Lady Thief Read Online Free PDF

commanded all of the
authority into his voice as he glared down ice at Holton. Lord Gray
was a head taller than his shorter, thicker guest, and easily
intimidated him with these alone. “Sir Holton, you are correct that
someone had to be present to perform the ceremony. Since that man
would obviously have to be a man of the cloth, I will withhold his
name and assure you that there were no others. You can rest easy
knowing that your house has not been corrupted by anymore
felons.
    Her father’s face returned to a normal color
and Marianne’s face grew hot as she fought not to faint. She could
hardly believe her ears.
    He was going to keep his promise! If she was
not so put out with him for being the wrong man she would have
thrown her arms about his neck.
    Sir Holton muttered to himself grudgingly,
knowing very well that it was beyond him to argue. “Very good, my
lord, but are you quite sure you would not wish to share the
identity of the priest?”
    William glared and Holton flushed, stumbling
to the other side of the table. “Very well, you are a good man to
protect him, even if he is a man of the cloth.”
    “Indeed.” William then turned to Archer who
still had his head down, staring at the floor as though he still
couldn’t quite believe what had occurred. “You. I am sure the
others will tell you which way to the stables, go there and ask for
Robert. He will give you work and show you a place where you may
sleep.”
    Archer opened his mouth, and then looked at
Sir Holton, who did not look back at him. “Aye, milord,” and he
bowed and ducked out of the room.
    Marianne’s heart went out to him. She
guiltily lifted her eyes to look at Lord Gray, wishing he would
bestow some pity on her and let her leave with Archer so that she
would not have to endure anymore of this torture.
    He did no such thing, and his eyes remained
cold on her.
    A knock on the door sounded and a servant
walked in without waiting for an invitation.
    His audacity startled Marianne when the man
stopped cold in his tracks at the sight of both Marianne and her
father.
    Sir Holton snapped at him. “The nerve of you!
Coming in here and interrupting us?”
    “Milord, I am deeply sorry, I—-” the servant
cleared his throat and spoke as if he had not heard her father.
“Your guests are arriving outside, milord.”
    Marianne felt sick. Guests meant that she
would have to stay in William’s company longer. Much longer if this
were to be the proper celebration of a true earl.
    She did not know if she could face the guests
and play the blushing bride to satisfy the crowd.
    William turned his back on Sir Holton and
Marianne to look out the windows, and by his expression Marianne
knew that he could see the guests coming up the same road she had
traveled earlier.
    “I see. Adam, have their rooms prepared and
bring them some warm wine. The days are becoming chilled.”
    The servant bowed and scurried out the
door.
    William walked around his writing table and
Marianne once again found his eyes on her as he approached. He
stood close, she could feel the heat from his body as he raised his
hand to caress her cheek. An uncertain chill ran down her spine
that had naught to do with the weather.
    His eyes remained cold. “I should like to
introduce my guests to my beautiful wife.”
    ***
    Marianne’s face burned from her cheeks all
the way to the back of her head from all the false smiling.
Greeting and curtsying to Lady Anne, Lord Gray’s kin, a woman with
the same color hair and eyes as her cousin and nearly the same
height, had been the most horrible experience of her life, because
now Marianne felt like a liar to William’s kin.
    Though Anne’s face was plain the mischievous
smile she donned when a morsel of gossip presented itself hinted at
a fun disposition.
    Marianne would have certainly enjoyed Anne’s
company had her situation not been so wretched.
    Anne’s husband, the Earl of Seacliffe, had
darker hair and stood barely taller than his