Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
She had nowhere to go. No one to run to. If she’d thought he cared, she would head to Bryn. Sure, she could go now and he would help because that’s the kind of man he was but she didn’t want to put him in that situation.
The first sob tore out of her and she flopped to her side, crying for everything. What she was losing, what she’d experienced and what she wouldn’t ever have again. Plus what she was heading into.
* * * *
“My lord.”
Bryn looked up from where he stared into the fire of his father’s study. Draper stood there, a silver platter in one hand.
“What do you need, Draper?”
He was doing his best to reconcile the loss of his grandfather. Unlike his siblings, he had known the man when he’d been less grandfatherly. Against his parents being together, the man had gone out of his way to keep them apart. It wasn’t until he’d been poisoned that the man’s feeling toward his mother had changed.
“A missive for you, sir.”
He reached out his hand to take the paper. “Thank you, Draper. Is someone waiting for a response?”
“No, my lord.”
“Great.” He dropped it on his thigh and returned to staring at the flames crackling in the hearth.
“I was advised it was a matter of importance, however, my lord.” Draper left him alone.
He didn’t want to open it. He wanted to drink and forget. His grandfather and Rosamunde.
Grunting in frustration, he picked up the heavy envelope and used his finger to rip it open. He paused to look at the seal and frowned. Why would Seamus be sending him anything?
Morning was imminent and he should have been asleep. The fact this arrived at this time… Perhaps Draper had been correct in his assumption this was urgent.
Shaking the letter open, he skimmed it, swore then read it again.
Bryn,
A bit of news for you about your young lady. Her count was at my establishment last night and well into this morning, he owes me a great deal of money. Rumor is, he plans on running with her and marrying her on the ship once they are out to sea. He severely injured one of my girls and she is barely living after his time with her. We both know that little miss is yours. If you don’t save her, I will.
-Jimmy Mac
The flames burned a bit higher as they ate the missive as he ran from the room. He had some people to get. As he opened the front door, he glanced back to see Henry standing there.
“Everything okay?” he asked his brother, shoving into his coat.
“Where are you going?”
“To get my woman. Care to ride along?”
The first smile he’d seen on his brother’s face since their grandfather passed came as he nodded. Not much later, they were riding their horses up the street, heading to get Falcon, Remington and Piers.
* * * *
Her mother’s lady’s maid woke her in the morning, and Rosamunde had nothing left to give, remaining subdued as she bathed and dressed her. Pushing her away when it came to her hair, she braided it herself, trying to find some normalcy in the act.
The trunks had been removed when she finally headed down the stairs. For the last time, most likely. The count stood by her father and when he looked at her, her belly flopped. Perhaps there would be an opportunity to escape on the journey. If it came, she would head out and take her chances.
The count had donned a dark-blue suit that looked disturbingly good on him, making him slimmer than he’d been yesterday. Didn’t change the look in his eyes that had her instinctively wanting to take several steps back.
“There she is,” he said with a smile. “My fiancée. Are you ready to head home?” The butler opened the door. Cold wind whipped around, sending up snowflakes as it swirled and twirled.
“I’m traveling with you unchaperoned as a fiancée? I thought we were getting married.”
His grin turned her stomach. “So excited about the wedding night, my dear? Worry not, that will be here soon. We’re getting married on the ship. We’re traveling to the coast to pick up a few things then we’ll head back to Italy. Your brother is accompanying us for this.”
Not anything to make her feel better.
The count closed the distance between them and she firmed her muscles to stay still. He offered her his arm. “We need to go.” He dipped head, his onion breath making her eyes water. “Don’t ever question me again, you’ll pay. It’ll be hard to sit with a red ass.”
“Begging your pardon, my lord. I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to question the wedding.”
His eyes sparked and she knew he’d caught her sarcasm. And she would pay. If possible, she would spend the rest of her time in her head, recalling her time with Bryn. She should have told him the truth. Told him she loved him.