The Earl's Perfect Match (Sebastiano series) by Nee Kimberly

Author:Nee, Kimberly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Entangled, Amara, historical, romance, histrom, historical romance, Earl, matchmaker, multicultural, fish out of water, 18th century, England, opposites attract, family curse
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2018-07-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

By noon, the dreary skies had parted to allow the sun’s rays to touch the earth and they did so with great abandon. Servants hurried about to throw open windows and shutters to welcome in the fresh spring air.

With nothing better to do, Elena found herself in the game room, perched on one of the benches built into the window, where she propped her hand on her fist and stared moodily through the glass at the brilliant sunshine splashing the rolling green hills of Dunning Court.

The house was empty, save for the staff, as everyone else had gone on the daily ride. At one time, Lord Dunning had seemed eager to ride with her again.

Well, that was all in the past now. He had his Lady Rosamund to ride with, and the lady was all smiles as she swept out into the courtyard to make her way to the stables. From her vantage point in her room, Elena had seen the riders gathering at the stables, and had spotted Lady Rosamund almost immediately. Dressed in a habit of brilliant scarlet, she was difficult to miss.

She would complement Lord Dunning perfectly. Beautiful. Blooded. Completely acceptable. Exactly what he wanted in a wife. Or so he thought. And unlike her, a lady in every sense of the word. A perfect match to be the Countess of Dunning.

Tears had pricked her eyes at that, and she’d had to tear herself away from the window before she went mad. That was how she had found her way into the game room. The windows overlooked no horses, no riders.

No Bennett.

She turned away from the window. On the bar, next to the rosewood box containing the Spanish cards, was another box. This one was larger—mahogany polished to a brilliant shine. A cigar box, most likely. Her father had one like it, as did Claudia’s father. It seemed a rite of passage, owning such a thing, although why anyone would want to smoke so foul-smelling a thing was beyond her. But then, men didn’t always make sense.

“Oh, I hadn’t thought there’d be anyone here.”

Elena jumped as Cordelia paused in the doorway, not looking at all happy to find her there. “That would make two of us. Why didn’t you go on the ride?”

“I-I don’t ride w-w-ell. Horses m-make me sn-sneeze. And I’ve h-h-h-ad enough of m-my s-s-sister and her snideness.”

Elena sympathized. For sisters, they certainly didn’t appear to be close. Christina seemed to take a perverse pleasure in mocking Cordelia’s impediment, which was beyond cruel, as far as she was concerned. She couldn’t imagine Serena treating her the way Christina treated Cordelia. “Do you play cards?”

Cordelia shook her head. “Not well, I’m afraid.”

“Me, neither. I only really know the one game.”

“The one you taught us?”

Elena nodded. “We play it a lot back home. My father has won and lost several small fortunes over Aluette.”

“I imagined your f-family plays it often. Y-you’re sailors, aren’t you?” As she spoke, Cordelia came completely into the room and gestured to the cushion on the bench beside Elena.

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