Love's Peril by Cheryl Holt

Author:Cheryl Holt [Holt, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2013-06-22T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“I have a letter from Jean Pierre.”

“Is he on his way back?”

“Yes.”

Annalise stared at Raven, her pulse racing.

Jean Pierre was supposed to have been gone for a month, but it had been six weeks. With each day that passed, she was more furious.

When he’d sailed away with his pale English virgin, she’d told herself that such a weak, ridiculous female could never hold his interest. What could Mademoiselle Teasdale possibly provide that Jean Pierre would consider valuable?

Annalise hadn’t reconciled herself to his seduction of Sarah Teasdale. She’d tried to convince herself that Mademoiselle Teasdale was simply a skirt he could lift when the mood struck him. She’d tried not to be wrathfully jealous, but she was.

If Jean Pierre had merely lusted after Mademoiselle Teasdale, if he’d fornicated a few times, then grown bored, Annalise could forgive him for his indiscretion. But if he’d become smitten, if he’d developed an attachment with the stupid girl, Annalise felt she might react quite violently.

“Has he a message for me?”she asked.

“Yes, actually. He has an extensive message for you.”

Raven’s face gave nothing away. He was adept at hiding his thoughts, which was why he was so dangerous. He could slay a man, and the poor idiot would be dead on the ground before he realized Raven was upset.

“Sit down, Annalise,”he rattled her by saying.

“I’ll stand.”

“No, you need to sit.”

They were in the estate office at Bramble Bay where Raven spent a good portion of every morning reviewing the ledgers with Reggie. It was a tedious chore for a seafaring man, but he was skilled with numbers and would do whatever Jean Pierre requested. Even mathematics.

He was seated behind the desk, and he gestured to the chair across. She wanted to refuse, just on general principle, but it was pointless to fight Raven—as it was pointless to fight Jean Pierre. It was best not to argue with either of them.

“Fine, I’ll sit.”

“Thank you. I’d rather not quarrel with you today.”

She was desperate to delay the pending conversation, so she took an inordinate amount of time settling down, straightening her skirt. Once she felt sufficiently braced, she looked him in the eye.

“What’s happening?”she snapped.

“He’s asked me to make some arrangements for you.”

“What sort of arrangements?”

“He’s sending you to Paris.”

Her heart literally skipped a beat, but to conceal her rage and disgust, she kept her expression blank.

“I don’t wish to go to Paris.”

“It’s not up to you.”

“I’ve been away from home for months. I’m weary and would like to return to the castle.”

“You won’t be returning.”

She understood what he was telling her, but she was determined to feign confusion. “I’m sick of England. Will Jean Pierre travel to France with me?”

Raven’s annoyance flared. “You’re being deliberately obtuse. You know how these things work. Don’t be difficult.”

“I have no idea how these things work. My place is with Jean Pierre. I’ll not languish in Paris and leave him without the female comfort he’s retained me to supply.”

Raven sighed, appearing as if Jean Pierre had finally dumped a task on him that was too loathsome to assume.

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