Jo Beverley Read Online Free PDF Page B

milord?” asked the footman.
    â€œWord of a Torrance.” Sax turned to Owain. “Get me a special license—”
    â€œBut . . .”
    Sax swung back to Susie. “She is of age?”
    â€œTurned twenty-one near a year back.”
    â€œOn the shelf,” Owain pointed out, more uneasy about this by the moment.
    â€œI don’t give a fig. Susie, what’s her first name?”
    â€œI don’t know, milord.”
    â€œFind out when you get her agreement. Owain, start on the special license. Susie, on your way and talk her into it. And look sharp. There’s bound to be a bushel of paperwork to do. Where does she live?”
    â€œMallett Street, milord. Down south of St. James’ Park. But—”
    â€œRespectable but modest. How very auspicious.” Deftly shifting Knox from hand to hand, he put his arms into the dark blue jacket Nims was patiently holding. “Find out her parish—we’ll need that for the license,too, I think—and tell her the ceremony will take place there tomorrow morning at eleven.”
    â€œBut, milord—”
    Owain definitely felt it was time to take a hand. “Sax, wouldn’t it be fair to give the lady a chance to meet you before she makes up her mind? And then you’ll have a chance to meet her.”
    â€œIf I buy a pig in a poke, I don’t see why she shouldn’t. Neither of us has time to make a rational matter out of it. It’s in the hands of fate.”
    â€œThis isn’t a suitable matter for coin-tossing! It’s for life, you know.”
    â€œJust makes the gamble more interesting.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do if she refuses?”
    Sax put his hands on his hips and surveyed his household. “Let’s establish the rules of the game. If Miss Gillingham refuses today, I’ll pick one of those fashionable hopefuls out of the hat and do my best to persuade her. If she agrees, then backs out at the last minute, I’ll grovel to the duchess and accept my fate. If Miss Gillingham comes up to scratch, I’ll bind myself to her in holy wedlock however she turns out to be.”
    Knox flapped to the bed to pace a warning. “ Wedlock’s a padlock! Wedlock’s a padlock.”
    â€œIt’s supposed to be, Knox. Bound for life, for better or worse. You’re going to have to get used to it, just as I am.” He took the parrot in his hand and stroked it, looking around with his charming smile, the one that could and did break hearts.
    â€œYou are all witnesses. Let fate decide!”

Chapter 3
    Meg ignored the repeated rapping on the front door and went on patching the sole of Rachel’s shoe with a scrap of leather. It could be Sir Arthur come back a day early, and if it wasn’t, it would be a neighbor to whom they owed money. One of the most painful things about her situation was that most of her creditors were from local businesses, people she’d known all her life.
    They had a right to speak with her. They had a right to fair payment for their services, too, but she’d sold everything they could do without. The house had been rented furnished, so she couldn’t sell her parents’ bed, or the scarce-used parlor chairs.
    In Christian charity, most of their creditors seemed to be leaving them alone for the season, but once Twelfth Night passed, she knew they’d be back. It hardly mattered because before then—tomorrow in fact—she’d have to face Sir Arthur.
    For the first days after wishing on the stone, she’d answered the door eagerly, expecting someone or something in answer her prayer. A distant relative come to offer them all a home. A local benefactor wanting to give them an annuity so they could struggle on. Instead, she’d been battered and bruised by the pleas and anger of people who were suffering because she could not pay her family’s debts.
    The knocker fell silent, and she relaxed a