Deceived Read Online Free PDF Page A

Mary was on the arm of the vicar, and Josie’s mother and the healer, Miss Gray, took the final position in their line.
    “Oh, Josie darling,” his mother said, releasing Gabriel and crossing to her. The dowager folded her into a hug. “It has been too long. I’m so very glad you came. Come and sit with me. Audrey will be down shortly and we will begin.”
    At last Josie did look at him, but he saw the relief on her face. To be away from him. To keep whatever she knew about Claire to herself. She moved to sit with his mother, her own mother on the other side, and began chatting as the rest of them took their seats and Jude moved to his position at the wooden archway with the vicar.
    Behind them, the doors to the house opened and Edward and Audrey came into view. For the moment, Evan forgot Josie’s odd behavior and took a sharp breath. His sister was beautiful in her silver gown and fine lace veil. But she had eyes for no one except for Jude at the end of the aisle. She all but floated to him, only acknowledging Edward when he lifted her veil from her face and placed a kiss to her cheek.
    The vicar began his ceremony then and Evan found his gaze moving to Josie. She was utterly frustrating, that one. But he somehow hadn’t recalled that she was so damned pretty. As a little girl, she had been plump, but the baby fat had melted as she turned into a woman, leaving only lush curves that made her very proper gown seem less so.
    And then there was her face. No, Josie was not traditionally pretty like the china dolls who lined up in ballrooms to be called the Diamond of the Season. There was something different to Josie, something… better . Maybe it was her heart-shaped face in a sea of fine-boned ovals. Or perhaps it was the bright intelligence to her sparkling green eyes. Then again, Evan could see how one might be enthralled by the tilt to her full lips that hinted at a smile a man could want to coax out, kiss out.
    He blinked. What the hell was he doing? This was Jocelyn Westfall he was thinking about! Josie, the annoying childhood friend of his oldest sister. Josie, who couldn’t stand him. She wasn’t the girl he dreamed about. She was just… Josie .
    “Mr. and Mrs. Samson!” the vicar said with a smile.
    Evan blinked as Jude caught Audrey in his arms and planted a very improper and highly passionate kiss on her lips that inspired both gasps and applause from the friends and family gathered there. Audrey’s face was beet red as Jude set her back on her feet and they began to make their way together up the aisle.
    As they passed, the dowager got to her feet, dabbing her eyes with a lace handkerchief and said, “We will go to the ballroom for refreshments and be joined there by many friends!”
    The family began to stand, stretching their legs and chatting softly as they moved toward the house behind the happy and now very married couple.
    “Why do you have such a long face?” Gabriel asked from beside him.
    Evan looked at his brother with a frown. “Well, you saw who I was with when you came out.”
    Gabriel chuckled. “Your nemesis, yes.”
    “She isn’t my nemesis,” Evan corrected as the two took up the rear of the line that was weaving its way to the house. “If anything, I seem to be hers. I hardly think of her at all.”
    Of course, that wasn’t true a moment ago, but he wasn’t about to share that fact with Gabriel.
    “Hmmm.” His brother sounded less than convinced. “And did she tell you anything about Claire?”
    Evan’s eyes went wide. “What? How did you know we were discussing Claire?”
    Gabriel shrugged. “When I came out, she wouldn’t look at you, she wouldn’t look at me, she could hardly even make eye contact with Mama, even while they chatted. The only reason I can deduce for those facts is that she feels a little guilty about something. Hence…Claire.”
    “God, it is annoying that you can do that,” Evan muttered.
    “What?”
    “Put together all these truths just from