Further Than Passion by Cheryl Holt

Author:Cheryl Holt
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: St. Martin's
Published: 2014-05-27T21:00:00+00:00

13

Marcus entered the foyer of his own house, blinking to adjust his vision after being in the bright sunshine. As an adult, he’d vowed never to reside in the mansion, and so far, he’d succeeded, making rare appearances when duty forced him. He stared up the grand staircase, pondering why he couldn’t muster any connection to the drafty, ostentatious place. The property had belonged to his family for three hundred years, and Pamela spent a fortune ensuring that it was fashionably decorated.

Heritage alone should have made it welcoming, but what he perceived was the dreary remnants of a forlorn childhood, the acrimonious memories of a confused adolescence. The walls echoed with bitter treachery and betrayal of a naive young fool who’d been enamored of the wrong woman.

Occasionally, he thought about his father, curious as to whether he’d regretted the perfidy he’d perpetuated with Pamela. By all accounts, their union had been rocky and filled with strife. Had she been worth the loss of his relationship with his only son? Had he ever been repentant for what he’d done?

Marcus didn’t know, and even if his father had undergone a deathbed conversion and had begged to apologize, Marcus wasn’t sure he’d have cared to hear it. A pox on his sorry hide!

The butler espied him and rushed over, greeting him in an effusive way that left Marcus uncomfortable. Ill at ease with his title, he felt like an imposter who didn’t merit such fussy displays. He’d known the elderly gentleman his entire life, had endured many a scolding, and even a few swats on the bottom if he’d been naughty, and it always seemed as if he were betraying the fellow by not being a more involved earl, by not embracing his legacy with more enthusiasm.

Whenever he dropped by, not just the butler but all the servants tried to be particularly obliging—in a manner they never were with Pamela—and Marcus received the impression that they were on the verge of imploring him to move in, to send her packing.

Would they be any better off if he inflicted the likes of Melanie Lewis on them?

He cheered the butler by giving him a task to perform, having him set out plenty of brandy before Marcus went to his monthly appointment with Pamela. They’d discuss expenditures and singular requests she was dying to have him grant.

What a bitter tonic she had to swallow, being compelled to solicit him for every single farthing. He wasn’t positive why his father hadn’t provided for her in his will, but Marcus pictured the man laughing from his grave, enjoying the petty retribution.

Marcus turned to proceed to the meeting, and much to his surprise and delight, Kate was coming down the hall. She had on her drab chaperone’s costume and gray cloak, the hood pulled up to conceal her glorious hair. Evidently, she was going somewhere, and he experienced a humorous stab of jealousy that her day was progressing without him, that she had plans and engagements of which he was unaware.

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