Jo Beverley Read Online Free PDF

whatever they pleased—but because she sounded nervous about it.
    â€œYes?”
    The plump maid tangled her fingers in her apron. “Beggin’ your pardon, milord, but if you really don’t care who you m—”—she rolled her eye at the bird—“go to the altar with. . . .”
    â€œI didn’t quite say that.”
    â€œBut . . .”
    Sax smiled at her quite gently. “If this is a proposal, Susie, the answer is no. You wouldn’t like it.”
    She went bright red and giggled. “Go on with you! As if I would. And anyway . . .” She flashed a coy look at Monkey, who turned as red as she. “Be that as it may,” she continued rather stiffly, “I just thought youmight better choose a young lady who has need of a husband.”
    His cravat arranged to perfection, Sax stood, easing his feet out from under the dog. “Bring a cuckoo into the nest? On no account.”
    â€œNo, milord. Of course not! But a young lady who’s fallen on hard times, like. You wouldn’t have to beg her, then, would you? She’d be the one who’d be grateful.”
    â€œA very neat point.”
    Seeing his friend’s interest, Owain wasn’t sure whether to interfere or not. His position was a complex one—part friend, part administrator, but one of his unwritten tasks was to stop Sax following impulse into disaster.
    Sax seemed in control of his intelligence, however. “I gather you have someone in mind, Susie.”
    â€œYes, milord.”
    â€œA lady?”
    â€œYes, milord. At least, her father was a gentleman scholar.”
    Nims held out an embroidered waistcoat and Sax put his arms into it. “Certainly sounds promising. How has she come to be in straitened circumstances?”
    â€œHer parents died, milord. Suddenly, a few months back. Turned out there wasn’t much money. So there’s poor Miss Gillingham with her brothers and sisters to take care of, and no money to speak of.”
    â€œA heart-wrenching tale. How do you come to know about it?” Nims was fastening the silver buttons and Knox had flown to perch on Sax’s outstretched hand.
    â€œMy sister was maid there, milord. She stayed on for a while without wages, she felt so sorry for them, but in the end she had to take another post. But I’m not saying you should . . . form a union with this Miss Gillingham. I really don’t know much about her. Just that there must be many others like her. Glad to go to the altar, even in a hurry, and grateful for the chance.”
    Knox on his hand, Sax made a contemplative circuit of the room. “She’d not expect false protestations of love,” he said to Owain. “She wouldn’t need to be sweet-talked into it. She’d be less likely to be extravagant or flighty. . . .”
    â€œShe could be ugly as sin.”
    Sax looked at Susie.
    â€œMy sister never mentioned her looks, milord.”
    â€œWhere is your sister?”
    â€œOut of town. Her family’s gone to their Shropshire estate for the season.”
    After a moment, Sax put the parrot on his shoulder and turned to Owain, hand held out. “Coin.”
    Not at all happy with the situation, Owain dug out a florin and tossed it over.
    Sax snared it out of the air. “Heads, it’s Miss Gillingham. Tails, it’s whichever of those other names I pull out of a hat.”
    Before Owain could protest, the coin spun glittering through the air to be caught and slapped down on the back of Sax’s hand. “Heads!” he said, and flicked the two-shilling piece over to Susie. “Go and inform Miss Gillingham of the pleasures in store for her.”
    â€œMe?” Susie squeaked.
    â€œYou. And to sweeten the pot, if she goes through with it tomorrow, I’ll give you and Monk enough to set up your own place.”
    The two servants shared a dazed look. “Really,