The Earl of Arundel (Earls of England Book 1) by Angela Johnson

The Earl of Arundel (Earls of England Book 1) by Angela Johnson

Author:Angela Johnson [Johnson, Angela]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc.
Published: 2020-06-15T16:00:00+00:00


Twenty-two

Emma couldn’t stop thinking about Phillip and the last hours they spent together. She’d been waiting for him to speak to her father and ask permission to marry her. He showed what she thought were feelings of love toward her, and she’d allowed him to kiss her multiple times. She’d not expected to hear he was already engaged. Emma stopped herself mid-thought and repeated the words, I hate Arundel. I don’t want to see him again.

She was drawn back to the conversation when she heard Henry say, “It’s best the Earl of Arundel is no longer with us.”

“Why do you say this?” Anne asked.

“His extended presence in our home has already caused the women of London to start gossiping. If anyone finds out about the closeness he and Emma shared, she could be ruined just by word.”

Emma was surprised by her mother’s sudden outburst of anger as she defended the earl. “Phillip was a gracious guest in our home. How dare the gossips make it into something it wasn’t? And when have you taken to listening to rumors?”

Looking chagrined, Henry responded, “Mother, we have much to be concerned about. We not only have our parents’ generosity, but we also have two younger sisters who have spent a considerable amount of time in his presence.”

Taking courage from his older brother, Richard continued, “What do you think people are going to say if he doesn’t marry Lady Olivia Harrison?”

Emma looked over at her brother. “I would prefer we don’t talk about Lady Olivia.” She tried to stop the anger, but her words dripped with emotion.

“Your mother and I were impressed with both the earl and Lord Edward. Both were considerate and gracious while in our home,” her father said.

“Perhaps this is true,” Henry said in an effort to convey worry, “but you haven’t heard the rumors people have spread regarding the Parker girls. We have our sisters’ reputations to think about.”

Emma looked up from her plate. “I had no idea extending generosity to a man who was injured and near death would ruin our reputations.”

“Can you, in all honesty, say our family only extended generosity to him, Emma?” Richard asked. Richard and Anne had seen one of the kisses she shared with Phillip, and it had been the most passionate. She didn’t know if they told the rest of the family of her inappropriate behavior, but her parents hadn’t reproved her. “Anne and I saw the two of you, Emma.”

“I know you did,” she said, her voice rising in pitch.

“By the tree when you were sketching,” he added, as if she had forgotten the day.

Her cheeks went red out of embarrassment and anger. “You had no right to eavesdrop on us.”

“We weren’t eavesdropping. But if it had been seen by anyone else, you would have a ruined reputation.” He leaned toward her to make his point.

“I didn’t know he was engaged. Had I known, I would never have spent time with him, and I wouldn’t have kissed him nor allowed him to kiss me,” she said in defense.



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