Her Gypsy Lord (Magic and Mayhem #1) by Jane Charles

Author:Jane Charles [Charles, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Night Shift Publishing
Published: 2017-08-18T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Charlotte twirled the stem of the glass between her fingers. In retrospect, two years wasn’t terribly that long. She hadn’t seen her brother Harry in nearly twelve years. But, he’d been away at sea, which was an entirely different matter. And, as irritating as Anthony and Michael could be, she would miss them after a year or so.

Voices drifted up from the beach. How exciting to be sitting right above smugglers. “Will you show me?”

“Show you what?”

“The smuggling. The operation, family business, or whatever it is you call it.”

This was turning out to be the most delightful holiday, with the exception of being strangled that is. But, she’d visited a gypsy, was coming to know Adam, and now she had a chance to encounter smugglers. London would surely be boring after this. Certainly any gentleman she’d meet in the future would pale in comparison to Adam Vail, especially dressed as he was tonight, so much like he’d been clothed while visiting his grandmother. She much preferred the Gypsy in him to the refined grandson of a viscount.

“I’m not sure that is wise,” he finally said.

Of course that would be his reaction. She was a stranger. One didn’t just reveal the ins and outs of their illegal business to a practical stranger. Besides, he was probably tired. He’d had a few trying days as well, and she’d nearly forgotten he’d just buried his brother. Now was not the time to have guests in his home, yet he’d welcomed her and Anthony.

“I am sorry to be an imposition at a time like this.”

“Time like this?”

“Your brother. You are in mourning.”

His smile was sad as he took a sip of brandy. “I am not in mourning. It’s forbidden.”

Certainly not by his grandfather. She disliked the viscount more and more since that uncomfortable dinner.

“Thomas forbade it. He knew he was ill and fading, and while his mind was still somewhat whole, he forbid me to mourn him.” He took her hand then and brought it to his lips, nearly scalding her skin when he pressed his lips to her knuckles. “Besides, he’s been gone for over a year, a shell of a man before his heart stopped. I did mourn the loss then, and have been, but once he took his last breath, only relief remained.”

If his brother had been ill for so long, she could certainly understand, and it did give Adam a chance to truly say goodbye. “If you don’t mind me asking, what was his illness? Something so long in duration must have been horrible.”

The side of his mouth quirked. “The pox.”

Alarm shot through her. Surely she’d misunderstood. “He was not inoculated?”

Adam choked on his brandy. “Excuse me.”

“Hardly anyone gets smallpox anymore, not since Edward Jenner discovered a way to protect people from the disease. And, I certainly didn’t know such a horrible illness lasted so long.”

Adam set his glass on the table and then turned to her, cradling her cheek in his hand. “Oh, Charlotte, you are such a delight.

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