Chivalrous Rake, Scandalous Lady. Mary Brendan

Читать онлайн книгу.

Chivalrous Rake, Scandalous Lady - Mary Brendan


Скачать книгу
seen this letter. Then I will be in trouble, for Theo will guess I have meddled in it.’

      With an unsteady hand Jemma pushed back the stray wisps fallen against her pale forehead. Her fingers remained tangled in those chestnut tresses as she slowly walked to the window and stared sightlessly out on another glorious spring day. She certainly did not want Maura to pay for being a good and loyal friend to her, but neither did she want Stephen Crabbe to remain under any illusion that she might agree to marry him. She had hoped that the two gentlemen who had received a letter from Theo—and whose responses she had not known—would have had the sense to treat the matter with the contempt it deserved. Then the whole stupid affair might have faded away with no need for her to do anything at all. But now it seemed she had no option but to quickly state her case before Mr Crabbe paid her an unwelcome call.

      Five years ago she’d stirred gossip because she had trifled with Marcus Speer’s affections and led him on like a common tease. Then she’d deserved the opprobrium for her silly flirtatious behaviour. On this occasion she’d done nothing to encourage a suitor’s attention. Once she’d broadcast the truth of the matter, her guardian’s motive would be rightly judged to be claiming the Bailey inheritance. As much as Jemma didn’t relish seeing Maura upset by her brother’s greed being exposed, she could see no other way to proceed.

      Jemma’s troubled thoughts were interrupted as Polly arrived with the tea tray. Having settled on the sofa opposite her cousin, and handed Maura her tea, Jemma was surprised to hear a tap at the door and see Polly again hovering on the threshold.

      ‘A gentleman caller, Miss Bailey,’ Polly announced in her soft Devon burr.

      The hand that clutched a teacup froze halfway to Maura’s mouth. Swiftly it was deposited back on its saucer, rattling together the crockery. ‘It’s Theo,’ she hissed, pupils dilating in fright. ‘He must have discovered the letter is missing. He’s guessed I’ve taken it to show you. He’s come to get it…and me…’

      ‘Shh, it is not him,’ Jemma soothed, quickly standing up. Polly was familiar enough with her mistress’s guardian to have announced him by his name.

      ‘Who is it Polly?’ Jemma’s heart had plummeted to her stomach. Had Stephen Crabbe come to visit without the courtesy of first sending a card, and before she had properly decided how she must attack such a delicate matter as rejecting him for a second time?

      ‘It’s a Mr Speer, Miss Bailey,’ Polly announced, her eyes suddenly alight with admiration, her lips compressed to hide a smile. ‘He’s waiting in the hallway. Shall I show him in?’

      ‘No!’ Jemma blurted in a gulp. ‘That is…yes, of course. Please show him in. No, one moment…’ She again arrested her servant’s departure, but gave Polly an apologetic look for the confusion. ‘Ask him to wait just a moment, please.’

      Polly nodded and slipped away to do as she’d been bid. As she skipped along the corridor towards the vestibule she inwardly chuckled. She’d be in a dither too if such a grand-looking man came a-calling on her unexpectedly.

      ‘What do you think he wants?’ Maura whispered, her eyes as round as the saucers on the table. Now she knew that her brother had not come in high dudgeon to chastise her she looked quite comfortable perched on the edge of her chair, and agog with curiosity. ‘Surely he is not still furious at having received Theo’s letter? Do you think that he is here to again quarrel with you?’

      ‘I…I don’t know,’ Jemma croaked. And that was the truth. She had no idea why he’d come. The last time she’d been in his company his parting words to her had been that they should finish their conversation another time. She’d imagined it to be just an empty phrase tossed at her as a substitute for a proper farewell. She felt quite light-headed at the prospect of receiving him at home without knowing the purpose of his call. She knew too that she regretted having delayed her cousin’s departure with the offer of refreshment. Of course it was best for her reputation that she did not see him alone but—etiquette be damned!—she would sooner hear whatever it was he had to say in private. Closely following that thought came another to reassure her. Marcus Speer was a sophisticated gentleman. He would refrain from discussing anything of a delicate nature in front of Maura.

