The Duke's Spirited Spinster: A Historical Regency Romance Novel by Arabella Wells

Author:Arabella Wells [Wells, Arabella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cobalt Fairy
Published: 2024-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

“Godspeed!” Benjamin shouted, waving his hand.

“We promise the dinner shall be better next time!” Anna added, flashing a grin at her brother as she stood beside him in the doorway.

Once Mr. Crawford had been confined to a guest room, the evening had turned out to be rather pleasant. The two families had reconvened in the drawing room, enjoying a comfortable rapport and some good port, before Lady Tiffany’s mother had finally insisted on departing before the hour grew too late.

“What did you say that for?” Benjamin muttered as the carriage pulled away.

“I assumed you would want to see Lady Tiffany again.”

Benjamin sniffed. “Why would you assume that?”

“Oh, I do not know. Perhaps I am just in a romantic mood.”

It was a dangerous thing to say, but Anna could not help it. Besides, Benjamin did not seem to notice anything strange about her, as if the kiss with Edmund had not changed anything about his sister on the outside, while, within, she felt entirely transformed.

They were about to turn around and close the front door when the sound of horse’s hooves made them pause.

A rider charged down the driveway, past the departing carriage. For a moment, Anna’s heart leaped, wondering if Edmund had come back to make a confession in front of her brother.

But the horse was black, and the rider was not Edmund.

And I need to stop thinking such silly things.

Anna silently scolded herself, for she had not yet decided if she could risk giving her heart to Edmund. The scales kept tipping this way and that, refusing to balance.

“Pardon me, Your Grace,” the rider said, pulling to a halt and reaching into his messenger bag. “There is a parcel here for you. I have been instructed to inform you that it is to be opened immediately.”

Anna looked at Benjamin, whose eyes were fixed on the parcel. “Are you expecting something?” she asked.

He shook his head, retrieving the parcel. “Not that I am aware of.”

The rider did not wait, turning his horse around and charging back the way he came. Indeed, something in the action made Anna think he could not get away fast enough.

“Open it, then,” she urged.

Benjamin shrugged. “It is nothing that cannot wait until morning. I am exhausted, and⁠—”

A thin piece of paper fell from under the package, floating to the ground. It lay contents-side up, the elegant cursive dictating, Do not delay! It is a matter of life and death!

“I think you should open it,” Anna said.

Her brother nodded, fiddling with the brown paper wrapping, his hands shaking as he revealed what was inside—a long, smooth mahogany box.

“Strange,” Benjamin muttered, lifting the hinged lid.

Inside lay an arrow, the sharp tip buried in a dark red plum. No note accompanied it.

“What the devil?” Benjamin looked perplexed. “Is it a jest?”

Anna froze, seeing the secret message that her brother’s eyes could not. The parcel was not meant for him at all but for her. It needed no note of explanation, and it was certainly no jest…

But how did

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.