Frost Fire by Linda Ladd

Author:Linda Ladd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 1989-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

13

Tyler woke up with a jolt, sitting up in bed and trying to discern what had roused her so abruptly. There was no one in her dim, quiet bedchamber, but she immediately knew that something was dreadfully amiss. What had worried her so when she went to sleep last night? Jumbled thoughts pushed around in her drowsy mind until she remembered. Chase was making her marry Gray Kincaid, her worst enemy.

She rubbed her eyes, red-rimmed from the long hours she had lain awake plotting her course of action. Her lie about Henry Hardcastle would distract Gray for a time, until she could board the ship with Chase and Carlisle. Thank goodness the Mayan was sailing so soon. Once in Mexico, she would have time to convince Chase to oppose the absurd, ridiculous wedding. If something went wrong, there was always Plan B to fall back on. She had worked out a Plan C as well. As Uncle Burl had always said: two ideas are better than one; three, better than two.

Right now, she needed to get up and feed Gray and Chase a few more juicy, untraceable details about her nonexistent groom. She hadn't decided whether to tell Carlisle the truth yet. She liked Carlisle, but involving her in such a hoax would only get her in a scrape with her brother. Then he would never allow her to visit the Perez family.

When she heard the click of the door latch, she turned quickly toward it, pulling the coverlet to her chin. As if conjured into existence by Tyler's thoughts, Carlisle appeared in the doorway, carrying several white dressmaker's boxes tied with bright satin ribbons.

"Are you awake?" she asked, peering into the heavy gloom. "Oh, yes, I see you now. Good. I've been waiting hours to show you these!"

"What time is it?" Tyler asked, hoping she hadn't missed breakfast.

"Nearly two in the afternoon," Carlisle answered, going back to the hall to retrieve the pot of hot coffee the maid had left outside Tyler's door.

"Two!" exclaimed Tyler, shocked.

Carlisle set the tray on the bedside table, glancing at Tyler as she carefully poured the hot brew into a black china cup patterned with red Chinese emblems.

"Yes. I was going to wake you so you could go to Madame Broussard's with me, but Gray said to let you sleep as long as you could because you'd need your strength for tonight."

"Tonight? What did he mean?"

Tyler took the cup, sipping as Carlisle crossed the room to send one of the tasseled shades rolling up with a clacking snap. The room was immediately flooded with bright sunlight. Tyler blinked and quickly shut her eyes from the glare.

"I've really been dreading to tell you, but I guess it's better coming from me than Gray. They know all about Henry Hardcastle."

Tyler sat straight up in bed. "What do they know?"

"Oh, that you were fibbing about being married. But I thought you did a wonderful job of acting last night."

"How do they know?"

"Apparently Stone told Gray all about you and Mr.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.