      After a moment Jemma realised that she would be no better prepared to deal with the situation after ten minutes of brooding on it than she was now. In fact, it would be bad manners to make him wait. She recalled the glimpse she’d had of him pacing impatiently in the hallway of Theo’s house. She guessed Mr Speer was not a man who gladly wasted his time, and she didn’t want to annoy him for no good reason. Quickly Jemma went to the door, opened it and gestured to Polly, hovering in the vicinity, that she was ready to receive him.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4R1IRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgADQEAAAMAAAABBO4AAAEBAAMAAAABB8kAAAECAAMAAAADAAAA qgEGAAMAAAABAAIAAAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEVAAMAAAABAAMAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAAsAEbAAUAAAAB AAAAuAEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAeAAAAwAEyAAIAAAAUAAAA3gE7AAIAAAAOAAAA8odpAAQA AAABAAABAAAAATgACAAIAAgALcbAAAAnEAAtxsAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNiAoV2lu ZG93cykAMjAxNDoxMToxNCAxNDo0MzoxNwBCcmVuZGFuLCBNYXJ5AAAEkAAABwAAAAQwMjIxoAEA AwAAAAH//wAAoAIABAAAAAEAAAZAoAMABAAAAAEAAAnfAAAAAAAAAAYBAwADAAAAAQAGAAABGgAF AAAAAQAAAYYBGwAFAAAAAQAAAY4BKAADAAAAAQACAAACAQAEAAAAAQAAAZYCAgAEAAAAAQAAG6oA AAAAAAAASAAAAAEAAABIAAAAAf/Y/+0ADEFkb2JlX0NNAAL/7gAOQWRvYmUAZIAAAAAB/9sAhAAM CAgICQgMCQkMEQsKCxEVDwwMDxUYExMVExMYEQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM DAwMDAwMAQ0LCw0ODRAODhAUDg4OFBQODg4OFBEMDAwMDBERDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAz/wAARCACgAGUDASIAAhEBAxEB/90ABAAH/8QBPwAAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAA AAAAAwABAgQFBgcICQoLAQABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAABAAIDBAUGBwgJCgsQAAEEAQMCBAIFBwYI BQMMMwEAAhEDBCESMQVBUWETInGBMgYUkaGxQiMkFVLBYjM0coLRQwclklPw4fFjczUWorKDJkST VGRFwqN0NhfSVeJl8rOEw9N14/NGJ5SkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2N0dXZ3eHl6e3 x9fn9xEAAgIBAgQEAwQFBgcHBgU1AQACEQMhMRIEQVFhcSITBTKBkRShsUIjwVLR8DMkYuFygpJD UxVjczTxJQYWorKDByY1wtJEk1SjF2RFVTZ0ZeLys4TD03Xj80aUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaG lqa2xtbm9ic3R1dnd4eXp7fH/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDhrnOa6xxe4AOcfpHxPmiZ2HnYGXbhZrX0 5VBAtqLiSCWtsbq1233MexyudKrYMy/LdYwP6fXbm012iWWWUOa+nHc2Wb/d+lf/AMHSuk+uOLV1 frF2ZlXU9GyK7fsf2fL2h7msoxcqqy6zFtyKPU9TNsZ6vrbPQ+z/AOit9OKtLbROoFbh4Ymwfnv/ AM4/3pwbP33/AOcf71uWfV/p0tLeu4T2nfvIMbQG3WUv22Wsc/1vSpr9Nnvpflf8Epv+rOBXZ6dv XsKqQ1zS7WQ7Xd+ittb9FzPztn/bd3pqitkYuDus/fd/nH+9OBa76L3yPBzv704bLdwadeGnQ/2/ 3VTyrHTBs45a3RoPghGygkAOnjHLJADnEgRG46ge6CmqbaHCXO7jVxWPTa5jg8EgA8zB/wA4rbp6 p08Nrrv3HQB7mlpc2Br9HZXZ6v8Ag/5t/wDgrvU/nUjA9NUCQITFriwS50/EoLmOn6Tv84/3rR24 9uOzIxi59TuS5paWn91wQvRGpjjlR6hVtWoODo3uJ+J/vUnss0Mujxk/3ozWncB+ARS2BqDqkCgF rBr/AE3e535p5Pi7zSVgVHY7Tw/78kjei63/0OUqvtxctmVRHq0W+owOEjc124Ne39x/0HrS+tXW 2dd6y/qFYLaSxtdFTm7Xta36Xqx7XPss3u3f6P02fmLPLWlz5AMuP5VF7A3j70vdjexdPihYlRsC vtREQf5QWn9X8SjJvyRbQLmMx7XBxZvZW707ntusrYHWez0/0bmM/nP66yyXA8z3CqZeVkUvBx7X 1EsIJadp90hzZH5rm/SS92J0ooyZY8J3eo6t0/Br+yCqo11HCusbeQ2gXPYy6yh5ad++x72Mq2/z l1fp/wCEuVd2D0yuytjpsZZRa8tF9IcH1V+t7nMrvp2ZFn6DH2WfpPf+jrv/AEK53Gf1DLyq8Y3v O2Gje6drR7tuv0W6/Qauoy/q+/Fxqq3+m7IucPe0GYJa1u579v5z0J54RIBvVWOXGDXFpof5cSGn pvTHtoc936KzYS/1apeHV2XZDBXs34zsK6tlD/U/pH/XqEzundMY8w7dWX2GiX1tNrBRXk4rPczd V9puscz17Gf91/Tryl0r+j/VxuOceuvGtyqwGucHBzi7876L1gZ2FiY9dm2msGufcVF98hdcMvw/ iynGa4uJrPwKxhZN1dwZfXYXU4ZuY+amFrMmX1barL/Vtr9DZ6frVY+V+isQOo44xM22qp80B7xS 4WttJY1zmVvc+k7fft/kLRyujtxP2Syyyi52UXlpoYdtjCWN3W2bve/Hef0f6Jn6NRf01jHFpp

Скачать книгу