Read Online The Stranger She Married by Donna Hatch - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Donna Hatch
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and understanding instead of condemning when he aided her after she fled Mr. Braxton.
She shivered. Every time she remembered that horrible, humiliating experience, her stomach lurched.
Feeling his gaze, she glanced Lord Amesbury's way. A smile touched the corner of his mouth. How easily he smiled. How lightly he must take life.
And the lives of others.
She looked away. With his eyes upon her repeatedly, discomfort heated her face, and she found it difficult to enjoy the wonderful repast before her, or maintain a polite conversation with the kind and charming Mr. de Champs beside her.
Catherine turned her charm upon Lord Amesbury with a vengeance. “Tell me, my Lord Amesbury, do you enjoy the fox hunt?"
"Yes, very much.” He wore an unreadable expression.
Alicia dragged her eyes away from him again, but Catherine demanded that she be the center of attention.
"I have no doubt you are a great shot,” Catherine cooed.
An image of Lord Amesbury shooting her twin brother forced its way into Alicia's mind. She choked.
"I have that reputation,” the viscount replied.
Alicia pressed a napkin over her mouth.
"I understand you are new to this area?” Catherine eyed him as if she suspected he was made of sweet cream.
The viscount appeared distracted as he swirled his drink in his hand, but he met her gaze politely. “I came often as a child, but this is my first visit here in years."
"Do you travel much?"
"During the war, I served aboard a Navy ship, so my travels were limited to duty. Since then, I have enjoyed a bit of travel to more desirable locations."
"You must be rather bored with dreary old England after your life abroad, my lord."
Alicia looked away.
"Not at all. England offers a number of interesting diversions,” Lord Amesbury's voice rumbled.
"Do you consider horse racing an interesting diversion, Lord Amesbury?” asked Captain Hawthorne. “We have a very informal race here each year. There's some nice horseflesh here, not racers, mind you, but good for a hunt. The Baron Von Der Au has a beautiful Arabian, and he has a private race course on his land that we use."
"When is the next race?” asked Lord Amesbury, sounding genuinely interested.
"Thursday next."
"Excellent."
"You enjoy the races, Lord Amesbury?” Catherine interjected. “Do you own racehorses?"
"A few, and a new colt who's untried as of yet, but I believe he will be a winner. His pedigree is impressive."
"I can see that you are a man of varied interests.” She smiled, and then lowered her eyes in a perfect imitation of a demure lady.
Only Alicia's self-control kept her from rolling her eyes. She wondered how gentlemen could be so easily deceived by her obvious charade. But then, Catherine was also beautiful and wealthy, and the daughter of a peer. She had much to offer. Except a heart. But that probably would fail to deter most men.
Alicia turned her attention away from Catherine and her prey. She focused instead on the truly wonderful meal in front of her, but with the man who destroyed Armand sitting so near, she could hardly eat more than a bite.
"Who do you favor for the race, Hawthorne?” asked Mr. de Champs.
"The marquis has a new stallion he claims will sweep the others,” the dark-eyed captain replied.
Mr. de Champs smiled. “Ah, but the baron's Arabian won the derby the last two years in a row. My bets are on his horse."
Lord Amesbury leaned back, something forbidden glittering in his blue eyes, a hint of a smile on his full, sensitive lips. It awakened that undesirable awareness of him.
Alicia felt ill. Dueling fiend. Killer! She realized, belatedly, how foolish she was to have deliberately put herself in company with Lord Amesbury. She should have asked to eat in the kitchen with the servants. Or feigned a headache and taken a tray in a bedroom. Stifling the rising emotions his nearness brought, she battled her frayed nerves.
Those searching eyes pierced her, stirring a cyclone of anger and sorrow. With a
She shivered. Every time she remembered that horrible, humiliating experience, her stomach lurched.
Feeling his gaze, she glanced Lord Amesbury's way. A smile touched the corner of his mouth. How easily he smiled. How lightly he must take life.
And the lives of others.
She looked away. With his eyes upon her repeatedly, discomfort heated her face, and she found it difficult to enjoy the wonderful repast before her, or maintain a polite conversation with the kind and charming Mr. de Champs beside her.
Catherine turned her charm upon Lord Amesbury with a vengeance. “Tell me, my Lord Amesbury, do you enjoy the fox hunt?"
"Yes, very much.” He wore an unreadable expression.
Alicia dragged her eyes away from him again, but Catherine demanded that she be the center of attention.
"I have no doubt you are a great shot,” Catherine cooed.
An image of Lord Amesbury shooting her twin brother forced its way into Alicia's mind. She choked.
"I have that reputation,” the viscount replied.
Alicia pressed a napkin over her mouth.
"I understand you are new to this area?” Catherine eyed him as if she suspected he was made of sweet cream.
The viscount appeared distracted as he swirled his drink in his hand, but he met her gaze politely. “I came often as a child, but this is my first visit here in years."
"Do you travel much?"
"During the war, I served aboard a Navy ship, so my travels were limited to duty. Since then, I have enjoyed a bit of travel to more desirable locations."
"You must be rather bored with dreary old England after your life abroad, my lord."
Alicia looked away.
"Not at all. England offers a number of interesting diversions,” Lord Amesbury's voice rumbled.
"Do you consider horse racing an interesting diversion, Lord Amesbury?” asked Captain Hawthorne. “We have a very informal race here each year. There's some nice horseflesh here, not racers, mind you, but good for a hunt. The Baron Von Der Au has a beautiful Arabian, and he has a private race course on his land that we use."
"When is the next race?” asked Lord Amesbury, sounding genuinely interested.
"Thursday next."
"Excellent."
"You enjoy the races, Lord Amesbury?” Catherine interjected. “Do you own racehorses?"
"A few, and a new colt who's untried as of yet, but I believe he will be a winner. His pedigree is impressive."
"I can see that you are a man of varied interests.” She smiled, and then lowered her eyes in a perfect imitation of a demure lady.
Only Alicia's self-control kept her from rolling her eyes. She wondered how gentlemen could be so easily deceived by her obvious charade. But then, Catherine was also beautiful and wealthy, and the daughter of a peer. She had much to offer. Except a heart. But that probably would fail to deter most men.
Alicia turned her attention away from Catherine and her prey. She focused instead on the truly wonderful meal in front of her, but with the man who destroyed Armand sitting so near, she could hardly eat more than a bite.
"Who do you favor for the race, Hawthorne?” asked Mr. de Champs.
"The marquis has a new stallion he claims will sweep the others,” the dark-eyed captain replied.
Mr. de Champs smiled. “Ah, but the baron's Arabian won the derby the last two years in a row. My bets are on his horse."
Lord Amesbury leaned back, something forbidden glittering in his blue eyes, a hint of a smile on his full, sensitive lips. It awakened that undesirable awareness of him.
Alicia felt ill. Dueling fiend. Killer! She realized, belatedly, how foolish she was to have deliberately put herself in company with Lord Amesbury. She should have asked to eat in the kitchen with the servants. Or feigned a headache and taken a tray in a bedroom. Stifling the rising emotions his nearness brought, she battled her frayed nerves.
Those searching eyes pierced her, stirring a cyclone of anger and sorrow. With a
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