Read Online To Marry the Duke's Daughter (After the Masquerade) by Ashley Stormes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ashley Stormes
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left her to the care of a governess, remarried, taken up
a mistress, and ignored her. Instead, he made certain to be present for most
of her lessons, and had hired help only when he could not teach her something
himself. He was her dance master, her vocal instructor, and her etiquette
guide. He allowed her to run wild through his estate, but made sure that
Chattrecombe first instructed her in the art of boxing, and taught her how to
handle a pistol. Felicity’s boxing skills had never been anything to brag
about, but she was a crack shot and a fast runner.
Her father was the solid foundation of
her life, and she had never doubted his love for her.
Until she met Jonathon, she had not
doubted her father at all.
Jonathon had a rather bleak outlook on
humanity. While Felicity strived to see the best in people, Jonathon could not
help but see the worst. His sour attitude had improved while they wrote one
another, and he had even gone so far as to say that his initial impression of
some of the ton had given way to his
considering many of them his friends. Even when his words were callous she saw
beneath them, recognizing his lack of trust as a product of his experience in
the cavalry, and perhaps also a by-product of his brother’s treatment of him.
He certainly feared his brother, and she suspected that Lord White had
something to do with Jonathon’s lack of fortune. Jonathon was responsible; she
doubted he would spend frivolously, which was the only way she could see him
falling into debt.
She could improve his trust, and felt
like she had while they shared each other’s company. She did not want to
change him entirely, but he would benefit from a brighter outlook, just as she
would benefit from a more realistic view of those around her. Jonathon saw
nothing unnatural in suspecting the worst of her father, and she had been shocked
enough by his words to suspect that he was telling the truth.
Her father had requested that she speak
in a higher pitch while in public, because that was expected. He had told her
to hold herself a certain way, and socialize with certain people. She knew her
actions could be considered boorish, but her father had told her that was
expected and required, and she had not questioned him. Jonathon, however, felt
that it was unnatural and unnecessary. He had told her that most men did not
like such a cold demeanour, and she had accepted that as the truth considering
he was a man, and would obviously know what he liked in a woman. It was far
more difficult to suspect her father of wilfully misleading her, but when she
was with Jonathon it seemed only reasonable that her father did not wish for
her to marry. Everything Jonathon said made sense.
However, everything her father said
also made sense. At first glance, Jonathon was the epitome of a perfect
fortune hunter. His finances were in dire straits, he was unlikely to inherit
a title, and he was handsome enough to get away with aiming higher than his
station.
And now her father had agreed to give
Jonathon a chance, if Jonathon could prove that he was not a fortune hunter. Felicity had at first wondered why her
father had left Chattrecombe in London, but now she could envision the butler
remaining in order to keep an eye on Jonathon. Was their escape to the
countryside merely a test for the former cavalry officer? A test for her own
emotions?
Felicity spent the evening re-reading
every letter Jonathon had written to her, but her mind remained muddled. Why
would her father tell her to act in a way that, in hindsight, she should have
recognized as counter-productive for procuring a husband? It made her think
that he had an ulterior motive for keeping her unmarried. Yet, why did
Jonathon feel the need to point out her father’s shortcomings? Was he truly a
fortune hunter? If he were lying to her, she had fallen in love—or at
least become very smitten—with a lie.
She had been afraid to tell her father
that she fancied Jonathon, but why? She had
a mistress, and ignored her. Instead, he made certain to be present for most
of her lessons, and had hired help only when he could not teach her something
himself. He was her dance master, her vocal instructor, and her etiquette
guide. He allowed her to run wild through his estate, but made sure that
Chattrecombe first instructed her in the art of boxing, and taught her how to
handle a pistol. Felicity’s boxing skills had never been anything to brag
about, but she was a crack shot and a fast runner.
Her father was the solid foundation of
her life, and she had never doubted his love for her.
Until she met Jonathon, she had not
doubted her father at all.
Jonathon had a rather bleak outlook on
humanity. While Felicity strived to see the best in people, Jonathon could not
help but see the worst. His sour attitude had improved while they wrote one
another, and he had even gone so far as to say that his initial impression of
some of the ton had given way to his
considering many of them his friends. Even when his words were callous she saw
beneath them, recognizing his lack of trust as a product of his experience in
the cavalry, and perhaps also a by-product of his brother’s treatment of him.
He certainly feared his brother, and she suspected that Lord White had
something to do with Jonathon’s lack of fortune. Jonathon was responsible; she
doubted he would spend frivolously, which was the only way she could see him
falling into debt.
She could improve his trust, and felt
like she had while they shared each other’s company. She did not want to
change him entirely, but he would benefit from a brighter outlook, just as she
would benefit from a more realistic view of those around her. Jonathon saw
nothing unnatural in suspecting the worst of her father, and she had been shocked
enough by his words to suspect that he was telling the truth.
Her father had requested that she speak
in a higher pitch while in public, because that was expected. He had told her
to hold herself a certain way, and socialize with certain people. She knew her
actions could be considered boorish, but her father had told her that was
expected and required, and she had not questioned him. Jonathon, however, felt
that it was unnatural and unnecessary. He had told her that most men did not
like such a cold demeanour, and she had accepted that as the truth considering
he was a man, and would obviously know what he liked in a woman. It was far
more difficult to suspect her father of wilfully misleading her, but when she
was with Jonathon it seemed only reasonable that her father did not wish for
her to marry. Everything Jonathon said made sense.
However, everything her father said
also made sense. At first glance, Jonathon was the epitome of a perfect
fortune hunter. His finances were in dire straits, he was unlikely to inherit
a title, and he was handsome enough to get away with aiming higher than his
station.
And now her father had agreed to give
Jonathon a chance, if Jonathon could prove that he was not a fortune hunter. Felicity had at first wondered why her
father had left Chattrecombe in London, but now she could envision the butler
remaining in order to keep an eye on Jonathon. Was their escape to the
countryside merely a test for the former cavalry officer? A test for her own
emotions?
Felicity spent the evening re-reading
every letter Jonathon had written to her, but her mind remained muddled. Why
would her father tell her to act in a way that, in hindsight, she should have
recognized as counter-productive for procuring a husband? It made her think
that he had an ulterior motive for keeping her unmarried. Yet, why did
Jonathon feel the need to point out her father’s shortcomings? Was he truly a
fortune hunter? If he were lying to her, she had fallen in love—or at
least become very smitten—with a lie.
She had been afraid to tell her father
that she fancied Jonathon, but why? She had
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