Come Near Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

skirts flying out with each kick
of her half-booted toes. She all but danced ahead of him on the
narrow path, then stopped, turned, looked at him through the fiery
haze of wind-kissed curls.
    She smiled, unaffectedly shoving the errant locks
away from her face, and showing him that she had absolutely no idea
she was figuratively punching all the air from his lungs at the
same time. His stomach slapped his toes, then shot upward,
plastering itself against his windpipe. “I can find my way from
here, my lord, if you’ll be so kind as to return my petticoat?”
    His own probably faintly idiotic smile vanishing,
Adam realized he’d begun clutching the petticoat to him as if
holding it meant he could also hold on to Charlotte Victor.
“Might—mi—” He hesitated, cleared his throat, began again. “Might I
be so presumptuous as to invite you and your father to dinner at
Daventry Court this evening? We keep country hours, I’m afraid,
which includes dining ungodly early. I’d send the carriage for you.
At five?”
    Adam winced inwardly. He sounded stiff. Formal. And
yet stammering, almost pleading. A person would think he didn’t
know how to offer a proper invitation. Or that he cared, more than
he liked to admit, what Miss Charlotte Victor thought of him.
    “Why, I’d be delighted, my lord,” she responded with
a small giggle, taking the petticoat from his nearly nerveless
grasp. “Papa would flay me if I refused. Truth to tell, he’s been
all but dying for the chance of an invitation to Daventry Court.
He’s heard your brother, Lord Dagenham, that is, has the most
marvelous hounds.”
    Her answer eased his mind and loosed his good humor
once more as he retraced his steps to the stream, and beyond. He’d
put the papa with Geoff, and send the two of them off to the dogs
directly after dinner, while he and Miss Victor took an intimate
stroll in the gardens.
    It was only as he was sitting in the crook of a
conveniently located branch, midway up a similarly conveniently
placed tree, waiting for Hayes to engage Buckfastleigh’s Prize’s
interest in something other than stomping on his master, that Adam
realized that he had probably just lost his heart.

Chapter Three
    After...
     
     
    I do not want people to be very
agreeable,
    as it saves me the trouble of
    liking them a great deal.
    — Jane Austen
     
     
    “... b rought you
together? How very unique.”
    Adam blinked, and the scene unfolding in
front of his eyes once more became the fire in the deceased Lord
Jasper’s grate. He looked to his new friend, wondering what he
might have said to the man, what Burnell had just said. “I—I beg
your pardon?”
    “I said, how very unique a meeting, Daventry.
Having a bull bring you together. And how reassuring to hear that
yours is a love match. Not many of those lying about on the ground
these days, are there?” He took a sip of brandy, looking at Adam
through the distorting glass of the snifter. “Although,” he ended,
his blue eyes twinkling, “there is a lot to be said for the matches based on rather more earthly attraction, if you know
to keep them temporary and reward them handsomely with diamonds and
the like once the flame has burnt down.”
    “Ah, yes. I remember that sort of match, Burnell. Shall we drink a toast to them all?” Adam
pushed himself back from the edge of memory and lifted his glass,
wondering how much he’d said, hoping he hadn’t said too much.
Damnable brandy, it made his tongue run on wheels sometimes. He
couldn’t remember much past telling Burnell he and Sherry had met
by accident. “To lust,” he said, earning himself an even wider
smile from his new friend, who was suddenly looking past Adam, to
the door. Adam’s hand stilled in the act of making the toast, and
he watched, not seeing but yet knowing, as Burnell got to
his feet.
    “My lady,” Burnell said, bowing as Sherry
advanced into the room, “how good of you to join us.”
    Adam could feel her green eyes boring