3. A Christmas Waltz by Jane Goodger

Author:Jane Goodger [Goodger, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-12-26T22:00:00+00:00

“I’m not doing it. They can’t make me. You can’t make a man get married against his will,” Carson said as they crossed the street.

“You can tell that to Lord Hollings,” Boone replied grimly. His brother still reeked of Geraldine’s perfume, but at least his hair was pulled back and his face wasn’t completely grizzled and he did have on a clean shirt. A pure miracle, that was.

Boone walked in ahead of Carson, keeping the door open for him, then shutting it and pulling down the closed sign after him. The earl and countess were standing by Amelia’s side, two angry sentinels staring daggers at his younger brother. Amelia stood between them, looking so sad it tore at Boone’s heart. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her cheeks pale, her lips pressed together as if she were fighting tears. Hell, if Hollings didn’t punch his brother, he would. He positioned himself behind the counter, away from the others but close enough should someone need assistance. At the moment, he wasn’t sure whether he would help Lord Hollings beat his brother, or try to stop him.

“Mr. Kitteridge,” Lord Hollings said, his voice clipped, like a pick chipping against ice. “Explain yourself. Explain why my little sister is crying. Explain to me, if you can, why she is not married after you asked for her hand in marriage. Explain to me why you lied about your income, your wealth, even your brother.”

Carson swallowed and Boone would have felt sorry for him if he wasn’t so angry.

“I suppose,” Carson said, drawing out the words. “I’d never seen any girl as pretty as Amelia, and lost my head for a bit.”

To his disgust, Boone saw Amelia’s expression soften, as if she were falling for Carson’s smooth-talking ways.

“And your heart? Did you lose that as well?” This from the countess.

Carson didn’t hesitate. “No, ma’am. No.”

Amelia let out a little sound and Boone flinched.

“I didn’t send for her. She came on her own,” Carson said, losing his apologetic tone.

“I’m quite aware of that,” Lord Hollings said. “However, it was also clear that the two of you had an understanding. Amelia believed in her heart that she was traveling to Texas to marry her fiancé. She informed everyone she knew of this fact. She cannot return to England and hope to live anything like a normal life. She is, to put it perfectly clear, ruined.”

“But that’s not true,” Amelia said, her eyes wide with disbelief. “I’ll simply say that…that…”

“What? That you traveled to Texas, unescorted, and then were spurned by this man? What do you think society will say or think? You’ve been here for two weeks, Amelia, two weeks without a proper chaperone. It doesn’t matter if you’ve behaved properly or not, the appearance of it all is extremely damaging.”

“I don’t care.”

Lord Hollings let out a puff of frustration, and Boone was, frankly, surprised that he seemed to be trying to convince Amelia to marry Carson, despite knowing he’d lied about nearly everything.

“But you will care when you are not invited anywhere, not even by your friends.

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