Sinful Confessions Read Online Free PDF Page A

for however long Viola needed someone and be sure to have
dinner arranged. Perhaps he could ensure Miss Thompson wasn’t too angry with
him by way of a good hearty meal. He really didn’t want to ruin their
friendship with his terrible mood.
    Julian
made his way down to the bottom of the house and weaved through the corridors
to the kitchens. The few maids milling about dipped their heads and one of the
footmen stepped aside and greeted him. The aroma of boot polish mingled with
that of freshly baked bread. He found the housekeeper in the servants’ dining
hall, polishing the cutlery.
    She
glanced up. “Good afternoon, my lord. I hear we have a visitor.”
    “We
do indeed. Can you make sure a decent meal is served tonight?”
    “Will
Miss Thompson be staying long?”
    “Only
tonight, I hope.” He pressed his hands to the back of a chair and leaned forward.
“Mrs Whittleworth, do you know of any girls in the village who are in need of
work?”
    The
slender older lady gave him a look that he knew meant no. Mrs Whittleworth had
worked for his father and he still recalled the days when she’d had dark hair
instead of salt and pepper locks and her face had been relatively wrinkle-free.
    “None
of them will come here, my lord, you know that.”
    He
sighed. Yes, he knew that well. The locals were a superstitious bunch who had
never set foot outside of the village let alone the county. He had the touch of
death, they said. Those who worked in his house would all meet terrible
endings. While he might have a tendency to drink and stay behind closed
curtains, he was a fair master and good lord. He did his best to run things
well, even when he’d been lost to despair. But that didn’t matter. All that
mattered to them was that he had lost three wives.
    “What
if they only needed to stay at the inn? I need someone to accompany Miss
Thompson.”
    “Whatever
for?” She placed down the fork she was holding and gave him a look. “You have
enough space here and Jenny can act as a lady’s maid. There will be no shame in
it as long as she has Jenny on hand. Besides, she’s American, is she not? They
don’t stand upon ceremony as we do.”
    “She
needs to leave,” he said tightly, gripping the wooden back of the chair.
    The
housekeeper’s shoulders rose and fell in a heavy sigh. “Don’t tell me you are
starting to believe the rumours too?”
    Julian
didn’t answer. How could he? What would he say? Yes, I believe it. I’m
cursed. I’m no good for women. Hell, half the population of the village had
started to believe he’d had a hand in his wives’ deaths which was preposterous,
especially considering Mabel had been two counties away when she’d been killed.
    Two
counties away and in the arms of a lover, he thought bitterly.
    If
something happened to another woman, he would never forgive himself.
    “I’ll
send one of the boys down to the village shop to ask.” She picked up another
fork and waved it at him. “But be pleasant to this American lady. Don’t scare
her away. You’ve spent too long avoiding women—avoiding everyone—and it will do
you some good to spend some time with her.”
    Julian
frowned at her. If it wasn’t for the fact she was like a second mother to him,
he’d have thrown her out on her arse. None of the other servants would dare
speak to him like that. And what did it matter if he didn’t want company? Did
it harm anyone if he avoided social events? Really they should be grateful he
spent his time attending to estate matters rather than devoting time to London
society or dining with all the local families. Unlike some of his brothers.
    He
pressed away from the chair and tried not to huff. “Just make sure a decent
meal is prepared and I will be as gracious as I can be,” he promised.
    Whether
his limited manners would be enough to make up for his greeting, he didn’t
know. Visitors—even ones with a liking for cats and beautiful hair—made him
shudder.
    By
the time he had paced