Read Online With His Ring (Brides of Bath Book 2) by Cheryl Bolen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cheryl Bolen
Tags: Romance, Historical, Regency, Regency Romance, Romance - Historical, romance adult, Regency Era, Georgian, english historical, english romance
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concluded,
she said, "I shall tell my husband-to-be to purchase this house." My husband-to-be . At least she would have something Carlotta
would never have. His name.
And hopefully she would one day have his
heart—if her battle strategies were successful.
Chapter 7
What a black day it had been for Gregory.
First, the unpleasantness with Carlotta, which left him feeling
bloody low. Then the unwelcome missive he had received from Glee
informing him she had come to Bath a day early. And now at the
Upper Assembly Rooms, he was being besieged with well-wishers
offering felicitations upon his upcoming nuptials. Since Glee had
decided on the Harrison house earlier in the day, word had spread
through the city like leaves scattering on the wind.
Gregory's stomach knotted when he saw
Jefferson—a devilish smile on his face—strolling across the
ballroom floor toward him.
"I say, Blankenship, quite a conquest you've
made with Sedgewick's beautiful sister."
Gregory's eyes swept over Jefferson. Why had
he never before noticed how dandified the man was with his colorful
waistcoats and elaborately tied cravat? "I am a most fortunate
man," Gregory responded.
Jefferson clapped a hand on Gregory's
shoulder. "And I was foolish enough to believe you would never be
caught in parson's mousetrap." He leaned closer and spoke in a
hoarse whisper. "I must suppose you've compromised the lady."
The air of detachment Gregory so carefully
cultivated crumbled as rage swept through him. He brought himself
face to face with the much smaller Jefferson. He grabbed
Jefferson's lapels and spoke in a guttural voice. "If you ever
again impugn Miss Pembroke—or even think about casting doubt on her
character—I swear, Jefferson, I'll call you out." His hands fisted,
he looked into Jefferson's pupils. "Have I made myself clear?"
Bravado replaced the fleeting look of fear
on Jefferson's face. "Of course I meant no offense." His glance
flicked across the room to Glee, who was being led onto the dance
floor by a gangly youth. "Miss Pembroke is quite above our touch,
you lucky devil."
"Devil is right!"
Gregory spun around to match the familiar
voice to the speaker, Timothy Appleton. Next to George, Appleton
was Gregory's oldest friend.
Jefferson excused himself, leaving Gregory
to Appleton's chastisement.
"Why, pray tell, am I a devil?" Gregory
asked.
"Because you failed to mention your
betrothal to me, one of your oldest and dearest friends."
"Oh, that." Gregory brushed a speck of lint
from his black coat. "'Tis three weeks off still, and I mean to
enjoy every last day of bachelorhood."
"You're as bad as George. Remember, he swore
off marriage until his thirtieth birthday, and he upped and married
at four and twenty. And now you," Appleton said forlornly. "What's
a fellow to do for pleasure anymore?"
A smile stretched across Gregory's face. "I
can think of any number of things."
"Fact is, it's never the same after one
weds. I long for the good old days. Oh, the times we've had,"
Appleton said wistfully. "Never was a chap more fun than George
when he was in his cups. Remember the night he stretched out and
went to sleep in front of Carlton House? And what about that trip
to Newmarket when Elvin lost all his money and donned his groom's
clothes to beg for dinner?"
"Melvin," Gregory corrected. Appleton was
forever getting the twins mixed up. "The things that meek fellow
will do when in his cups!"
Appleton sadly shook his head. "All the fun
will be gone once you're wed."
Gregory patted his friend's back. "Not at
all. Miss Pembroke assures me I can continue on as I always
have."
"That's exactly what Miss Moreland—before
she was Lady Sedgewick—said to Sedgewick. Look at him now. He's
lost all his desire for enjoying a rollicking good time." Appleton
shook his head. "Fail to understand what could be so amusing at a
country estate with no one for company but a wife and babe!"
"Nor do I," Gregory said. "I assure you, I
have no plans for my
she said, "I shall tell my husband-to-be to purchase this house." My husband-to-be . At least she would have something Carlotta
would never have. His name.
And hopefully she would one day have his
heart—if her battle strategies were successful.
Chapter 7
What a black day it had been for Gregory.
First, the unpleasantness with Carlotta, which left him feeling
bloody low. Then the unwelcome missive he had received from Glee
informing him she had come to Bath a day early. And now at the
Upper Assembly Rooms, he was being besieged with well-wishers
offering felicitations upon his upcoming nuptials. Since Glee had
decided on the Harrison house earlier in the day, word had spread
through the city like leaves scattering on the wind.
Gregory's stomach knotted when he saw
Jefferson—a devilish smile on his face—strolling across the
ballroom floor toward him.
"I say, Blankenship, quite a conquest you've
made with Sedgewick's beautiful sister."
Gregory's eyes swept over Jefferson. Why had
he never before noticed how dandified the man was with his colorful
waistcoats and elaborately tied cravat? "I am a most fortunate
man," Gregory responded.
Jefferson clapped a hand on Gregory's
shoulder. "And I was foolish enough to believe you would never be
caught in parson's mousetrap." He leaned closer and spoke in a
hoarse whisper. "I must suppose you've compromised the lady."
The air of detachment Gregory so carefully
cultivated crumbled as rage swept through him. He brought himself
face to face with the much smaller Jefferson. He grabbed
Jefferson's lapels and spoke in a guttural voice. "If you ever
again impugn Miss Pembroke—or even think about casting doubt on her
character—I swear, Jefferson, I'll call you out." His hands fisted,
he looked into Jefferson's pupils. "Have I made myself clear?"
Bravado replaced the fleeting look of fear
on Jefferson's face. "Of course I meant no offense." His glance
flicked across the room to Glee, who was being led onto the dance
floor by a gangly youth. "Miss Pembroke is quite above our touch,
you lucky devil."
"Devil is right!"
Gregory spun around to match the familiar
voice to the speaker, Timothy Appleton. Next to George, Appleton
was Gregory's oldest friend.
Jefferson excused himself, leaving Gregory
to Appleton's chastisement.
"Why, pray tell, am I a devil?" Gregory
asked.
"Because you failed to mention your
betrothal to me, one of your oldest and dearest friends."
"Oh, that." Gregory brushed a speck of lint
from his black coat. "'Tis three weeks off still, and I mean to
enjoy every last day of bachelorhood."
"You're as bad as George. Remember, he swore
off marriage until his thirtieth birthday, and he upped and married
at four and twenty. And now you," Appleton said forlornly. "What's
a fellow to do for pleasure anymore?"
A smile stretched across Gregory's face. "I
can think of any number of things."
"Fact is, it's never the same after one
weds. I long for the good old days. Oh, the times we've had,"
Appleton said wistfully. "Never was a chap more fun than George
when he was in his cups. Remember the night he stretched out and
went to sleep in front of Carlton House? And what about that trip
to Newmarket when Elvin lost all his money and donned his groom's
clothes to beg for dinner?"
"Melvin," Gregory corrected. Appleton was
forever getting the twins mixed up. "The things that meek fellow
will do when in his cups!"
Appleton sadly shook his head. "All the fun
will be gone once you're wed."
Gregory patted his friend's back. "Not at
all. Miss Pembroke assures me I can continue on as I always
have."
"That's exactly what Miss Moreland—before
she was Lady Sedgewick—said to Sedgewick. Look at him now. He's
lost all his desire for enjoying a rollicking good time." Appleton
shook his head. "Fail to understand what could be so amusing at a
country estate with no one for company but a wife and babe!"
"Nor do I," Gregory said. "I assure you, I
have no plans for my
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