My Dearest Friend (Books We Love Regency Romance) Read Online Free PDF

The first impression she had received of him was that he was a large, imposing man, one who possessed an undeniable air of authority and was used to his own way in all things. However, she could scarce deny his generosity and she felt guilty, remembering his look of sadness when she made her departure from Stovely.
    She heard the metallic clatter of the anchor being weighed and felt the boat leave its moorings. Realizing that they were heading out of the harbor and toward the open sea, she relaxed back into the chair, relieved that her journey had at last begun. Slowly, her eyelids started to fall and, unable to resist, she drifted involuntarily into sleep.
     
    ***
     
    The waves beat against The Mistral as she headed out into the Channel, washing her decks with their white foam whilst the wind tore at her taut sails, driving her relentlessly forward into the open waters. Her bows dipped in a vigorous dance whilst those on board strained to keep their footing.
    A sharp rap on the cabin door brought Miss Chandler abruptly awake and before she could give a reply, it was unceremoniously thrust open.
    “ Your Grace,” she ejaculated, sitting bolt upright in surprise. Sleep still clouding her mind, she stared at the tall, slightly swaying figure before her. “How come you to be here?”
    The duke, steadying himself against the frame, entered the cabin and closed the door behind him. “You must forgive me if I startled you, Miss Chandler,” he said, sitting in the chair by the table and bracing himself against the movement of the craft. “It came to me yesterday after you had left Stovely, that this is a journey you should not be attempting on your own. You will have need of support, the support of someone in sympathy with your cause.”
    So taken aback was she by his arrival that it took Jane a moment to reply. “I assure you I am quite capable of looking after myself, sir,” she said indignantly, subconsciously bridling at the assurance of his manner, his obvious confidence that she would welcome his presence.
    “That may be so in the general run of things,” he snapped, taking up her resentful tone. “However on this occasion I think you will find that a lone female could fall prey to any manner of circumstances and I am not prepared to take the responsibility of being the one to have set you out on such a journey. Therefore, I have decided that you are in need of my protection.”
    For the life of her, she could not understand why his presence irritated her so. “I can promise you that you will not be held responsible for any actions of mine, sir,” she said with a great show of pique. “I am quite used to being my own mistress.”
    “ A fact I do not doubt,” he countered sharply. He had not expected such forthright opposition and was surprised that she should be resentful of his presence. “However, on this occasion, madam, I think you have no option but to accept my assistance whether you wish it or not.”
    “Not! Most definitely I do not!”
    He rose, appearing at his most haughty. “Then that is a pity, Miss Chandler, for you most definitely have it. You must reconcile yourself to my presence, as there is no way that I will order this vessel to be put about. Now try to get some rest, we have a long and tiring journey ahead of us. I will send someone to call you when it is time for luncheon. Until then I hope you will reflect on the sense of my accompanying you and perhaps not present such a sour demeanor when next we meet.” With this, he strode from the cabin.
    Left alone, Jane stared mulishly after him, her thoughts in confusion. “Of all the overbearing, insufferable men...” she cried to the empty room, not realizing that it was merely her taut nerves and his assured manner that rendered her unappreciative of his actions. Under other circumstances, she would have recognized his generosity and been grateful for it, but for the moment her overwhelming anxiety would not permit it and she dwelt on