Read Online Unnatural Relations (Lust and Lies Series, Book 1) by Marilyn Campbell - Free Book Online
Authors: Marilyn Campbell
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himself, then brought her back down on his lap.
Though Russ was only trying to comfort her, all Barbara could think of was how she and Howard had sat cuddled in this same chair, and she burst into tears again. "I'm s-s-sorry. I c-c-can't help it."
He wiped her cheek with a tissue then held it to her nose. "Blow. C'mon, take a big breath and blow your nose for Uncle Russ."
For the first time in a week, her mouth turned up at the corners. "Uncle Russ? Does my mother know about you?"
"You mean she never mentioned me? Hmmph . I'll have to have a talk with her at the next family reunion."
Barbara took the tissue from him, blew her nose then got another one to wipe her face. "Gawd, I needed that." She got off his lap and threw away the used tissues. "How did you—" Her unfinished question hung in the air as she caught sight of the colorful bruise surrounding his left eye. "Wow. What's the other guy look like?"
When he realized what she was talking about, his fingers carefully touched his cheekbone and he snorted. "It was even dumber than getting in a fight. I stepped on a rake and the handle flew up and practically knocked me out."
Barbara clucked her tongue and frowned sympathetically, but there was something odd in his voice and the way he examined his knuckles instead of looking at her that made her think he was lying about what had actually happened. Since it really wasn't her business, however, she went back to her earlier thought.
"How did you know where I lived?"
"I told you I'd see what I could find out for you. Apparently the Hamiltons' attorney, Simon Decker, heard I was asking questions and he came to see me."
The mere mention of that man's name made Barbara's stomach queasy. She sat down on the bed to hear what Russ had come to tell her. "Go on. Whatever it is, I want to hear it. I'll be okay now."
He hesitated, then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees to deliver the final blow. "Howie signed that agreement Decker showed you. I didn't actually see him put his name on it but from everything I found out, I have no doubt he signed it and left the country with the queen mother. I also have no doubt he's feeling guilty as sin about it. But, hey, nobody in the world has a bigger guilt complex than old Howie. Mummy did one hell of a number on him."
By taking a slow breath, Barbara was able to hold down the nausea that had been plaguing her since the day Howard dropped out of her life. "How did she do it, Russ? What could she possibly have said to turn him against me?"
"From what I heard, it was the old man who did the convincing. And what he said was loud enough for several of the servants to hear. Stuff about responsibilities and duty and the importance of choosing a wife who would be a help rather than a... what did he call you... a hindrance —someone more like Edith Hamilton. I understand he referred to you as—Never mind. You don't need to hear that."
"Yes, I do," she said in a flat tone. "I need to hear everything."
Russ grimaced, but went on. "He said you were suitable mistress material and that Howard could keep you as a diversion as long as he wished, but under no circumstances would you be welcomed back into their home as if you were their equal. I gather the lecture took him most of the way but a convenient heart attack on his mother's part pushed their precious prince back into his usual position as royal wimp. Apparently, Mrs. H. only pretended to make wedding plans to avoid an unpleasant scene."
He let that sink in for a moment while he went to sit beside her and patted her hand. "I'm really sorry, babe. I can't tell you how many fights we had over that kind of shit when we were kids, but he was always too big for me to beat any sense into him." He winced and touched his cheekbone again, as though referring to a beating made his bruise ache.
Having seen an exhibition of Howard's weakness with her own eyes, she couldn't help but believe what Russ was telling her. She felt the knife sink
Though Russ was only trying to comfort her, all Barbara could think of was how she and Howard had sat cuddled in this same chair, and she burst into tears again. "I'm s-s-sorry. I c-c-can't help it."
He wiped her cheek with a tissue then held it to her nose. "Blow. C'mon, take a big breath and blow your nose for Uncle Russ."
For the first time in a week, her mouth turned up at the corners. "Uncle Russ? Does my mother know about you?"
"You mean she never mentioned me? Hmmph . I'll have to have a talk with her at the next family reunion."
Barbara took the tissue from him, blew her nose then got another one to wipe her face. "Gawd, I needed that." She got off his lap and threw away the used tissues. "How did you—" Her unfinished question hung in the air as she caught sight of the colorful bruise surrounding his left eye. "Wow. What's the other guy look like?"
When he realized what she was talking about, his fingers carefully touched his cheekbone and he snorted. "It was even dumber than getting in a fight. I stepped on a rake and the handle flew up and practically knocked me out."
Barbara clucked her tongue and frowned sympathetically, but there was something odd in his voice and the way he examined his knuckles instead of looking at her that made her think he was lying about what had actually happened. Since it really wasn't her business, however, she went back to her earlier thought.
"How did you know where I lived?"
"I told you I'd see what I could find out for you. Apparently the Hamiltons' attorney, Simon Decker, heard I was asking questions and he came to see me."
The mere mention of that man's name made Barbara's stomach queasy. She sat down on the bed to hear what Russ had come to tell her. "Go on. Whatever it is, I want to hear it. I'll be okay now."
He hesitated, then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees to deliver the final blow. "Howie signed that agreement Decker showed you. I didn't actually see him put his name on it but from everything I found out, I have no doubt he signed it and left the country with the queen mother. I also have no doubt he's feeling guilty as sin about it. But, hey, nobody in the world has a bigger guilt complex than old Howie. Mummy did one hell of a number on him."
By taking a slow breath, Barbara was able to hold down the nausea that had been plaguing her since the day Howard dropped out of her life. "How did she do it, Russ? What could she possibly have said to turn him against me?"
"From what I heard, it was the old man who did the convincing. And what he said was loud enough for several of the servants to hear. Stuff about responsibilities and duty and the importance of choosing a wife who would be a help rather than a... what did he call you... a hindrance —someone more like Edith Hamilton. I understand he referred to you as—Never mind. You don't need to hear that."
"Yes, I do," she said in a flat tone. "I need to hear everything."
Russ grimaced, but went on. "He said you were suitable mistress material and that Howard could keep you as a diversion as long as he wished, but under no circumstances would you be welcomed back into their home as if you were their equal. I gather the lecture took him most of the way but a convenient heart attack on his mother's part pushed their precious prince back into his usual position as royal wimp. Apparently, Mrs. H. only pretended to make wedding plans to avoid an unpleasant scene."
He let that sink in for a moment while he went to sit beside her and patted her hand. "I'm really sorry, babe. I can't tell you how many fights we had over that kind of shit when we were kids, but he was always too big for me to beat any sense into him." He winced and touched his cheekbone again, as though referring to a beating made his bruise ache.
Having seen an exhibition of Howard's weakness with her own eyes, she couldn't help but believe what Russ was telling her. She felt the knife sink
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