Liberty Hill (Western Tide Series) Read Online Free PDF

husband would he make for an innocent girl? How could he be sensible to the needs of a wife when he could scarcely care for himself?
    Beatrice knew the only answers to those questions were too terrible to be considered.
    Evelyn took another sip of her coffee and inhaled deeply.
    “Well, I daresay I may console myself,” she smiled ruefully, “for all those hussies who ran about with my fiancé shall now weep with broken hearts.”
     “God help us, ma’am!” Beatrice cried, indulging her. “Their tears shall flood the streets of this city!”
    Both women laughed.
                “Tell me I am not to lose everything today, Beatrice,” Evelyn said when their brief mirth had subsided. “Tell me that Banning Flynn has no hold on you, and that you are to remain with me. Tell me you are my own and that you shall follow me into this strange new world of wifedom. I might lose my mind if forced to be alone with Lucius for more than a quarter hour.”
                Beatrice was silent a moment, then responded by looking pityingly upon her mistress.
                At once, Evelyn knew that Beatrice possessed no such happy news.
                “I’m sorry, ma’am,” her servant replied. “This evening I shall be relieved of my services to you.”
                New waves of anger flushed Evelyn’s cheeks.
                “By whose orders?”
                “Master Lucius’, ma’am.”
                Evelyn threw her arms in the air, nearly knocking her coffee from its saucer.
                “Of course! Lucius! That contemptible-”
    She was already out the door, marching with maddened feet towards Lucius’ quarters. Beatrice was quick on her heels, and Evelyn had nearly reached Lucius’ door when her servant grabbed her by the hand.
                “Release me, Beatrice! I shall have a word-”
                “You mustn’t, ma’am! He has not slept! He will be vengeful!”
                “ I am vengeful! He has no right to rob me of you!”
                Lucius’ door opened and Lucius, hair askew, stepped into the hall. He regarded the women with blurry eyes, for he had only just fallen into bed, and he was meant to wake in an hour. But the sight and sound of an angry Evelyn caused him to forget his sleep altogether.
                “You blackguard!” she spat at him. “You shall not release my servant from her duty to me. You have absolutely no right!”
                At this, Lucius grabbed Evelyn by the arm, perhaps a little too tightly. She shrieked, surprised.
                “Unhand me!”
                “Lower your voice, Miss Brennan,” he commanded, at once angry. He was not accustomed to being treated thus in the presence of servants. “Leave us, Beatrice. I must have a word with Miss Brennan alone.”
                “Yes, sir.”
                But Evelyn cried out, “stay, Beatrice!” and the poor servant looked terribly torn. This angered Lucius further, for Evelyn was debasing his authority.
                “If you do not depart, servant,” he growled, “you shall forfeit your station entirely.”
                With a worried glance at her mistress, Beatrice reluctantly obeyed.
                “How dare you?” Evelyn sneered at Lucius. “Do you take pleasure in removing things from me? You would take me from my home, and rob me of my inheritance. Do you intend to strip me of everything? Are you so heartless? She is my only friend!”
                “I have my reasons, Miss Brennan,” he whispered furiously. “I have spent weeks- nay, months- preparing for the journey ahead of us-”
                “For which I shall have need of a servant! It would be improper for me to travel without her.”
                “The expense of a third person is