Southern Seduction Read Online Free PDF Page A

Her subject didn’t look as if he would cooperate in the least. Where men usually were fumbling all over her, telling her how beautiful she was -- words she’d learned to ignore -- Travis had barely given her a second glance. His scowl when he did bother to look at her was hot enough to burn. Now all she had to do was turn those fires of anger into embers of desire.
    A slow smile touched Brooke’s lips. Since when wasn’t she up for a good challenge? Her entire life had been a challenge. Any sensible woman with common sense would pick up her skirts and run away.
    The problem was, Brooke wasn’t sensible.
    When she was through with Travis Montgomery, he wouldn’t know what hit him.
    Travis headed for the door, but Brooke wasn’t finished with him. “Are you going to show us to our rooms, or do I get to chose whichever room I prefer? The master suite, perhaps?” She knew she was being catty, but for some odd reason Travis brought out her need to provoke him. Perchance, she just wanted to see some unguarded emotion in him other than the frosty facade he had, thus far, presented.
    Travis didn’t answer her. Instead, he jerked the door open and shouted, “Mammy!”
    That’s how he called his mother? Brooke wondered. How rude. No, wait. Hadn’t he just said his mother was elsewhere?
    Just a moment passed, and a heavyset black woman appeared at the door. “ Oui , Mr. Travis. What you bellowin’ about so early in the day?”
    All right, so Mammy was the housekeeper, but with the odd name, Brooke wondered if this was the woman who had helped to rear Travis?
    Poor woman.
    “Please show our guests to their rooms.” Travis paused, then added, “And Mrs. Hammond will be staying permanently. Make certain that her room is at the opposite end of the hall from mine.”
    Well, the line had been drawn, Brooke thought with strange satisfaction.
    Travis was making it utterly clear that he wanted no part of her. He didn’t bother to glance her way one final time, and his expression was just as distant as it had been all day.
    Brooke arched a delicate brow to acknowledge him, but remained silent. She knew too well that words could be used against her. It was best to remain silent and make him wonder. She well knew that Travis would do everything in his power to drive her off the plantation, but Brooke Hammond had no intention of leaving.
    She tilted her chin stubbornly upward and smiled to herself as she watched him leave.
    Well, Travis Montgomery . . . I’d like to see you try.

     
    Chapter Three
     
     
    Mammy leaned around Travis, one eyebrow raised as she peered at Brooke. Once again, Brooke felt like an insect. The expression on the servant’s face was one of surprise, and not particularly pleasant surprise at that, but Mammy didn’t ask any questions before Travis left them.
    “Yo’ folks follow me, you hear,” Mammy said, and motioned for Brooke and Mr. Jeffries to come with her.
    Mammy had a strange accent that Brooke couldn’t quite place. It wasn’t quite French but similar. The woman had skin the color of cocoa, much lighter than some of the slaves Brooke had seen thus far on her trip to Louisiana. Mammy was a large woman dressed in gray with a white, bibbed apron tied around her waist. Her black hair was pulled away from her face and contained in a white turban. She also had a white scarf tied around her neck, forming a sort of collar in the front.
    “Excuse me,” Mr. Jeffries said once they’d reached the staircase. “I need another word with Travis. I’ll find my room later.”
    Brooke lowered her head in a slight nod then followed the servant, whose ample hips swayed as she climbed the stairs. Brooke was learning quickly that there would be many things that she'd have to get accustomed to here at Moss Grove, and it appeared that Mammy, who apparently ran the house, might be one of those things.
    “How many rooms does the house have?” Brooke asked.
    “’Bout sixty-four.”
    Brooke thought Mammy