Stolen Heart: Heirs of London Book Two by Alec Joyce

Author:Alec, Joyce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-10T00:00:00+00:00

8

“Ellen?”

Looking up from her book, Ellen quickly made to rise to her feet at the sight of her father standing in the doorway, but he quickly gestured for her to remain where she was.

“I thought to come to speak to you, since I did not have the opportunity to sit with you at breakfast,” he said, coming a little further into the room and sitting down heavily in a chair opposite her. “I hear that you were involved in a small fracas last evening.”

Ellen lifted one eyebrow. “It was hardly a fracas, Father.”

He chuckled and the small flickering tension in Ellen’s heart quickly disappeared. “Indeed, I am only teasing you. But I did hear that you were quick to intervene in what could have been a very poor situation for one Miss Archibald?”

She nodded, wondering from whom he had heard it. “Lord Drake was a little inebriated,” she said with a shake of her head. “Poor Miss Archibald had already had to endure a dance with him but was then unable to escape from him.” Frowning hard, she saw her father’s expression change from mirth to anger. “He was, I am sure, about to pull her into his embrace without so much as a single thought as to where he was or what it might do to her reputation. I am only glad that I was able to reach her in time—and that Lord Lindale behaved as he did also.” Her frown lifted for a moment as she considered Lord Lindale, fully aware that he had conducted himself in a manner that not only had surprised her but that she had been very grateful for indeed.

“Yes,” Lord Grantown said slowly, tilting his head just a little as he studied his daughter. “I did also want to mention what I have been hearing about Lord Lindale.” He gave her a small smile, but Ellen felt a sudden flood of tension, worried about what her father would say. “Lady Sayers has spoken to me about his interest in you, Ellen. I would not like to hold you back from any considerations of him.”

Ellen shook her head. “Father, I could not,” she replied quickly. “He is the nephew of the late Lord Lindale, who treated you with such cruelty that we are still feeling the effects of it now.”

“But he is not his uncle,” her father replied softly. “I do not bear the man any ill will.”

Ellen’s lips twisted. “I cannot understand that, Father,” she protested. “Our family name has been disgraced because of his family. How, then, could I consider a match with such a gentleman?”

Her father spread his hands. “I am not my brother,” he reminded her. “Your late uncle was a fool. He gambled and was inconsiderate when it came to his wealth. Does that mean that I, too, am a fool? That I, too, must behave as my brother has done?”

“No,” Ellen said quickly, “for you are of very different characters. But surely, Father, you can see that—”

“From what

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