One Perfect Rose Read Online Free PDF

ashes.
    Expression grim, he lowered his gaze from the heavens and continued down the street in the lovely, lonely rain.

Chapter 3
    Thomas Fitzgerald frowned out the window of the private parlor at the steadily falling rain. “Performing The Tempest during a real tempest was all very well, but the roads are in terrible shape this morning.”
    Rosalind glanced up from the costume she was mending. “True, but the rain should stop soon, and it’s only eight or nine miles to Redminster.”
    â€œIt will take all day to cover them,” Thomas said gloomily.
    Maria leaned across the breakfast table and poured the last of the tea into her husband’s cup. “And what else would we be doing with the time, my lord and master?”
    Thomas leered wickedly at his wife. “We could stay tucked up in this snug inn while I remind you what’s best to do on a rainy day. Instead, I’ll be spending my time pulling wagons out of the mud.”
    Maria batted her long dark lashes demurely. “There’s still time to go back to our room for a quick reminder, since the young ones haven’t had breakfast yet.”
    â€œBehave yourself, you two,” Rosalind ordered as she slipped half a piece of toast to Aloysius, the family wolfhound, who was lazing beneath the table. “With the weather like this, we need to be off as soon as possible. If you’re planning to spend the day in mud, Papa, be sure to change into your oldest clothes.
    â€œNot a romantic bone in her body,” her father grumbled.
    â€œAnd a good thing, too.” Rosalind was knotting her thread when Jessica floated into the private parlor.
    â€œGood morning.” her sister said with a languid sigh. “Are The Parents treating us to another show of embarrassing marital devotion?”
    â€œI’m afraid so.” Rosalind snipped her thread and put all the sewing tools back into her box. “Who are you this morning—Juliet?”
    Jessica draped herself gracefully across a chair. “Yes. I think I shall die of love. Did you see that absolutely splendid gentleman in the audience last night? He was standing against the left wall. Such an air! Such presence! Such a tailor! He must be a lord. We shall have an affair.”
    â€œYou will not !” her mother said firmly. “You’re not too big to be spanked, young lady.”
    Not missing a beat, Jessica continued, “His lordship will admire me extravagantly, but I shall spurn his advances. Consumed by love, he will offer marriage despite my humble station, but I shall say I can never leave the stage for the boring life of a society matron. He will sink into a decline and die of unrequited passion.”
    Rosalind had also seen the man, for he was the kind a woman noticed—tall, confident, handsome. Well worth a few fantasies. But there was no time for fantasy this morning. “The fellow is more likely a lawyer than a lord,” she said briskly. “Or perhaps a successful corn broker. Eat your eggs before Brian arrives and devours everything that isn’t nailed down.”
    Her sister chuckled and got to her feet, her affected manner vanishing as she served herself a hearty breakfast. “I’ll bet Juliet was never told to eat her eggs before her little brother got to them.”
    â€œShe would if Brian had been her brother.” Rosalind folded the garment she had mended and packed it into the costume trunk. “And speak of the devil…”
    Clattering feet could be heard racing down the stairs outside the parlor. They ended abruptly in a crash. Rosalind frowned. As she was getting up, her little brother entered the parlor. He was pure Fitzgerald, with dark hair and bright blue eyes, but now his face was pale and his left hand curled protectively around his right wrist. “I just fell and broke my wrist, I think.”
    In the Fitzgerald family, it was very hard to tell real problems from imaginary ones,