To Redeem an Earl by Nina Jarrett

Author:Nina Jarrett
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781957185026
Publisher: Nina Jarrett

Richard awoke as dawn crept into Sophia’s room. Staring up at the swaths of fabric that covered the four-poster frame, he reflected on the wonderful night he had spent in Sophia’s bed. Somehow, this woman made him forget his past, forget his mistakes, and made him hopeful that he would become an honorable man. Time with her was paradise compared to the women of his past because she eased his worries just by being near him.

It made him question what he had been doing with his licentious pursuits. Had he been trying to bury deep-seated problems by losing himself in the arms of the many women he had lain with? Sophia made him want to live his life, while earlier women had merely been an escape from it.

He rolled onto his side, preparing to rise, when he yelped in surprise. Standing next to the bed, staring with wide, green eyes, was Ethan, almost exactly at face level.

“Ethan?”

“Good morning, Papa. I have been waiting for you to wake up. Emma says it is polite to let people wake up on their own rather than startle them from their sleep.”

“Uh … good morning.”

“I have been waiting for a while. We get up early on the farm, but Emma says people in the city go to sleep late.”

Richard let the remarks about the mysterious Emma pass. “How did you find me?”

“I followed your vah-let. But when you were not in your room, I tried the other doors. Papa, what is a vah-let ?”

Richard rubbed his eyes, attempting to gather his thoughts. He was still groggy.

“A valet is a servant who helps a gentleman to dress and look his best.”

Ethan’s round face scrunched while he thought about this.

“Am I a gentleman?”

Richard froze. It was a difficult question. He wanted to be honest with the boy. Many members of polite society would raise considerable dissent at the idea that Ethan was a gentleman because he bore the burden of unmarried parents. On the other hand, the truest gentleman of his acquaintance was his cousin and friend, the Duke of Halmesbury. Thinking about Halmesbury, he found an answer he was comfortable with.

“A gentleman is a man who is well-mannered and considerate of the people around him. So I would say that you are a gentleman.”

Ethan’s face split into a wide grin. “I like that. Does that mean I will get a vah-let ?”

Richard smiled in return. “When you are older, you will get one.” He reached out a hand to ruffle the boy’s curly hair that looked just like his own. “But only if you do not run off from your nursemaid on your own.”

Ethan looked perplexed. “She is to be with me all the time?”

“Yes. She is to keep you safe and ensure you eat.”

“Mama said I was welcome to visit any part of the house. Did I make a mistake coming to find you?”

Richard had been sitting up, looking around for something to wear, when he stilled at Ethan’s question. “Mama?”

Ethan nodded and pointed to the flowing red-blonde locks spread over the discarded pillow.

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