His Wicked Lady Read Online Free PDF Page A

sweet and
thoughtful. I don’t want the rakish sort. They’re too busy thinking
they know everything about pleasing a lady to listen to my
instructions. The bedroom is a very important matter to me. I’ve
had the fortune of enjoying a good love life with my first husband
and wish the same with the second.”
    “There aren’t as many rakes in London as you
fear,” Helena assured her. “And most gentlemen have no trouble
marrying a widow with a son, especially if she comes with money.
Are you wealthy?”
    “Yes. My husband was good in that
regard.”
    “It sounds like he was good in a lot of
regards,” Chloe, who’d been silent up to now, spoke up. “You are
fortunate that way.”
    “Yes,” Regan acknowledged, “I was, and I
still am. Leonard is a wonderful reminder of him.”
    “Are you ready to marry again?” Helena asked.
“In your heart, I mean.”
    Regan nodded as she took a sip of her tea.
“It’s been three years since his death. I’m ready, but I want to
make sure I do what’s best for my son. If it turns out there are no
suitable gentlemen, then I would rather you tell me than arrange a
marriage with someone who doesn’t like children.”
    Helena rubbed her large belly and smiled. “I
understand. I think it’s a mother’s natural instinct to want the
best for her child, even if she has to sacrifice what she wants for
it.”
    “But there’s no reason why you need to
sacrifice a husband in this situation,” Melissa said. “I have the
perfect gentleman in mind for you.”
    “Melissa,” Helena began, “we all need to
choose him. It can’t be just you who does it.”
    “A mere formality,” Melissa whispered to
Regan. “But I know he’ll be the one.”
    “He’s good with children?” Regan asked.
    “Oh, yes. I know this for a fact.”
    Helena let out an exasperated sigh. “Even if
you think you know someone is the right one for her, we need to
learn more about Regan in order to make sure she’s a good fit for
him.”
    “I already know she is,” Melissa replied.
    “Let Chloe and I make that determination
first,” Helena said.
    “Unfortunately, I have to do it Helena’s
way,” Melissa told Regan as she picked up a crumpet. Glancing at
Chloe, she added, “Go ahead and ask her questions.”
    Chloe picked up the quill. “Regan, what are
your interests?”
    Getting comfortable, Regan set her mind to
answering all the questions they had for her.
     
    ***
     
    “The Duchess of Ashbourne wishes to have a
word with you,” Malcolm’s butler said the next day.
    Malcolm looked up from his ledger. The
duchess already picked out a lady for him to marry? He rose from
his chair and shut the ledger. “Show her into the drawing room and
bring her whatever she wants.”
    “Yes, Mr. Jasper,” the butler said then left
the room.
    Malcolm straightened his cravat, surprised
his pulse had sped up. He was about to find out who the future Mrs.
Malcolm Jasper was going to be. Taking a deep breath to calm his
nerves, he told himself all he was going to do was find out who he
was to marry. He wasn’t actually going to marry her today…or meet
her. Unless the duchess brought her over to introduce them. No, the
butler didn’t mention two ladies. He’d only mentioned one.
    His pulse slowing down, he left the den. It
wouldn’t do to look too excited. When he reached the drawing room,
he was the perfect image of calm. Though the tea had been placed on
the table in front of the settee, the duchess hadn’t bothered to
touch it. In fact, she hadn’t bothered to sit down.
    Surprised by her serious expression, his
steps slowed. Maybe this was bad news. Maybe she couldn’t find
anyone for him. If that was the case, this wasn’t going to go at
all like he’d expected. While he could have the satisfaction of
telling his father marriage was a useless point, the sting of
regret told him he would have preferred to marry after all.
    The duchess offered a polite smile. “Good
afternoon, Mr. Jasper. I hope