Lady Henrietta's Dilemma: Regency Suspense Romance Book 2 (Lords of Sussex) Read Online Free PDF Page B

it was not the poor girl’s fault; it was an accident.’
    However , the waiter now red of face, screamed in French. ‘You stupid – stupid girl, you are not fit for this work. Begone, but first make your apologies to the lady.’ Grabbing the girl by the wrist, he dragged her over to Esther. In broken English, he spluttered. ‘Mistress, s’il vous plait , please accident. She – dismiss.  You never see her again.’ Tugging at the girl, he screamed. ‘M'excuse auprès d'elle maintenant.   Excuse now.’
    ‘She is not to blame Sir’ Esther interrupted, speaking in perfect French. ‘You cannot dismiss this poor girl because of a stupid accident.’
    ‘Ah it never happen again m istress – she go.’
    ‘Then she will come and work for me monsieur’ Esther snapped. She glanced down to see the blood bubbling from the wound, and pooling on the grass, and promptly fainted.
    She knew no more until she awoke, looking up into beady blue eyes behind thick spectacles peering down at her, ‘Hah my dear girl, you are awake. Fear not, you are in my surgery,’ a male voice said softly, with a French accent.
    Esther peered at maroon brocade walls, lit by candles in wrought-iron   sconces. ‘What happened?’
    ‘You cut your foot on some glass shards mamselle.  Now, you may feel sleepy as I gave you some laudanum, whilst I stitched up the wound. I will give you more for the pain.’ he said in heavily accented English.
    Palmerston loomed over the man’s shoulder; his chocolate brown eyes held a look of relief, as his angular face broke into a smile. ‘At last, methought you’d sleep through the night.’ Turning to the doctor, he said, in French, ‘Is the lady fit to travel?’
    The doctor lifted his balding head pompously, and replied in English.  ‘Yes my lord, but please make sure the leg is not jarred in the ride to her home.
    As Esther went to rise, Palmerston stepped to her side. ‘Nay, allow me.’ She felt his muscles harden, as he lifted her to his chest.  To her embarrassment, his lips were so near to hers, and she suddenly had the urge to kiss them.   It must be the laudanum she thought, as she laid her head against his broad chest, and fell asleep.  
    Bertie appeared from the other side of the room, followed by a worried Marissa. ‘Hah David, seems you’ve made another conquest.’
    The viscount said, ‘Enough of that Bertie, tis too serious a business now.’ Changing his tone, he looked down at Esther, at the double row of black eyelashes feathering her pale cheek. ‘We must needs make this young lady comfortable,’ he said, with the most tender of expressions.
    To which Bertie raised his eyebrows, seems the scarred hero had a tendre for the fallen angel.

Chapter 7
     
    Vaughan felt the carriage about to overturn. Quickly, he shielded Henrietta, as it lurched to a halt.  Hearing cries from the grooms, and then a gunshot; Vaughan grabbed his pistol, from beneath the seat, swiftly cocking it.
    Horrified, Henrietta held her hands to her face. ‘Oh my God what’s happening?’ Vaughan shook his head , and pushed her to the floor, ‘Stay there, and don’t make a sound.’   Frowning, he showed her the other pistol still in the case. ‘Use it if you have to, don’t hesitate.’
    He lifted his head to look through the window, only to see the door open and a masked man, thrust a gun forward.  ‘Come on out – I want the sapphires – nought else – so hand them over.’
    Enraged, Vaughan snarled, hurling himself at the villain.  Henrietta muffled a scream, as she saw the two men fighting.  As it was so dark, it was difficult to see who was who. She made out the light livery of a groom, as he fell past the window. Oh dear God, please no.  Scrabbling for the pistol, she tried to steady her hands, as it was cocked, and could go off at the slightest movement. Nervously, she fingered the necklace; she wished she’d left it with her mother. It seemed they were undone. Swiftly, she