Read Online Wicked Angel by Julia London - Free Book Online
Authors: Julia London
Tags: Romance
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birthmark again, to see if the others were similarly afflicted. But another part of him wanted to look at the angel as long as he could. All of this—Rosewood, Lucy, and the angel beside him, intrigued him on a level he could hardly fathom.
She had already started toward the crest, and he quickened his step.
Lauren did not realize how fast she was walking. God, was she
addled!
The invitation to dinner had no sooner tumbled out of her mouth when it occurred to her that Ethan might have returned. Blanching at the very thought, Lauren quickened her step, wanting to reach the house before he did, mortified that such a dignified, educated,
handsome
man might meet
Ethan
. Good
God!
She was practically running by the time she reached the house, and would have run straight inside and up to her room had Mr. Christian not stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. She gasped and immediately looked down to see if her arm was on fire. It certainly felt like it was; a strange, tingling sensation spread quickly to her chest. Catching her breath in her throat, she looked up at him. Lord, but Alex Christian, whoever he was, had to be the most handsome man she had ever clapped eyes on. He was tall, well over six feet. His brown hair was threaded with a sprinkling of gold, and he had warm green eyes that could melt ice. They were certainly doing a fine job of melting her where she stood.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Hill. I did not mean to imply I was
that
hungry!" He grinned at her. Lauren's cheeks burned; how foolish she must look, running to the dinner table like Lucy to her slop. He looked as if he expected her to say something, but Lord Almighty, she could not help staring at him. His face was rugged and square and deeply tanned, his shoulders broad and muscular, his legs powerful. She silently commanded herself to stop being ridiculous and laughed nervously at his jest. She felt the heat in her cheeks, and was never so glad to see Mrs. Peterman in all her life as when the housekeeper stepped onto the back steps, her arms wrapped around a huge ceramic bowl. She glared at Mr. Christian as she furiously stirred the contents of her bowl.
"Mrs. Peterman, may I introduce Mr. Christian?"
"How do you do, Mrs. Peterman," he said politely.
She growled and shifted a narrowed gaze to Lauren. "That blasted hog is back in her pen. I sent Leonard after you, thinking she might have killed you at last!"
Lauren laughed tightly, cringing inwardly at how strange she sounded. "She certainly tried, but Mr.
Christian was kind enough to help me."
"Miss Hill is too generous. It would be more accurate to say she survived in spite of my help."
"Are you in the habit of roaming the open fields, Mr. Christian?" Mrs. Peterman snapped. Lauren winced. Mrs. Peterman was still smarting over her rejection of Fastidious Thadeus, and since then had treated every eligible man in a ten-mile radius of Pemberheath as a blackguard.
"His horse drew up lame, Mrs. Peterman. I brought him here so that Rupert might help him," she muttered, and cast an imploring look at the housekeeper.
"Rupert is not here," Mrs. Peterman said, and pivoting on her heel, marched into the kitchen.
Why didn't the earth just open and swallow her where she stood? She tried to smile. "Mrs. Peterman is rather protective."
"I can certainly understand why," he smiled.
Those simple words caused another rush of heat to her face. Bewildered, she proceeded into the kitchen, not daring to see if he followed. Incredibly, he did. She asked Lydia to show him where he might wash and had to nudge the young girl to move, as she was gaping in awe at the handsome stranger. The moment Mr. Christian left the room, Lauren whirled to Mrs. Peterman. "Please,
please
tell me Ethan is not here!" she moaned, sinking onto a stool.
Mrs. Peterman did not deign to look up from the stove. "He is not here, and you should thank the stars he is not! What are you thinking, dragging a perfect stranger home from the fields?" she
She had already started toward the crest, and he quickened his step.
Lauren did not realize how fast she was walking. God, was she
addled!
The invitation to dinner had no sooner tumbled out of her mouth when it occurred to her that Ethan might have returned. Blanching at the very thought, Lauren quickened her step, wanting to reach the house before he did, mortified that such a dignified, educated,
handsome
man might meet
Ethan
. Good
God!
She was practically running by the time she reached the house, and would have run straight inside and up to her room had Mr. Christian not stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. She gasped and immediately looked down to see if her arm was on fire. It certainly felt like it was; a strange, tingling sensation spread quickly to her chest. Catching her breath in her throat, she looked up at him. Lord, but Alex Christian, whoever he was, had to be the most handsome man she had ever clapped eyes on. He was tall, well over six feet. His brown hair was threaded with a sprinkling of gold, and he had warm green eyes that could melt ice. They were certainly doing a fine job of melting her where she stood.
"I beg your pardon, Miss Hill. I did not mean to imply I was
that
hungry!" He grinned at her. Lauren's cheeks burned; how foolish she must look, running to the dinner table like Lucy to her slop. He looked as if he expected her to say something, but Lord Almighty, she could not help staring at him. His face was rugged and square and deeply tanned, his shoulders broad and muscular, his legs powerful. She silently commanded herself to stop being ridiculous and laughed nervously at his jest. She felt the heat in her cheeks, and was never so glad to see Mrs. Peterman in all her life as when the housekeeper stepped onto the back steps, her arms wrapped around a huge ceramic bowl. She glared at Mr. Christian as she furiously stirred the contents of her bowl.
"Mrs. Peterman, may I introduce Mr. Christian?"
"How do you do, Mrs. Peterman," he said politely.
She growled and shifted a narrowed gaze to Lauren. "That blasted hog is back in her pen. I sent Leonard after you, thinking she might have killed you at last!"
Lauren laughed tightly, cringing inwardly at how strange she sounded. "She certainly tried, but Mr.
Christian was kind enough to help me."
"Miss Hill is too generous. It would be more accurate to say she survived in spite of my help."
"Are you in the habit of roaming the open fields, Mr. Christian?" Mrs. Peterman snapped. Lauren winced. Mrs. Peterman was still smarting over her rejection of Fastidious Thadeus, and since then had treated every eligible man in a ten-mile radius of Pemberheath as a blackguard.
"His horse drew up lame, Mrs. Peterman. I brought him here so that Rupert might help him," she muttered, and cast an imploring look at the housekeeper.
"Rupert is not here," Mrs. Peterman said, and pivoting on her heel, marched into the kitchen.
Why didn't the earth just open and swallow her where she stood? She tried to smile. "Mrs. Peterman is rather protective."
"I can certainly understand why," he smiled.
Those simple words caused another rush of heat to her face. Bewildered, she proceeded into the kitchen, not daring to see if he followed. Incredibly, he did. She asked Lydia to show him where he might wash and had to nudge the young girl to move, as she was gaping in awe at the handsome stranger. The moment Mr. Christian left the room, Lauren whirled to Mrs. Peterman. "Please,
please
tell me Ethan is not here!" she moaned, sinking onto a stool.
Mrs. Peterman did not deign to look up from the stove. "He is not here, and you should thank the stars he is not! What are you thinking, dragging a perfect stranger home from the fields?" she
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