Again, My Lord: A Twist Series Novel Read Online Free PDF

to you the Viscount Mallory, my traveling companion today,” and added under his breath, “unfortunately.”
    Lord Mallory swept her an elegant bow. “Charmed, madam.” He peered curiously over her shoulder.
    “This is my sister,” Calista said.
    “Ma’am.” He bowed deeply and grinned.
    Evelina’s eyes were sparks. “Were you racing on the road in this weather?”
    “We were indeed,” the viscount said. “Excellent sport. Sorry to have discombobulated the little fellow. You’re all right now, my good man?”
    Harry threw back his shoulders. “Right as rain,” he said solidly.
    “You might have overrun him,” Evelina said.
    “Oh, don’t go overstating the thing.” Lord Mallory leaned a shoulder against the wall and drew off his gloves. “Everybody’s well now.”
    “Everybody is soaked to the bone, with two hours’ carriage ride ahead of us before dusk.” Evelina’s lips pursed. “I am not impressed with your puerile indifference, my lord.”
    “Did you hear that, Tass?” the viscount drawled, giving Evelina an up-and-down perusal. “I believe the lady just accused me of immaturity.”
    “I wonder how she could have mistaken your character so entirely?” Lord Dare murmured. Calista’s heart did an uncomfortable trip. He sounded exactly the same as he had six years ago: dry and wry and thoughtful and amused all at once.
    “I am positively diverted,” the viscount said, eyes slanted at her sister. “And what do
you
do for amusement? Catalogue molds and funguses?”
    “Yes, in fact, among other flora.”
    “How utterly original,” Lord Mallory said with thorough disinterest.
    “I have no doubt that such a pastime seems tame to you, what with your preference for roguish disregard for others’ welfare.”
    “She thinks I’m roguish and I’ve barely said twenty words to her,” he murmured, eyes glinting. “Mission accomplished.”
    Lord Dare moved around him. “Shouldn’t you be on your way, Mallory?”
    “After I’ve had a pint.” He passed them by to enter the taproom.
    “Forgive me, Lady Evelina,” Lord Dare said. “His bark is worse than his bite.” With a glance at Calista, he bowed and followed his friend.
    “Do not say a word,” Calista whispered harshly. “Just go.”
    “I wasn’t going to say anything, of course.” Evelina took Harry’s hand. “Come along, sweetpea. Let’s see what treats Cook prepared for our snack on the road, shall we?”
    Calista touched her fingertips to her son’s head.
    “Good-bye, Mama,” he said with a smile now, his cheeks still pink from excitement. Lifting her hood, Evelina drew him into the rain.
    From the doorway, as rain sprinkled her wet traveling gown Calista watched the chaise pull out of the inn yard and onto the rain-washed road and then, finally, out of sight, taking her heart with it.
    She swallowed back tears yet again. But they bubbled up, threatening to overflow.
Not here
. Not where the poker-up-his-arse Marquess of Dare might come through that door at any moment. She hurried up the stairs to her bedchamber. Richard had not given her sufficient money to purchase more than a meager dinner, and nothing for tomorrow’s long journey home. But her stomach was in knots anyway. Food would wait until breakfast.
    Closing her bedchamber door, with damp fingers she began unfastening the buttons of her pelisse and her eyes alighted on a wooden crate at the foot of her bed.
    Her mother’s statue.
    “No!” She darted to the window, but she knew it was already too late.
    After retrieving the statue twenty miles south of her home that morning, she had told Jackson that he was to put it on the carriage to Dashbourne. Clearly he had failed in that task. She would have a sharp word with her husband’s drunken coachman. But not until they returned home. Jackson had been especially surly lately. She didn’t put it past him to drive her over every pothole in the country on their way home just to spite her.
    She gripped the sill.