Rules for Dating a Romantic Hero Read Online Free PDF

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Downton
, Jim … we have to have a male heir. Sexist but true, I suppose!” Blah, blah … Oh yeah.
    ‘Then she says “There are problems with Laura. I mean, we all love her, but let’s face it, she’s not a country type. She’s more interested in a children’s bookshop than she’ll ever be in running Chartley Hall. She’s made that clear to Nick, that’s why he offered to bankroll it in the first place. He’d do anything to make her stay. But, you know, he’s been hinting to me about various things lately. I’m not sure how much longer he can put up with it.”’
    Jim looked up at Laura and Nick, then carried on. ‘Er … yes, then Lady Rose says, “He says he’ll have sorted it all out by the end of the year.” Bit brutal.’ He flipped the pages back. ‘What do you have to say to that?’
    Nick swallowed and Laura saw his fists clenching, unclenching, opening and closing. She sat up and smiled, pretending everything was OK. ‘Like we said, that’s our business. Sorry, Jim.’
    Inside her heart was thumping so loudly she was sure they must be able to hear it echoing around the room. The only other sound was the photographer’s camera clicking away.

Rule Six:

Don’t storm out after a row. You may say things you regret, and besides, servants hear everything.
    ‘I didn’t say any of that stuff,’ Nick said the moment they were out of the room. ‘I’ll have a word with Rose. She really shouldn’t—’
    ‘Have more than a word with her. Tell her to back off, Nick. Tell her to go back to London and stop interfering in our lives.’
    He paused and put his hand on a side table. ‘All in good time, Laura.’
    Laura didn’t want to lose her temper, not here. ‘Fine.’ She carried on walking down the long corridor, not really knowing what to say. The afternoon sun shone on the family portraits, lighting up the figures under the centuries-old varnish. A glinting eye here on a wicked old Earl; a winking diamond on a lady’s hand; a creamy shoulder, proudly turned towards the onlooker, with a hand outstretched:
Look at us. We are the Needhams.
Laura had been down this corridor a hundred times, but it had never seemed so crowded before.
    ‘It’s not fine.’
    ‘She’s obviously saying something you told her.’ She cleared her throat. ‘You tell her things you don’t tell me.’
    ‘Well, there’s a reason for that,’ Nick said evenly.
    Suddenly the atmosphere was different. They stood facing each other, and after a moment Laura said, ‘Listen, I should think about getting that train. I’ll call Charles, he said he’d drive me.’
    She walked down the corridor as the last of the visitors was being ushered out of the library. ‘Thank you! Hope you’ve had a wonderful day! You too, madam. Oh,’ the guide said, biting her lip. ‘Good evening, my lord.’
    Her eyes followed Laura, but Laura couldn’t speak all of a sudden. She nodded politely and opened the secret door.
    Nick didn’t follow her. ‘Evening, Cynthia, lovely to see you.’
    ‘Lot of visitors today my lord, all saying how excited they are about the new bookshop.’
    ‘We’re all excited about it. Have you been in yet?’
    ‘No, my lord. Maybe next week, when it’s less crowded. Did you hear about Marian?’
    Nick leaned towards Cynthia and smiled, his face relaxing. ‘No, what? Did she win the award?’
    ‘Oh yes, my lord. She was so pleased she did a jig. Frank was there. He said he’s never seen anything like it, even the judges were …’
    Cynthia had a daughter, didn’t she? But she also had a dog, perhaps it was the dog? But hadn’t her dog just died? Laura shut the door quietly behind her and walked up the stairs to Nick’s room. A powerful desire to be back in London overcame her again, though she knew it was childish. She couldn’t help it: she’d rather be padding round the flat on a Sunday night with her hair in a towel, eating Thai takeaway and chatting to Jo on the phone than here.
    Laura