Taming Beauty by Lynne Barron

Author:Lynne Barron [Barron, Lynne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Lynne Barron
Published: 2016-09-06T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“The Beast of Breckenridge appears to be a dangerous man,” Harry whispered, shivering dramatically. “You really ought to let the wedding go forth as planned. It would serve that man right knowing his daughter must lay down for such a brute as payment for his sins.”

It occurred to Lilith she ought to have shared her change of heart in regards to thwarting Malleville’s plans. Only there’d been no time, what with overseeing the juggling of bedchambers required to see Alabaster, Harry and Kate comfortably settled, attending a twilight musicale with Meg and the other children, and dressing for dinner.

“Yes, well, about the wedding,” Lilith began, only to lose her train of thought entirely when she looked across the room to find Jasper watching her from the position he’d taken up by the cold hearth. He did look quite dangerous, and had since he’d entered the parlor after missing dinner entirely.

“I know you wrote the wedding must be stopped, but are you quite certain there is no way to allow it to go forth and still ruin that man financially?” Harry asked.

“That man has a name.”

“Not to me, he doesn’t.”

“And Dunaway will only be ruined if Sissy cries off, which she will not do. So you can give up on whatever plan you are hatching in that pretty head of yours.”

“What makes you think I am hatching a plan?”

“When are you not hatching plans and devising schemes?” Alabaster asked, waving Harry over and seating herself between the two younger ladies. “Most of them designed to ruin Dunaway in one way or another.”

“One day I’ll do more than devise a scheme,” Harry replied. “I’ll lay waste to everything that man holds dear.”

“Seeing as Dunaway holds very little dear, you might be waiting a long time,” Lilith said, watching Jasper step away from the hearth.

He prowled around the perimeter of the room, avoiding the nearly two dozen guests crowding the parlor, a goodly number of them young men who’d been only too happy to be entertained by Alabaster’s relatively tame tales during dinner.

“What else do I have to occupy my time?” Harry asked.

“You ought to be occupying your time learning all you can from Miss Beaumont so you might marry well,” Alabaster suggested.

“Marry well?” Harry repeated, her voice dripping scorn.

“I see no reason whatsoever why you shouldn’t, Harry dear. After all, you are a duke’s granddaughter, if you would but acknowledge the connection.”

Lilith paid little mind to the conversation, her attention focused almost entirely upon Jasper. The fluid grace of his movements. The way the light from the chandelier picked out fiery threads in his too-long tresses. The heated looks he shot her from various points in the room. The frown pulling at his mouth, thrusting the plump lower lip out in the masculine pout that drove her to distraction.

She’d kissed that mouth and wanted nothing more than to do it again. To lick that lower lip, pull it into her mouth and bite down just hard enough to draw a deep, dark growl from his broad chest.

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