A Reckless Promise Read Online Free PDF

time. Eventually I went off to school, spending all my holidays here with the Camfords until I reached my majority. Your niece will be in good hands with them, unless you believe I turned out badly.”
    There. It was settled, and out of his own mouth. But could she relax now? She doubted it, for she was still in the room, and what on earth had he planned for her? Truly, he couldn’t have planned for her at all, could he? The inconvenient aunt.
    â€œThank you. I am sure I’m not prepared to make any conclusions on such short acquaintance, my lord, and have placed my full reliance on John’s opinion.”
    He turned away from the window. “A careful answer, Mrs. Boxer. Shall we return to you? Do you plan to remain here with your niece?”
    And here it was, with her knowing she was still totally unprepared for the question.
    â€œHave I been invited?”
    â€œNo, I don’t believe you have. You do realize you’ve put me in an awkward situation. You’re obviously too old to become my ward, yet you’re too young and, yes, too attractive to remain here as my guest without tongues wagging all over Mayfair. Not that I’ve ever been opposed to that, but there is your reputation to be considered. Therefore, if you’re agreeable, I believe I shall have to employ you in some fashion. Which do you prefer? Governess? Companion? Tutor?”
    He was going to let her stay with Marley. Not that he had much choice, so she couldn’t consider his offer a win on her side of the invisible tote board that had apparently been set up somewhere in the room.
    She straightened her posture to the point that her spine protested. “Companion, I would think, seeing that I am her aunt. The position includes a wage, I presume?”
    His smile took her quite by surprise, and seemed to serve to remove the tension both in his face and in the room itself.
    â€œYou move quickly, Mrs. Boxer. Do you have a figure in mind?”
    â€œI wouldn’t presume to—”
    â€œOf course you wouldn’t.”
    Now he was definitely being condescending. He had a burr under his saddle, most definitely, but Sadie still wasn’t certain what it was. It almost seemed as if her very existence bothered him.
    â€œI have to rethink this business of companion. Not quite right, I believe, or believable, for that matter. Never mind, I’ll think of something.”
    â€œI’ll await that decision, then, my lord, grateful that you’ll allow me to remain with my niece.”
    â€œSo happy to ease your mind, Mrs. Boxer. And now, unless you have more to share with me, beyond my painfully acquired knowledge that my ward has a predilection for violence, I believe you may retire for the nonce. If my ward has been suitably instructed in her table manners, you and she can begin taking meals in the small dining room. I can remember refusing to be constrained to the nursery for my meals by the time I was her age. However, alas, I am committed elsewhere this evening, and will be departing for London within the hour, to return tomorrow. Or perhaps next week.”
    Sadie leaped to her feet, speaking before she could think better of it. “You won’t be here? Oh, no, that won’t do, my lord. Marley is your ward. She remains with you. I must insist.”
    Could she have been more clumsy?
    The viscount, his hands behind his back, walked up to her, stopping much too close to her, and looked into her eyes. “You must insist? And why is that, Mrs. Boxer?”
    Sadie scrambled for an explanation that would seem reasonable. “She, um, Marley has just lost her father. She...she needs to know someone still cares about her.”
    â€œOther than yourself?”
    â€œYes! Yes, that’s it. A...a male presence.”
    â€œA male presence,” he repeated, and the words sounded no more convincing when he said them. “I see. And a male presence would make her feel—what was the