Read Online The Wedding Affair (Rebel Hearts series Book 1) by Heather Boyd - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Boyd
Ads: Link
he had not been shocked or offended. It had felt good to let loose her emotions with him.
Liberating.
She could have the future she wanted with Ellicott only if she could find a way to be herself more often and not lose his good opinion by the end.
Chapter Eight
T he one bright star on his horizon that always led him back to England had been Sally.
And Sally had made it abundantly clear she did not want him anymore.
Felix did not need to be fired upon to know the battle was lost. All he needed to do now was to make a graceful exit and try to forget her. That he had not in the past six years did not bode well for his future success. He would try as he had always tried to no avail before.
If only the admiral would only let him go, he might have a chance to begin again.
If only he was not stuck here.
Felix glanced around the dining room where a thick pall of cigar smoke drifted over the heads of Lord Ellicott, Rutherford, and Admiral Templeton, who had remained gathered around the large mahogany dining table while he had walked the dark gardens.
The duke sat closest to the open door, engaged in a fierce debate with Lord Ellicott over taxes. Felix tried to follow along, but of course with no home of his own or property, he had little interest in or understanding of the complexities of the topic.
“A port, Captain?” Morgan asked as he stopped at Felix’s elbow.
“Never touch the stuff. Whiskey, please.”
He supposed one day he would have to learn to live upon the land, manage a house and servants, and pay unfamiliar taxes. He would probably run aground at first while he found his bearing, but he would survive. He always did somehow.
It occurred to him he had no real notion of what he would do with himself when his naval career ended and a victory against France was assured. He had always thought that somehow Sally and the Fords would be part of his life. Since that was not to be the case now, he had better consider his options.
He took his drink and stood back to observe the gathering. Lord Ellicott had moved on from the injustice of the tax laws for landed gentry but seemed able to talk on almost any subject to the point where Felix could not remember what the starting point had been. Owning a home and land sounded damned annoying and time consuming. Not to mention utterly boring.
Perhaps I will live in town. An apartment might best suit a bachelor.
Jennings seemed to like London living although he spent most of his nights inebriated.
“Penny for your thoughts, Captain,” the duke asked suddenly. “You look like you have bitten into a lemon.”
He looked up and forced a smile to his face. “Nothing worth mentioning, Your Grace.”
Admiral Templeton and Lord Ellicott departed for the drawing room and the ladies without a backward glance. When they were gone, the duke shook his head.
“Come now, surely your stroll outside did you some good.” The duke raised one brow, daring him to deny it. He did not feel better, but he was not suffering anymore.
The duke had nothing to fear. He had accepted tonight that Sally was lost to him and all the reasons he would never win her back. He could not change her mind, nor did he truly want to turn her against her father. She loved the man, but she could not see the shades of gray he cloaked his world in. “It did indeed. Blew the cobwebs from my mind, in fact.”
The duke hauled himself upright. “How do you like your room?”
“It has a pleasant aspect facing the sea,” he said. “Quite an improvement from the captain’s quarters aboard the Selfridge, as you can imagine. A man can have too much splintered wood hanging over his head at times.”
“Indeed he can.” Rutherford turned toward the fire and tossed his unfinished cigar into the flames.
Felix’s attention was drawn to the wide mantel the duke leaned against. A single ivory elephant, no larger than his fist, marched toward the nearest window, trunk upraised. Felix remembered trading for it
Liberating.
She could have the future she wanted with Ellicott only if she could find a way to be herself more often and not lose his good opinion by the end.
Chapter Eight
T he one bright star on his horizon that always led him back to England had been Sally.
And Sally had made it abundantly clear she did not want him anymore.
Felix did not need to be fired upon to know the battle was lost. All he needed to do now was to make a graceful exit and try to forget her. That he had not in the past six years did not bode well for his future success. He would try as he had always tried to no avail before.
If only the admiral would only let him go, he might have a chance to begin again.
If only he was not stuck here.
Felix glanced around the dining room where a thick pall of cigar smoke drifted over the heads of Lord Ellicott, Rutherford, and Admiral Templeton, who had remained gathered around the large mahogany dining table while he had walked the dark gardens.
The duke sat closest to the open door, engaged in a fierce debate with Lord Ellicott over taxes. Felix tried to follow along, but of course with no home of his own or property, he had little interest in or understanding of the complexities of the topic.
“A port, Captain?” Morgan asked as he stopped at Felix’s elbow.
“Never touch the stuff. Whiskey, please.”
He supposed one day he would have to learn to live upon the land, manage a house and servants, and pay unfamiliar taxes. He would probably run aground at first while he found his bearing, but he would survive. He always did somehow.
It occurred to him he had no real notion of what he would do with himself when his naval career ended and a victory against France was assured. He had always thought that somehow Sally and the Fords would be part of his life. Since that was not to be the case now, he had better consider his options.
He took his drink and stood back to observe the gathering. Lord Ellicott had moved on from the injustice of the tax laws for landed gentry but seemed able to talk on almost any subject to the point where Felix could not remember what the starting point had been. Owning a home and land sounded damned annoying and time consuming. Not to mention utterly boring.
Perhaps I will live in town. An apartment might best suit a bachelor.
Jennings seemed to like London living although he spent most of his nights inebriated.
“Penny for your thoughts, Captain,” the duke asked suddenly. “You look like you have bitten into a lemon.”
He looked up and forced a smile to his face. “Nothing worth mentioning, Your Grace.”
Admiral Templeton and Lord Ellicott departed for the drawing room and the ladies without a backward glance. When they were gone, the duke shook his head.
“Come now, surely your stroll outside did you some good.” The duke raised one brow, daring him to deny it. He did not feel better, but he was not suffering anymore.
The duke had nothing to fear. He had accepted tonight that Sally was lost to him and all the reasons he would never win her back. He could not change her mind, nor did he truly want to turn her against her father. She loved the man, but she could not see the shades of gray he cloaked his world in. “It did indeed. Blew the cobwebs from my mind, in fact.”
The duke hauled himself upright. “How do you like your room?”
“It has a pleasant aspect facing the sea,” he said. “Quite an improvement from the captain’s quarters aboard the Selfridge, as you can imagine. A man can have too much splintered wood hanging over his head at times.”
“Indeed he can.” Rutherford turned toward the fire and tossed his unfinished cigar into the flames.
Felix’s attention was drawn to the wide mantel the duke leaned against. A single ivory elephant, no larger than his fist, marched toward the nearest window, trunk upraised. Felix remembered trading for it
Similar Books
