Read Online The Seduction of an Earl by Linda Rae Sande - Free Book Online

feel of his thigh beneath her hand as she moved to steady herself a moment ago. It was solid muscle. He obviously rode a horse or exercised regularly. And now his arm, under the same gloved hand, felt just as solid.
    “By the way, Lady Charlotte sends her regards,” Henry said as he negotiated the phaeton between two ancient barouches just inside the entrance to Hyde Park. Their occupants, looking at least as old as the equipage in which they rode, were waving to one another just as he made the turn.
    Surprised at the mention of Charlotte Bingham again, Hannah angled her head up to stare at Henry. She also wanted to avoid being recognized by Lady Fennington. Should the dowager viscountess notice she rode unchaperoned, she was quite sure she would be the topic of drawing room conversations for a week. At least the earl blocked her from being seen by Lady Fletcher, although the baroness wasn’t much of a gossip. She was George Bennett-Jones’ aunt, in fact, and would probably encourage Hannah to take a turn with an eligible bachelor, chaperoned or not, and would probably offer to provide the equipage, too. “May I ask when you spoke with her?” Hannah wondered, hoping to keep the surprise out of her voice. She and Elizabeth Bennett-Jones had said their good-byes to Charlotte not even a fortnight ago. The daughter of an earl and betrothed to a duke, Charlotte had departed for Sussex with the intention of marrying when she turned one-and-twenty. Hannah remembered that day would be Saturday.

“Yesterday, in fact,” Henry answered, expecting to feel a sense of disappointment at having to say the words aloud. Charlotte should have been his wife. Instead, she would be marrying the Duke of Chichester. He realized he had accepted Charlotte’s devotion to her duke, though. She would be a duchess, a role she had planned to play for her entire life. But, once again, Henry was left looking for a countess.
    Or, perhaps not, if Lady Hannah was of a mind to marry him.
    He could imagine taking her as his wife. He had already imagined what he might do to her in his bed, already imagined her as his countess. He had already voiced his intention to take her as his wife, although he wasn’t sure Hannah had given his earlier litany any serious thought.
    When he glanced over to find Hannah regarding him, a look of anticipation animating her fairy tale princess features, a sense of calm settled over him. His eyes darted to the horse, just a quick look to be sure it was following the road, before he gave her his full attention.
    She was a lovely woman. Not a classical beauty, nor as beautiful as Charlotte, but very pretty. Very soft and fair and princess-like. And she smelled like honeysuckle. He had to resist the urge to plant his nose into the space along the column of her neck just so he could inhale the scent of her. And those lips. Perfect rosebud lips just begging to be kissed. He could imagine kissing those lips. Every night and every morning and perhaps several times throughout the day. He wondered if she would allow such a thing. Sarah certainly wouldn’t.
      
    The thought of Sarah brought him back to reality.
    Hannah was still regarding him, her lips parted slightly. “Is she ... alright?” she asked finally, deciding the earl wasn’t going to offer any more information about her friend. He seemed to be staring at her, in a way that suggested he was remembering something. She hadn’t wanted to interrupt his thoughts, especially when she thought he looked like he was about to kiss her. Her belly did a little flip at that thought, sending a sensation of soft pleasure coursing through her. She had to resist the urge to look down at her bodice to be sure her breasts were still hidden beneath the pelisse she wore. They felt too heavy. She was sure her nipples were puckered. Heat pooled between her thighs. A slight flush rushed up her body, turning her face that pale pink. Again.
    And if Henry didn’t maintain a tighter rein on