Read Online When It's Perfect by Adele Ashworth - Free Book Online Page A

nervousness, she had to admit she found it thoroughly enchanting. She hadn’t been teased by a man in years.
    With an upward twist of her lips, she remarked in turn, “She seemed

    to think you were nearly perfect in everything you do.” Sighing heavily for emphasis, she added, “Naturally, I find that difficult to believe.”
    He tapped his palm on his cushioned seat as if contemplating her words.
    Then he shrugged. “No, she was right. I’m very nearly perfect.”
    Mary almost laughed, pressing her lips together to keep from doing so. How odd, that the sullen Earl of Renn should also be witty and amusing. It was a side of his personality, she believed, that very few people saw. Christine had, and she had described him that way. Mary decided she wouldn’t mention that to him, however. Let him wonder.
    She enjoyed his quizzical mood.
    “How modest you are, Lord Renn.”
    He leaned back and closed his eyes. “Another of my charming attributes.”
    She huffed, but she noticed he still smiled.
    For minutes they traveled in silence, until at last he shifted his head for a quick look out the window.
    “We’re almost at the house. Better to sleep on what we learned from the Coswells and perhaps discuss it tomorrow.”
    Indeed, she’d learned plenty at tea; plenty that she didn’t ever want to discuss with Christine’s brother. Still, she felt thankful at his suggestion of delay and refrained from arguing. She’d be better focused tomorrow, and not centered on her determination to get away from the alluring man who sat so close to her in a musty, dark coach that traveled slowly along a deserted cliff.
    Suddenly the earl stretched out one of his long legs, and his shoe tapped against her ankle under her gown.
    Mary flinched and drew back so forcefully that she bumped her knee on the coach door. Pain flared, but she held steady, unwilling to let him know the level of her distraction.
    He opened his eyes once more. Surprise lingered as his mouth turned down in frown.
    Mary looked away, desperately hoping he didn’t witness the uneasiness welling up inside of her.
    A moment later, as they stopped in front of Baybridge House, Mary practically tore herself from his presence and escaped to the safety of her room without another word between them.

Chapter 5
    « ^ »
    Baybridge House
    17 August 1854

    …I’ve been corresponding with Miss Marsh, the lady who will be organizing my trousseau. Did I mention her in a previous letter? I cannot now remember. She seems courteous enough, and certainly experienced with her work. Yet I can’t help feeling that she is being evasive about herself. I know you would tell me not to be so inquisitive, as I am equally certain you are laughing at the thought, Marcus. I just had hoped that she would reveal more of her personality in her letters to me. I can’t help but wonder if she’s being deliberately vague…

    L ike an adolescent youth, he couldn’t wait to get her alone again.
    Perhaps that was irrational on his part, especially for a man his age. He just wished he’d said something more… profound in the coach.
    Something more clever, to make their conversation linger. She’d left him fast enough when they’d arrived back at the manor.
    But he had made her smile. Amazing how that had felt like a triumph. And a triumph it was. She smiled beautifully. It made her warmer in expression, made her appear quite young. When they’d met for dinner, Marcus felt certain he’d stared at her more than he should have, and only hoped his mother and George hadn’t noticed his preoccupation. He didn’t think Mary had, as she had notably avoided his gaze.
    Now, Marcus stood next to the library door, pausing so his nerves could settle. He knew she’d gone there after finishing dessert only a few minutes ago, as she’d said she wanted a book to read before retiring this evening. He would take advantage of the private moment for a bit of conversation before heading to his own bed. What could