His Michaelmas Mistress Read Online Free PDF Page B

I don’t really like it, but I needed some liquid courage,” she admitted.
    “You probably had two sips of the stuff. You, my lady, are a bloody lightweight when it comes to the tipples. Lady Tisbury, pray don’t worry. This isn’t what it looks like,” he said quickly.
    “Oh, it isn’t, Lord Axbridge? Because to me, it looks as if you’ve gotten my daughter a little bosky, and now you intend to take full advantage of her current predicament.”
    “Oh, no, Mama. He didn’t get me drunk, he is not that sort of man…I did it myself,” she hiccupped, and smiled. “And if anyone was trying to take advantage of someone, it was me. I was trying desperately to lead Lord Axbridge into temptation…but you know, he wouldn’t come with me, he wouldn’t dare oblige me…well, not until just before you showed up. I think I might have had the noose around his neck, then,” she giggled again.
    “Julia, you are quite scandalous,” Beatrice exclaimed.
    “Oh, aye. I’m following in Iris’s footsteps. Except this time, I didn’t go to the Gypsy Grandmother for a love potion.”
    “Julia Gwendolyn Alice Lovett, you shall go upstairs, put on something respectable, and you will return with me to Castleton Court. Is that clear?”
    “Clear as a bell, Mama,” she said, sighing heavily. “But I shan’t do it.”
    “Do you see what I’ve been dealing with?” Freddie asked tiredly.
    Beatrice eyed him warily. “For once, sir, I do not think you are entirely to blame. However, mayhap, you are to blame. Had you done what my daughter wanted in the first place, I wouldn’t be traipsing around Wiltshire looking for her. You would have my blessing to be in the position you are in right now.”
    “Oh, Mama, you haven’t been traipsing,” Julia said. “You’ve had a coachman driving you around Wiltshire. There was clearly no effort on your part.”
    “Why you impertinent little lady,” Beatrice exclaimed, trying to remain firm, and failing miserably. Her eyes swept past them to the decanter of whisky. “Oh, jolly good. I need a little sip of the strong stuff. After the trying morning I have had, I deserve it,” she said, groaning, and walking past them to help herself, she sighed deliciously, as she sipped at the whisky. “It is past noon. But if you are so hell bent on becoming his wife, then, I am quite certain we can make arrangements with the vicar to marry you tomorrow morning.”
    “That won’t be possible, Lady Tisbury,” Freddie said calmly.
    “And…pray tell, why won’t that be possible?” she asked wearily, taking another sip of her whisky.
    “Because…” he paused. “I do not want to marry your daughter anymore.”

Chapter Four
     
    “I beg your pardon?” Beatrice gasped.
    Beatrice looked quickly between them, and then leveled her piercing glare on him. He felt a little intimidated. She clearly wasn’t a woman to be trifled with. There were very few people in this life that could intimidate him, and he was looking at one of them. Julia’s mother probably scared a lot of men.
    Julia gasped, and all of the colour drained from her face. “You don’t mean it, Freddie…you can’t mean it…” she whispered. She finally looked as if she’d given up. She looked defeated, and that was what he’d wanted, wasn’t it?
    “Julia…I don’t want to marry you until you are quite certain that you want me.” He fought to keep his voice level. He didn’t want to look weak by seeming emotional.
    “I have told you I wanted you until I was nearly blue in the face. Nothing I can say or do will convince you, can it?”
    “And by the looks of things, you were doing more than a modest young lady should,” Beatrice scoffed, eyeing her narrowly.
    “Your daughter did nothing wrong, Lady Tisbury. She was a perfect little lady.”
    “Oh, aye, and I should take your word for that, sir?”
    He groaned. He hated having a lady like her call him sir. She was a noblewoman by birth. He was a beggar by birth. It