His By Christmas (Hamilton Sisters) Read Online Free PDF

do?” James sputtered in disbelief. He had clearly not expected his challenge to be accepted.
    “Yes, I do.”
    “What are the terms?” James asked hurriedly, his round face now lit with gleeful excitement.
    “Whatever you like,” Jeffrey responded with a shrug. He couldn’t care less about the terms of the wager. Proving his cousin wrong and winning money meant less than nothing to him. His only concern was keeping Yvette Hamilton from possibly marrying the wrong man and ruining her life.
    “Since we’re gentlemen of means,” James Granger Eddington continued, “let’s make it interesting, shall we? How about a thousand pounds?”
    “Whatever amount you wish. It’s your loss.”
    “Fine. A gentleman’s wager.” James grinned with undisguised glee. “I’ll bet you a thousand pounds that you can’t win Miss Yvette Hamilton away from the future Duke of Lansdowne by . . . by when?”
    “By Christmas, if not sooner.” Jeffrey could pass the care of Yvette back to Lucien and Colette by then and wash his hands of the entire affair knowing that she was safe, one way or another.
    “It’s a deal, Cousin.” James held out his hand.
    They shook to bind the wager, while Jeffrey ignored the uneasy feeling that crept over him. And it had nothing to do with the outrageously large sum of money he had just wagered on Yvette Hamilton’s heart.
    “This will be the easiest money I ever made.” James continued to smile, as he pumped Jeffrey’s hand with growing delight.
    Withdrawing his hand from James’s grip, Jeffrey advised him coolly, “Don’t spend it yet, Cousin. You’d do well not to underestimate me.”

4
    September Rain
    “Yes, Maman , of course, I’m ready,” Yvette answered, adjusting the skirts of her new lavender gown. They were on their way to visit her sister Lisette and her new baby that afternoon. Yvette had intended to go riding in Green Park with Lord Shelley, but the drizzling rain had spoiled those plans.
    “Then let us be on our way. I am weary of waiting for you. Je suis fatiguée de t’attendre. Cela fait déjà dix minutes que j’attends. Dépêche-toi ,” her mother, Genevieve Hamilton, said impatiently while pounding her ornate cane on the floor to enhance the emphasis of her words.
    “Well, let’s go then, shall we?” Yvette quickly ushered her mother into the waiting carriage, complete with the Sinclairs’ liveried footmen, that would carry them the short drive to her sister’s townhouse. Yvette would have preferred to walk there, but her mother was not able to make even such a short distance nor would she be able to tolerate the damp weather. There were a lot of things that Genevieve Hamilton could not abide and she was quite vocal about them. All the time.
    It was too hot. It was too cold. Too many people came to visit them. Not enough people came to visit them. Her tea was not strong enough. Her tea was too strong. Didn’t anyone know how to make a proper cup of tea anymore? And what was the matter with the servants at Devon House? Didn’t Colette know how to train them properly? No one knew how to take care of her the way she wanted. She missed Brighton. London was a horrid, loud, and dirty city. On and on it went. All day. Every day. Nothing pleased her. Nothing satisfied her.
    Yvette had protested vociferously against having her mother come to stay with her while Colette and Lucien were away, declaring that she was quite able to manage on her own. However, neither her sister nor her brother-in-law would budge on this matter. It was final. Appearances must be kept up and she was not to be left unattended. Genevieve Hamilton came to Devon House. Yvette consoled herself that she had won the battle to stay in London and not go to America. At least she had that triumph!
    So her mother, with the air of a great martyr, reluctantly left her cottage by the sea in Brighton and came to stay with Yvette at Devon House. Genevieve had only been there a few days and already Yvette