Rebel Temptress (Historical Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

his breath. "You wanted me, Master Jordan?"
    "Would I have called for you if I did not want you? Saddle my horse immediately."
    "Well, Master Jordan, I ain't no stablehand. I works in the house."
    Jordan glared at him. "You have my horse saddled and waiting for me in ten minutes or you will not be working anywhere. I will sell you to the North."
    Chauncey grinned. "You won't sell old Chauncey, Master Jordan. I is like part of the family."
    "Do as I say, Chauncey. At the moment I am not beyond murder."
    "Yes, sir, Master Jordan. I will see that your horse is ready in ten minutes."
    Jordan watched as Chauncey moved hurriedly down the stairs. He picked up his jacket from the chair and buttoned it up the front. I will have some answers if it is the last thing I ever do, he thought.
    He took the stairs two at a time and entered the sitting room, where he found his mother and father.
    His mother looked at him apprehensively. "Jordan, are you feeling better now?"
    "No, Mother, I am not feeling better. I am going to ride over to Landau Plantation and confront Meagan's aunt. There has got to be an explanation for Meagan's marrying Horace Elderman, and I intend to find out what it is."
    His father eyed him warily. "You had better calm down before you see Amanda. Goodness knows she has suffered from Meagan's unforgivable behavior, and she is a sick woman, has a bad heart you know."
    "I want some answers, and she can supply them, dammit."
    "Jordan, you apologize to your mother for speaking so ungentlemanly in her presence," his father ordered.
    Jordan turned to his mother. "Forgive me, Mother. I am not myself. This news has knocked me off my feet.'
    "I know it was quite a blow to you, son, though I find that I am relieved that Meagan Landau, or should I say Elderman, is out of your life. I never did like her very much. She was never sweet and even-tempered like Honor. I declare, it is hard for me to fathom that those two are sisters."
    "I do not want to hear anything said against Meagan," Jordan said, raising his eyebrow, daring his mother and father to utter anything uncomplimentary about the woman he loved. He turned and walked quickly to the door. "Do not wait luncheon on me. I will be late."
    Honor lay in her darkened room. Her body was racked with pain, and it seemed every bone in her body ached. She picked up the glass of water Darcy had left within her reach. She took a drink of the cooling liquid, then lay back wearily on her pillow. She had no more tears to cry for her Aunt Amanda.
    Was it only this afternoon that her aunt had been buried?
    Honor and her Aunt Amanda had both contacted scarlet fever. The doctor told Honor she would recover, but her aunt's heart had not withstood the fever. Sweet, gentle Aunt Amanda had died.
    Honor had insisted on going to the services although she had to lean heavily on Darcy for support. Afterwards she had collapsed and had to be carried back to the house, where Darcy put her back to bed and insisted she remain. Darcy needn't have worried; Honor felt too weak to get up.
    "Oh, Aunt Amanda, I am going to miss you so much. How lonely the world will be without you," she cried.
    Darcy came into the room. She fussed about Honor, straightening the pillow and smoothing the covers. "Honey, you should try and get some sleep, if you is to get your health back."
    "I will be all right, Darcy. I was just lying here thinking how sad it was that none of Aunt Amanda's friends or neighbors were at the services this afternoon. Everyone loved her and would have wanted to be there."
    "Don't you fret none, honey. You were there and that was what she would have wanted," Darcy said, wiping the tears from her face with her white apron.
    "Do you think everyone will understand there was just no time to notify them, she was taken so quickly?"
    Darcy smoothed Honor's hair from her face. "Honey, they knows. Don't you worry none about it."
    "I do not know how to get in touch with Meagan. She should be notified."
    "Humph,