The Reluctant Bride Collection by Megan Bryce

Author:Megan Bryce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Megan Bryce
Published: 2017-05-10T04:00:00+00:00

Flora watched the woman’s blond hair exit through the doors, thinking that it had to weigh a ton. Thinking of the woman’s straight neck unbowed under the weight.

Thinking of the want in the woman’s eyes when she was saying she didn’t want George at all.

She watched George throw a furious glance at them and follow Lady Haywood out the door.

Flora nearly threw herself into her husband’s arms to keep him from chasing after his brother and said softly, “Are you trying to push him into the widow’s arms?”

Sebastian looked utterly taken aback. “Of course not.”

“Do you not realize that by telling him no you are effectively waving a red rag at him? Forcing him to run off after her?”

“She’s the widow, Flora. Can you think of anyone less suitable for him? No children, five husbands.” He put her bodily away from him and flung his hands in the air. “Hundreds of women here, and he goes straight to her.”

“And I assume you have already had this conversation with him?”

“Of course I have. She’s been after him since he got home.”

“I don’t know, my dear. He is not exactly her usual fare.”

“She doesn’t have a ‘usual fare’. Five husbands, all different from the last.”

“Five husbands, and none with a future to protect.”

“A future he has no interest in protecting. I do,” he said and his voice was hard.

Flora knew he was thinking that the widow wouldn’t get her mitts on his brother.

She said, “That’s right. George has family and connections. She can’t lure him with her money.”

“She has other lures, I assure you.”

“Does she?” And if it was her voice that was hard that time, it was only because he’d surprised it out of her. She wouldn’t have been so gentle with the woman if she’d known the widow had tried to lure the earl.

But Sebastian blinked at her tone. “Well, I mean, she is very beautiful, Flora. And experienced.”

More hardness. “Is she?”

His eyebrows pulled together in slight confusion and he paused like a deer scenting danger. Lifting his head to wonder just where it was coming from.

“Flora? I’m talking of what George would think of her.”

Flora slowed her fan down and took a deep breath. Reminded herself that she was a countess, reminded herself just what kind of woman she was.

A woman whose husband hadn’t looked at her, hadn’t touched her, in over a year.

She said, “Not what you think of her?”

“Well, of course not. We all know what I think of her.”

“As marriage material. But perhaps she’s not looking for another husband.”

He barked out a laugh. “And you think she’d go about that business by infuriating me?” He shook his head. “Even if she was, I wouldn’t want her.”

What woman do you want, Sebastian?

Then she chided herself. She was a woman who’d been married for ten years, had four children.

That she still loved her husband, still wanted only him, was her own silly fault. She should do as others of her standing did when their duty was done.

Take a discreet lover and leave her husband to his.

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