Once Upon A Wedding Night Read Online Free PDF Page A

yourself
, she silently commanded, trying to pay attention to the conversation at hand. His attention trained on Grimley, he was thankfully unaware of her intense regard.
    Aunt Eleanor, however, was wholly aware of her ill-mannered gawking and raised a brow in silent inquiry. Sternly, Meredith forced herself to focus on Grimley's words.
    "You came directly from London, Lord Brookshire?" Grimley inquired. "Hope the wet roads did not spoil your trip."
    Stifling her flinch at Grimley's application of the Brookshire title, she calmed herself with the reminder that it was only temporary.
    "Not at all. I traveled by horseback and made good time."
    "Really? Such a distance, my lord?" Grimley's eyes widened, impressed. "You must be quite the horseman."
    "I prefer to ride over taking conveyances." Nicholas Caulfield's eyes settled on her, giving her more than a preliminary glance this time as he assessed her from head to toe. Something hard and relentless glittered in his eyes, convincing her she had been right to agree to her aunt's scheme. He looked ruthless, the type to kick all of them out on their ears.
    The barest of smiles graced his lips. It was a practiced smile, the type bestowed on countless women. A small secretive smile to let her know he knew his effect on her as an attractive male.
Arrogant man
. To disguise her discomfiture, she lifted her chin and refocused her attention on the boring solicitor.
    "I must confess that I did not expect to see you here, Grimley," Caulfield said mildly, shifting his gaze from her. "I thought we had concluded our business for the present time."
    Aunt Eleanor and Meredith exchanged uneasy glances. The moment had come. Their lie would now be revealed to the one it most affected. Anxiety knotted her stomach. Mr. Grimley glanced her way as if trying to gauge how to break the news.
    "Yes. Well. I received a most interesting post from Lady Brookshire. Good news, actually." Grimley's voice faded, as though he doubted his own words.
    Caulfield narrowed his eyes speculatively on her, obviously expecting her to elaborate.
    "I—" Meredith's voice came out a croak. Swallowing, she tried again, forcing herself to speak firmly and in no mincing terms. "I have recently learned that I am with child, Mr. Caulfield." Heat flooded her face. Never, in all her days, had she imagined herself speaking of such a delicate matter to a veritable stranger.
    His dark eyes didn't so much as blink. The only disruption to his cold reserve was a slight ticking in his jaw, and what that signified she could only guess. Those deep brown eyes probed her until the silence grew strained. She wanted to look away, afraid he would decipher the truth in her face, but his penetrating gaze held her hostage. Why did he not speak?
    Meredith wrenched her eyes away from his and shifted restlessly on the settee. Hopefully, he would credit her discomfort to the fact that such delicate subjects were not typically for discussion among strangers. Even estranged relatives.
    Finally, he spoke. And with such calm that he truly appeared unbothered by his change in fortune. "Grimley, I expect you're here to explain where this places us? Obviously, the prospect of a child changes everything."
    "Quite an unprecedented situation we have here. I must say my colleagues and I found it most intriguing." Grimley chuckled at the
situation
. She wanted to strike the fool. Caulfield certainly found such a
situation
lacking amusement.
    "After consulting with others, the situation stands with Nicholas Caulfield as the present Earl of Brookshire, with all rights to the estate, monies, and titles thereof…"
    Stiffening in reproach and shock, Meredith crossed her arms. Surely this was a mistake. Grimley had led her to believe Caulfield would not stand to inherit… so what rubbish was this? Had Caulfield's presence intimidated the solicitor?
    Caulfield had not missed her altered stance and had the audacity to wink at her. Her mouth thinned at the