Read Online Time Travel Romances Boxed Set by Claire Delacroix - Free Book Online

“As delightful as it has been to see you again, Marissa,
unfortunately duty calls.”
    Marissa’s cold gaze scanned Aurelia from
head to toe, then locked with Aurelia’s own once more. “You know,
darling, I do understand that spring is coming, but it might be a
teensy bit premature to dress so “ - she waved a hand vaguely – “
understatedly.”
    “ Good point, Marissa.”
Bard’s tone was even, as though he had either not noticed his
whore’s antagonism or had chosen to ignore it. “Perhaps you could
help Aurelia with that. She’s without anything to wear right now
and Tex said you flew in enough luggage for a family of
five.”
    Marissa’s finely arched eyebrows shot
skyward, but Bard did not give her an opportunity to ask.
    “ Surely you could lend
Aurelia something to wear at dinner?”
    Marissa’s lip curled in a disgust Aurelia
was sharing, but the smile she turned on Bard was demure. She even
raised one hand to her throat as though something had stuck
there.
    “ She’s going to eat dinner
with us, darling? But she’s just a guest! And I had thought that we
would have a private dinner to discuss the decor.”
    The whore fluttered her lashes so
provocatively that Aurelia knew “decor” had something to do with
matters of intimacy.
    At dinner. Shameless slut.
    “ Of course, she’s going to
eat with us.” Bard turned a smile on his whore that was obviously
designed to dissolve feminine resistance. “There are so few of us
here, it would be ridiculous to split up for dinner.”
    When the whore said nothing, Bard took her
elbow with an ease born of familiarity, and lowered his voice to a
confidential tone. “I’m sure you can find something, Marissa. I
might need my sweater, after all,” he said with a wink that could
melt knees.
    The whore’s defiance faded into a compliant
smile. “Whatever you like, darling,” she murmured, staring up at
Bard, and Aurelia knew it was time they parted ways.
    She had no desire to watch this seduction
unfold.
    Fortunately, the priest seemed to feel the
same way. “Good, that’s settled.” He tapped Aurelia’s elbow
crisply. “Why don’t we head upstairs and find you a room, hmm?”
    Aurelia needed no encouragement to follow
his lead, though she did not imagine the other pair even noticed
them leaving. That irked her, but Aurelia told herself that it was
just the breach of good manners that burned.
    It could be nothing else.

    *

    “ Just what we need - things
going from bad to worse,” the priest muttered under his breath as
he trudged up the stairs.
    It was obvious he referred to the whore and
equally clear that he was not ashamed of expressing the
sentiment.
    “ I mean, I knew she had to
show up sometime but was hoping for later rather than sooner, if
you know what I mean.”
    Aurelia watched him from the corner of her
eye, uncertain what to make of this confession. For once, she held
her tongue.
    He sighed. “She’s so high maintenance - God!
She just drives me crazy. At dinner, we’ll be hearing about all the
burdens she has to bear, you can be sure of it.” The priest’s voice
rose to a falsetto mimicking Marissa’s accent. “My blow dryer isn’t
wired in yet, Baird, darling, can’t you just come along to my room
tonight and fix it for me, darling?”
    The priest shrugged as though he would
dismiss his irritation and forced a smile for Aurelia. “Sorry. This
has nothing to do with you. I shouldn’t be venting.”
    “ I understand how you
feel,” Aurelia said carefully. “An influential whore can be a great
trial in a household.”
    The priest sputtered, then fired an
incredulous glance at her. “You’re serious!” he gasped.
    Aurelia was confused by his surprise. “You
do not agree?”
    The priest’s lips twisted, then he abruptly
laughed out loud. “Well, yes, I do, actually, but people seldom
state the truth so bluntly.” He chuckled to himself for a moment,
then shook his head.
    Aurelia was unable to see the difficulty