Love's Misadventure (The Mason Siblings Series Book 1) by Cheri Champagne

Author:Cheri Champagne [Champagne, Cheri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pandamoon Publishing
Published: 2016-03-15T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Lane grunted as he stared sightlessly out his estate’s study window. The sun heated him through the glass, but pain clutched his heart. Anna would have loved this day.

He puffed on the last bit of his cigar and ground it out on a dish, blowing the smoke against his reflection in the window.

The past seven and a half weeks had been among the worst of his life. He had little appetite and few hours of sleep. He’d made the excuse to himself that he was required to be at the estate to oversee several agricultural projects, but in truth, he simply could not see Anna go about town with Lord sodding Boxton.

She’d refused him. His chest tightened, and he took a sip of his brandy. He still could not quite accept that she was gone, out of his life, as quickly as all that. One moment he had been ready to make love to her—marry her—and then, as quick as a flash of lightning…

With a groan, he slumped in the chair behind his desk. He had not shaved or bathed in nearly a sennight. He’d missed several appointments with fencing partners, nor had he been riding. He felt distinctly sloth-like.

The only true thing that Lane had done was aid his solicitor in overseeing the agricultural projects and have runners investigate his and Anna’s kidnapping. All of the men had come back with nothing to report. It was as though Billy, Frenchie, Toby, and the scarred, red-haired man had all but evaporated into nothingness.

He tapped the paper on his desk as frustration rode him.

According to the gossip rags, Anna and her fiancé had been quite busy about town. No date had been set for their wedding, but Lane would wager that an announcement was forthcoming.

He shook his head against the backrest of his chair, regret burning inside him. He had not even expressed his love for her! She would marry Boxton, have a passel of children with the bastard, and forget about Lane entirely.

His heart stalled in his chest, his breath freezing. He could not allow that to happen. Anna was his confidante, his love, his…his friend. He could not lose her.

He cursed foully, the awful words echoing off his expansive study walls. What the devil was wrong with him? He was hiding away like a coward! He needed to tell Anna his feelings. He needed to hand her his heart and give her the power to make an informed decision.

Bloody hell. He could not live without her; sexless friendship with Anna was better than living as he was now. If she refused him, he would gratefully accept a position as a confidant in her life.

He stood and tugged on the gilt rope that hung near his study’s door.

Moments later, his housekeeper, Mrs. Buttersworth—whom they affectionately call Mrs. Butter—entered.

“You rang, my lord?” She wrung her hands, distinctly uneasy.

He smiled reassuringly. He’d been a bear of late. “Yes. I am feeling more the thing, Mrs. Butter. I require a bath sent up to my room, as well as my valet and two footmen.

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