Eternally Yours Read Online Free PDF

“So is your interference in my business, as I’ve already pointed out.”
    “Do you know what I would give to have an opportunity like this of my own, what I’d give just to have my parents’ house back without any secret rooms? If this place had been passed down to you from your parents or grandparents, maybe you’d understand. But, no, this beautiful home simply landed in your lap. You say your ex’s family never changed a thing here. What would they think of your recklessness now? Don’t you care about anyone else’s feelings?”
    She let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, now you’re on very thin ice. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    “But I do. I’ve seen how careless people can be.”
    “Have you? Well, I’ve seen a lot of things, too.” She strode to the drawing table and picked up his note pad and pen, holding them out. “Here. Now get out of my house.”
    The anger in her eyes convinced him he’d said enough--probably too much. How did she end up with this house? he wondered...but now wasn’t a good time to ask. He took his belongings from her and stashed them inside his jacket. Being thrown out of someone’s house was a new experience for him, and he didn’t know what to say.
    “Okay, then,” he muttered. “Good-bye.”
    He walked out of the studio without looking back, leaving her amid the mess of art supplies and smelly rags.
    * * * *
    Geoffrey Vereker smirked to himself. As far as he was concerned, the encounter between the mortals couldn’t have come to a more perfect conclusion. The little he’d seen of his descendant had done nothing to impress him. The man had denigrated both Geoff’s poetry and his current favorite, Lara. Knocking a volume of his own work onto the fool’s head had brought him some pleasure, but this altercation meant far more to him. Now he had Lara all to himself again...at least until she met another earthbound man.
    He watched Mark walk out to his motorized carriage and climb inside. As the mortal started up the engine, he looked back at the house one last time, and Geoff followed his gaze.
    Lara’s face appeared at the window of the front door. The next second the curtain closed.
    The ghost frowned to himself. He looked back at his descendant, who dropped his gaze, his brow furrowing.
    Could it be that he has an inkling of what a fool he’s been? The comments Mark had made about Lara’s apathy had indeed gone beyond the pale. From what Geoff had overheard when her former husband left, the man had spent his days lazing about while she went out to win the bread. So much for his maintaining his treasured family home and caring about his heritage.
    True, Lara’s plans for the house were misguided, but what did Mark expect from a member of the impractical gender? A man was meant to guide a woman, not insult her, as he had done. Perhaps her disinterest in the hidden room had been somewhat surprising, too, but not what one could call uncaring. Geoff, too, had wondered what was in there, but not enough to look for himself. Something about the room disturbed him, just as it seemed to unnerve her.
    While the ghost floated above, anxious for his descendant to leave, Mark spent another moment looking back toward the house. Surely the man wasn’t contemplating an apology!
    Go home , Geoff tried to will him, go home . But his thoughts didn’t seem to affect the mortal.
    After what seemed like ages, Mark finally looked ahead at the road and drove the carriage away.
    Geoff breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately for him, his good-for-nothing descendant didn’t know when to eat his words. He only hoped the fellow had as little conscience--and taste in women--as he appeared to. If the ghost had his way, he would never see Mark Vereker again.
     

Chapter 3
     
    The next morning Lara slipped into a tank top and a pair of tattered cut-off jeans. The outfit was as atrocious as the one she’d worn the day before, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t likely to get