was his mind.
He had lain awake half the night as his thoughts spun in unproductive circles. If his encounter with Catherine had not muddled his thinking, he would have realized Seabrook had ulterior motives for this invitation. Men did not ask virtual strangers to investigate members of their family.
She had a most unsettling effect on him. He still couldn’t believe he had lost his temper and promised more than he could deliver. Yet that was not his only mistake. In Exeter, the black-haired woman and bright-eyed girl had occupied his thoughts even after he believed she was immoral. Why else had he failed to ask Mrs. Telcor or Mrs. Crumleigh about William’s family? It would have prepared him for the surprises he’d encountered at the manor.
Regrets were useless, of course. The past would never change, no matter how much he might wish it. He’d wasted more than a week on pointless invective after his father’s death, but he could not afford to make that mistake this time. Allowing his mind to drift, even pleasantly, would expose him to danger from Laura.
Spending time with Catherine posed a different problem. To redeem her reputation, he must learn as much as possible about her, Jasper, and the other victims. Yet lengthy discussions would feed the very gossip he sought to repress. Even keeping their meetings open would not help, for servants shared information about their masters. Some gossips would assume that he was her latest paramour. Others might recognize the truth, but that, too, was dangerous. He did not want Jasper to learn of his interest as yet.
Both William and Catherine had described Jasper as society’s darling. Thus people would refuse to cooperate if they thought he was seeking evidence against the man. Even worse, Jasper would consider him a threat and seek to discredit him. Both actions would make it much harder to fulfill his vow. So he must keep his purpose secret.
But hiding his association with Catherine would leave the impression that he was courting Laura, thus raising expectations – few would expect Mary to attract his attention. Even if Laura swore they were mutually disinterested, her credit would suffer if he left without making an offer.
Claiming long friendship with Seabrook – which was an exaggeration at best – would not eliminate expectations, for he had never called before. And anyone who had visited London would know that Seabrook was nothing like his other friends. In fact, anyone who had been in London recently would assume that he was using a tenuous connection to Seabrook to sample the favors of the delectable Catherine.
He swore. His reputation could easily ruin any chance of helping her. But there was nothing he could do about it. Cursing the past never worked. All he could do was address the present and take steps to see that problems did not recur in the future.
One of those problems was Catherine. When he had finally fallen asleep – only four hours ago – she had invaded his dreams, inviting him to share her passion and calling him twenty sorts of fool when he held back.
Temptation personified, he’d decided on awakening. He had been drawn to her since his first glimpse in Exeter, but he was not interested in a well-bred mistress encumbered with a child. Nor did he need a dream to remind him that avoiding intimacy was the only way to prevent mistakes that would destroy them both.
Now he closed the library door and joined her near the fire, welcoming its warmth. Charlie’s predicted storm had arrived at dawn, raising the damp chill typical of winter.
“I trust Sarah slept well and that Annie’s ankle is no worse,” he said, forgoing a formal greeting.
Her eyes widened, but she followed his lead. “Quite. The ankle is much improved,
CHAPTER FIVE
When Blake entered the library the next morning, he was not happy. Sleep had been a long time coming. He wanted to blame the lumpy bed, but he’d slept quite soundly on worse. The real culprit was his mind.
He had lain awake half the night as his thoughts spun in unproductive circles. If his encounter with Catherine had not muddled his thinking, he would have realized Seabrook had ulterior motives for this invitation. Men did not ask virtual strangers to investigate members of their family.
She had a most unsettling effect on him. He still couldn’t believe he had lost his temper and promised more than he could deliver. Yet that was not his only mistake. In Exeter, the black-haired woman and bright-eyed girl had occupied his thoughts even after he believed she was immoral. Why else had he failed to ask Mrs. Telcor or Mrs. Crumleigh about William’s family? It would have prepared him for the surprises he’d encountered at the manor.
Regrets were useless, of course. The past would never change, no matter how much he might wish it. He’d wasted more than a week on pointless invective after his father’s death, but he could not afford to make that mistake this time. Allowing his mind to drift, even pleasantly, would expose him to danger from Laura.
Spending time with Catherine posed a different problem. To redeem her reputation, he must learn as much as possible about her, Jasper, and the other victims. Yet lengthy discussions would feed the very gossip he sought to repress. Even keeping their meetings open would not help, for servants shared information about their masters. Some gossips would assume that he was her latest paramour. Others might recognize the truth, but that, too, was dangerous. He did not want Jasper to learn of his interest as yet.
Both William and Catherine had described Jasper as society’s darling. Thus people would refuse to cooperate if they thought he was seeking evidence against the man. Even worse, Jasper would consider him a threat and seek to discredit him. Both actions would make it much harder to fulfill his vow. So he must keep his purpose secret.
But hiding his association with Catherine would leave the impression that he was courting Laura, thus raising expectations – few would expect Mary to attract his attention. Even if Laura swore they were mutually disinterested, her credit would suffer if he left without making an offer.
Claiming long friendship with Seabrook – which was an exaggeration at best – would not eliminate expectations, for he had never called before. And anyone who had visited London would know that Seabrook was nothing like his other friends. In fact, anyone who had been in London recently would assume that he was using a tenuous connection to Seabrook to sample the favors of the delectable Catherine.
He swore. His reputation could easily ruin any chance of helping her. But there was nothing he could do about it. Cursing the past never worked. All he could do was address the present and take steps to see that problems did not recur in the future.
One of those problems was Catherine. When he had finally fallen asleep – only four hours ago – she had invaded his dreams, inviting him to share her passion and calling him twenty sorts of fool when he held back.
Temptation personified, he’d decided on awakening. He had been drawn to her since his first glimpse in Exeter, but he was not interested in a well-bred mistress encumbered with a child. Nor did he need a dream to remind him that avoiding intimacy was the only way to prevent mistakes that would destroy them both.
Now he closed the library door and joined her near the fire, welcoming its warmth. Charlie’s predicted storm had arrived at dawn, raising the damp chill typical of winter.
“I trust Sarah slept well and that Annie’s ankle is no worse,” he said, forgoing a formal greeting.
Her eyes widened, but she followed his lead. “Quite. The ankle is much improved,
Similar Books
