How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days or Less by Elizabeth Michels

Author:Elizabeth Michels [Michels, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2014-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

Ten

Andrew assisted Katie from the open carriage, handing her down onto the drive at Thornwood Manor. “I truly don’t see the necessity of this gathering. Our dinner here was but a few days ago.”

“They’re only being neighborly, Andy,” she returned as she slung a long traveling case of some sort over her shoulder.

What was she bringing to an afternoon tea anyway? With Katie, it could truly be anything. He was only thankful it wasn’t in the shape of bagpipes. “Allow me,” he offered, reaching for the leather case.

“No need. It’s only something I promised to show Sue.” She readjusted the parcel on her shoulder, clearly not wanting him to touch it. He shrugged, knowing he would discover the contents of the case soon enough.

“As for our hosts, they most likely believe we are sitting about Ormesby all day being weary of one another’s company for entertainment.”

“Is the state of being weary a form of entertainment?”

“Well, it’s not a very good one, is it?”

“I enjoyed last night’s entertainment far more than weariness,” he whispered in her ear as she passed him.

A blush crept up her neck. Her lips were parted to reply when the dowager duchess called out, “You’ve arrived!”

Katie turned away to greet the older woman, planting her walking stick beside each step as if it was more of an extension of today’s ensemble than a crutch. Andrew’s eyes narrowed on the sway of her hips within the cream-colored day dress she wore today. There wasn’t a trace of a limp. The memory of her legs wrapped around his body flooded his mind with questions of her honesty. He would have to discuss the “injury” with her later—for now, he needed his wits to deal with Thornwood.

“So glad you could come, dear.” The dowager duchess pulled Katie along ahead of him into a side garden. “On the last warm day of autumn, one mustn’t remain inside.”

Katie looked at the woman at her side, and Andrew could see the edge of her brows drawn together in confusion. “How do you know it will be the last warm day of the year?”

“Oh, at my age, you simply know. Come along,” she tossed over her shoulder to Andrew as she wound around a sundial and veered onto another path leading to the rear of the house. “My daughter-in-law and I have soundly beaten Lord and Lady Steelings in whist, and I fear we are all in need of refreshments.”

“His Grace couldn’t come?” Katie asked.

“No, he was detained by some business.” It would have been a believable excuse if the woman’s eyes hadn’t darted over her shoulder to Andrew and lingered on him for one second too long.

He couldn’t blame Thornwood for not wanting to attend tea in the garden with him. Not only did it seem like an activity intended for a group of ladies bent on gossip, but the gathering would also be dreadfully uncomfortable if they spent it in one another’s company. The dinner had proven that much. He couldn’t be sociable with Thornwood.

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.