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)
The touch hadn’t been tender. It hadn’t been painful. Which to her equated tender. At least when it came from this man, but surely, she was allowed her fantasies.
“She was extremely clear about that when she spoke with me.”
“And you’ll help my son?” Lord Barberton asked.
“I’m not in the habit of saying things I don’t mean.” Bryn tugged on the sleeve of his heavy coat. “I would speak with your daughter alone.”
“That’s not wise, for an unwed woman to be in a room with an unwed male who is not family.” Her mother’s affronted tone made Rosamunde struggle not to roll her eyes.
“You sent her to my house alone and unchaperoned. I hardly think me speaking with her for a moment in this room will ruin her reputation.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Out.”
It amused her to see her family scrambling to do as he’d bid. Until the door closed them in together, she didn’t think about it, that he’d made them leave the warm room. It bothered her that she discovered she was nervous, again, because really, she’d damn near propositioned him.
“What can I do for you, my lord?”
He snorted and she looked up to find his amused gaze on her.
“Now you want to act prim and proper? We both know those kinds of women don’t do what you did earlier. And I want to make one thing perfectly clear.” He canted his head to the side. “Two things.”
She scrunched her fingers in the blanket as she retook her seat. “And they are?”
“I’ll help you and get the pleasure of pummeling your brother, but I will bring my family’s wrath down on them if they touch you like this again.” He dragged a knuckle down her face along the mark. “Point two is that earlier, I didn’t mean that how you took it. I meant a woman of means. You shocked me is all.”
A brittle smile in place, she gave him a nod, well aware of the dismissal. He still didn’t find her attractive and, for some unpleasant reason, that hurt. “Understood.”
His gaze dropped to her lips and lingered before he ripped it back up. “We’ll start tomorrow. At the academy.” His smirk had her toes curling. “You’ll accompany your brother.”
“I’ll what?” She forgot about the pleasure his look had sent through her and shot to her feet. “I can’t attend an academy for boxing.”
“You can and you will. After all, I’m helping you with your true request. That means I need to have you near me.” A wink and he headed to the door. “I will see you and your brother in the morning.” He pulled the door open and, beyond him, she saw her family scrambling back. “Not a minute beyond seven. I hate to be kept waiting.”
And he was gone, leaving her with her family, who watched her like she’d sprouted another head.
* * * *
“You’ve lost your head.”
Bryn shrugged at Falcon’s statement as he made sure the room they would be sparring in was warm enough for Rosamunde. The moment he’d set foot in her house, he’d struggled with the desire to drop her over his shoulder and take her away to his parents’ home. The place had been frigid. And not just the lack of heat, although he was smart enough to know when people were putting on a front.
And since he had already had Falcon dig into the family, he knew how in debt they were. Which meant Rosamunde was the one they were going to sacrifice to keep the others, the “pretty” ones, and the son, happy. More anger surged through him and he ground his jaw, ready to plant some punches against her brother. He’d heard from many how that family viewed her, the names they called her and how little they respected her.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Why should I? I’m happy thinking about darkening her brother’s daylights. You’re going to say what you will no matter what response I have. I’m helping her, that’s all.”
“You don’t even know the lad’s name.”
“Nope. Don’t care either.”
“She’s not hoping you’ll be coming up to scratch, is she?”
“No.” He faced his best friend. “She’s promised to some old letch. Since Daddy’s gambling and Mommy’s spending habit has them dished up, she’s the fish to get them out of dun territory.”
“Why her?”
“Because I’m the worthless one.” Rosamunde’s matter-of-fact statement caught them both by surprise.
Bryn whipped around, an apology on his lips, but swallowed it the second he saw her expression. Cold. Emotionless. In other words, not the woman who had been blushing before him at his house.
“Miss Fletcher,” Falcon said, stepping forward, hand outstretched.
“No need to apologize, my lord. He’s your best friend, I’m sure he’s told you everything.”
He brushed a kiss over the back of her hand and Bryn wanted to knock him into next week.