Once Upon a Townsbridge Story by Sophie Barnes

Author:Sophie Barnes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical romance family saga, age gap romance older man younger woman, historical romance England, historical romance with humor, regency romance rake
Publisher: Sophie Barnes
Published: 2020-10-20T16:00:00+00:00

THE NEXT MONTH AND a half were delightful, with the exception of an increasingly vexing earl. Whenever George escorted Margaret to the park, Shrewsberry would happen upon them as if by chance. When they visited the British Museum, Shrewsberry popped out from behind a statue and struck up a conversation, and at the theatre, he somehow managed to finagle himself into the Roxley box.

George did his best to hold himself in check, to politely try and discourage the earl, but really, it was starting to be too much. And poor Margaret was caught in the middle.

“Miss Hollyoak has no interest in you,” George told Shrewsberry when he happened upon him one day at his club.

“You’re wrong,” Shrewsberry said, “and I intend to prove it.”

“I really must insist you stop.”

Shrewsberry snorted. “I’ve always liked you, Townsbridge. You’ve never infringed on my territory before, but this sudden interest you’ve developed in Miss Hollyoak could become problematic, unless you walk away now.”

“Is that a threat?”

Shrewsberry raised his chin and afforded George the most condescending stare in the world. “She’s stringing you along for the sake of making me jealous, old chap. It boggles the mind that you can’t see that.”

George shook his head. “There’s no reasoning with a deluded man.”

“Miss Hollyoak will be mine,” Shrewsberry called out as George walked away. “Mark my word!”

During the next two weeks, Margaret and George were granted a reprieve from the earl’s interference. Initially, George believed the earl had listened to him after all, until he’d learned that his absence was caused by a bruise he’d sustained to his right eye the day after George had spoken with him.

Relieved to know they could have their outings in peace, they enjoyed a couple of evenings at Vauxhall Garden with Margaret’s parents, and even flew a kite they’d made together one rainy afternoon.

With each added moment in Margaret’s company, George’s fondness for her increased until he was certain he loved her to distraction.

“I saw Shrewsberry again this morning,” Margaret told him the next time George came to call. “He stopped by with that bouquet over there and apologized for his lack of attention these past two weeks.”

George glanced at the lovely collection of roses. “Annoyingly persistent, isn’t he?”

“Considering I’ve turned him down every time he’s invited me to join him for a walk or a ride in the park, I’d say so.” She pressed her lips together, creating an expression George had come to identify as irritation. “Of course, whenever he does show, I have to sit down to tea with him, which has become quite a chore. Honestly, George, I’m not sure what I ever saw in him. The man has no thought of his own. He just sat on that sofa for one full hour and bobbed his head in response to everything I said.”

George frowned. “I wonder over his dogged determination when most men would have given up by now.”

“I think he needs the money my dowry will provide.”

“But you’re not the only woman with a dowry who’s available on the marriage mart.

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