Deceive Not My Heart

Deceive Not My Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

Book: Deceive Not My Heart Read Online Free PDF
Author: Shirlee Busbee
Dominic why he didn't need that young man's company when he sailed down the Mississippi River next Monday on his way to New Orleans.
    The two of them were in Morgan's bedchamber, not the same room he had shared with Stephanie, and Morgan was in the process of changing from his elegant, gray morning coat to the well-cut, brown frock coat and buckskin breeches that he frequently wore for riding.
    "Dom," he said patiently, "I do not need your very generous offer of help with Ashley. I appreciate it, but Ashley has very little to do with my current trip to New Orleans, and you know it. It's just a coincidence that he happens to be there at the same time I will be." Morgan suddenly grinned. "It is damned convenient, though. I would have disliked coming back from there to find uncle's letter, waiting for me, with the news of Ashley's presence in New Orleans and of his plea that I convince Ashley to return home to England."
    "But you do intend to darken his daylights before putting him on the ship for England, don't you?" Dominic persisted as he lounged casually on Morgan's bed.
    Morgan sent him a look. "More than likely, but I still don't need you along to make certain that I do it to your satisfaction."
    "I know that!" Dominic replied hotly. "But I want to watch you do it!"
    Morgan snorted. "What a bloody little savage you've turned out to be!"
    "No different than you, from what maman says!" Dominic shot back. "Oh, Morgan, please let me come! I promise I won't do anything to embarrass you. You know that I am very grown up for my age—even papa says my manners are very nice. Do let me come!"
    Morgan hesitated. Dominic was extremely difficult to resist when he made up his mind he wanted something, but thinking of the dangers that a wicked city like New Orleans could offer to a high-spirited, ripe-for-mischief young man like Dominic, he shook his head. "Next time." And when Dominic opened his mouth to protest further, Morgan added, "I promise. This trip has been planned for months and you know that I am not going to New Orleans for pleasure. Half the time I'll be closeted with estate agents, and there will be quite a few evenings when I meet with Spanish officials to discuss trade agreements. Dom, you'd find yourself at a standstill and bored in the bargain. Besides," Morgan finished lightly, "my dealings with Ashley will be a mere trifle, over in a few minutes, and then what would you do for the rest of the time, hmm?"
    Dominic hunched a shoulder. "I'd find something to do!"
    "Which is precisely why I'd rather you remain here!" Morgan murmured dryly as he pulled on a polished top boot. "Come along now and show me that prime bit of blood and bones our neighbor has for sale. A dapple gray stallion, I believe you said, with Arabian blood?"
    As horses were at the moment Dominic's premier passion, he eagerly followed his older brother's lead, and the trip to New Orleans vanished from his mind. They spent an agreeable morning together; much to Dominic's delight Morgan decided to buy the stallion.
    "I told you he'd make an excellent stud for your stables!" Dominic crowed when the deal had been struck and they rode back to Bonheur.
    "So you did, bratling," Morgan replied with a quick grin. The remainder of the day passed pleasantly and Morgan's trip to New Orleans was not mentioned again until that evening.
    It was late evening and everyone else in the family had retired. Morgan and his father were seated in cane-backed chairs on the veranda at the side of the house, enjoying one last cigar before retiring. The conversation was desultory between father and son until Matthew asked casually, "I know you intend to work out some sort of trading agreement with the Spaniards; does that mean you'll be seeing our ex-governor, Gayoso?"
    Morgan nodded. "It seems as good a place as any to start, don't you think? He knows our family and he knows that I am nominally a subject of Spain as long as I hold Thousand Oaks. We entertained him here at Bonheur
Read Online Free Pdf

Similar Books

A Man Like No Other

Aliyah Burke

Unclaimed Treasures

Patricia MacLachlan

The Orchid Tree

Siobhan Daiko

The Real Romney

Michael Kranish, Scott Helman