Read Online The Seduction of Lady Charity: The Baxendale Sisters Book Four by Maggi Andersen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maggi Andersen
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“Thank you for these. I shall enjoy them and have them sent back.”
Sent back? Not on your life , he thought. “No need. I’ll come to you. I’d like to see your parents again.”
She smiled the first genuine smile he’d seen. “They would very much like to see you, Robin. Father is a bit downcast. He makes a very bad patient.”
“Then I shall endeavor to think of something to cheer him and call tomorrow.”
Returning to the salon, they found Mercy in the act of trouncing Francis, who uttered a loud cry of dismay.
“Thank goodness you’re back,” he said, rising from the table. “My belief in my skill at checkers is now in tatters.”
Mercy chortled. “I can offer you a rematch, Lord Bellamy.”
Francis bowed. “I decline, thank you. I shall take myself off home to lick my wounds.”
“We must go too, Mercy.”
Robin saw them to their gig and watched as Charity drove away. Two pretty women. He had eyes for only one, but he wasn’t blind to Mercy’s dawning beauty. With her pale blonde hair and violet eyes, plus a curvy figure, which had not been in evidence the last time he saw her, she would set the ton on its ear. She might have had that effect on Francis. He would have to have a word with him.
Chapter Eight
The next afternoon, true to his word, Robin entered Aunt Christabel’s drawing room where Charity and her mother drank tea. He was followed in by a heavily laden footman, his arms stacked with large tomes.
“They are for Father? How kind of you, Robin. I’ll send a maid to fetch him.”
“I hope he finds something of interest.”
Once the books had been deposited on a table, and the footman dismissed, Charity glanced at the titles, which included a study of navigation, discoveries of the new world, naval battles, and a large volume about Admiral Nelson.
Father was presented with them when he entered the room. His tired eyes brightened. “By God, I am glad to see you, Your Grace. I am tired of being fussed over and chivvied about my health. I’m a lucky fellow to be attended to by an abundance of tender femininity, I grant you, but a man yearns for masculine company for, one might say, ballast.” He laughed and flicked through the pages of one of the books. “Have you read any of these?”
“I must confess I haven’t,” Robin said, with a nod of thanks to Mama, who’d poured him a cup of tea. “My interests don’t tend to lie in that direction. Although I can quite see why you find them so interesting.”
“Is your new home to your liking, Your Grace?” Mama asked.
“I do like it, thank you. I find it comfortable and enjoy the gardens. It would be remarkably bad humored of me to say otherwise.”
Father looked up from a book. “You’ve taken a good deal on your shoulders. Has it been more difficult than you envisaged?”
“Overwhelming at first. There is a such a lot to master. I hope I shall achieve some measure of success without making any irretrievable blunders. I’m reading up on the modern methods of farming and forming a few ideas to make life easier for my tenants, which, when I’m cognizant, I’ll put in place.”
Charity knew Robin had hated inheriting the title. While she admired how he worked hard to get on top of things, she detected a touch of restlessness behind his words.
“Well done.” Her father put the book aside. “Have to care for one’s tenants. I must say I struggle to keep up with the swift changes in this modern world of ours. You have a good estate manager?”
“Yes, he worked for my uncle for some years.”
“You’ll learn much more when you attend the House of Lords.”
“I rather hoped you might advise me, sir. You’ve managed your own estates with great success.”
Father’s brows rose. “On a smaller scale. But I should be pleased to offer whatever advice I can.”
“Then, perhaps, when you have recovered sufficiently from your journey, you might accompany me on a ride over the estate.”
Her father sat up
Sent back? Not on your life , he thought. “No need. I’ll come to you. I’d like to see your parents again.”
She smiled the first genuine smile he’d seen. “They would very much like to see you, Robin. Father is a bit downcast. He makes a very bad patient.”
“Then I shall endeavor to think of something to cheer him and call tomorrow.”
Returning to the salon, they found Mercy in the act of trouncing Francis, who uttered a loud cry of dismay.
“Thank goodness you’re back,” he said, rising from the table. “My belief in my skill at checkers is now in tatters.”
Mercy chortled. “I can offer you a rematch, Lord Bellamy.”
Francis bowed. “I decline, thank you. I shall take myself off home to lick my wounds.”
“We must go too, Mercy.”
Robin saw them to their gig and watched as Charity drove away. Two pretty women. He had eyes for only one, but he wasn’t blind to Mercy’s dawning beauty. With her pale blonde hair and violet eyes, plus a curvy figure, which had not been in evidence the last time he saw her, she would set the ton on its ear. She might have had that effect on Francis. He would have to have a word with him.
Chapter Eight
The next afternoon, true to his word, Robin entered Aunt Christabel’s drawing room where Charity and her mother drank tea. He was followed in by a heavily laden footman, his arms stacked with large tomes.
“They are for Father? How kind of you, Robin. I’ll send a maid to fetch him.”
“I hope he finds something of interest.”
Once the books had been deposited on a table, and the footman dismissed, Charity glanced at the titles, which included a study of navigation, discoveries of the new world, naval battles, and a large volume about Admiral Nelson.
Father was presented with them when he entered the room. His tired eyes brightened. “By God, I am glad to see you, Your Grace. I am tired of being fussed over and chivvied about my health. I’m a lucky fellow to be attended to by an abundance of tender femininity, I grant you, but a man yearns for masculine company for, one might say, ballast.” He laughed and flicked through the pages of one of the books. “Have you read any of these?”
“I must confess I haven’t,” Robin said, with a nod of thanks to Mama, who’d poured him a cup of tea. “My interests don’t tend to lie in that direction. Although I can quite see why you find them so interesting.”
“Is your new home to your liking, Your Grace?” Mama asked.
“I do like it, thank you. I find it comfortable and enjoy the gardens. It would be remarkably bad humored of me to say otherwise.”
Father looked up from a book. “You’ve taken a good deal on your shoulders. Has it been more difficult than you envisaged?”
“Overwhelming at first. There is a such a lot to master. I hope I shall achieve some measure of success without making any irretrievable blunders. I’m reading up on the modern methods of farming and forming a few ideas to make life easier for my tenants, which, when I’m cognizant, I’ll put in place.”
Charity knew Robin had hated inheriting the title. While she admired how he worked hard to get on top of things, she detected a touch of restlessness behind his words.
“Well done.” Her father put the book aside. “Have to care for one’s tenants. I must say I struggle to keep up with the swift changes in this modern world of ours. You have a good estate manager?”
“Yes, he worked for my uncle for some years.”
“You’ll learn much more when you attend the House of Lords.”
“I rather hoped you might advise me, sir. You’ve managed your own estates with great success.”
Father’s brows rose. “On a smaller scale. But I should be pleased to offer whatever advice I can.”
“Then, perhaps, when you have recovered sufficiently from your journey, you might accompany me on a ride over the estate.”
Her father sat up
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