The Earl Claims His Wife Read Online Free PDF Page A

you?”
    Because she’d fallen in love with him.
    It was one thing to admit it to her aunt or herself, another to reveal the depth of her foolishness to the man who had made her so foolish.
    Besides, he was right—it no longer mattered. She had Andres…although, especially after Aunt Agatha’s accusations, a portion of her feared her aunt might be correct in suggesting at least some of Andres’s attraction was the opportunity for Gillian to defy her husband.
    She immediately shut that stray thought away.
    “We all make mistakes, Wright,” she answered him.
    His angry sharp eyes went to Andres and then back to her. “Yes,” he drawled, “apparently we all do.”
    His criticism vanquished any remnant of guilt. “I hope he runs you through,” she said. Turning, she walked away.
    But she didn’t go to Andres. The crowd around him had stepped back so that both he and Wright stood very much alone.
    Instead, she marched up to her aunt. “You must talk sense into them.”
    “I don’t waste my breath on men,” Aunt Agatha answered. “Or goddaughters.”
    “You seem to have forgotten that rule earlier,” Gillian said crossly. “You were offering me quite a bit of advice.”
    “A pity you didn’t heed it.”
    The stable lad they’d sent for swords came running down the path carrying them followed by a number of relatives and other guests from the house who apparently wished to witness the duel.
    Huntleigh always entertained a large number of guests for the Christmas holidays and many lingered on their visits for months. Now they would have a good story to tell when they returned home and Gillian wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
    Her cousin Carter Lowrie straggled behind the others, appearing as if he’d just risen from bed.
    Charming, good-humored and a bit lazy, Carter came up to the women and asked, “Why is Andres in a duel?”
    “Because Gillian’s husband has come for her and wishes to run him through,” Aunt Agatha said with a gusto that Gillian thought was quite unbecoming.
    “Ah, Wright has finally arrived,” Carter murmured. “Thought he would show himself sooner or later.”
    Gillian scowled at him, knowing his sentiment was probably shared by a good number of the men whether they liked Andres or not. Raising her voice so she could be overheard, she decided to let them know the truth. “The barón and I have not done anything that should warrant a duel. We are merely good friends. Truly,” she added in the face of her cousin’s unconvinced look.
    At that moment, Andres stepped into the center of the stable yard. He whipped the air with his sword, testing it.
    Wright did the same. Pleased, he said, “Your terms, Barón?”
    Gillian clasped her hands inside her velvet muff. She realized she was the one who didn’t believe this was going to happen. Men didn’t fight over her. Especially her husband.
    “First blood wins,” Andres said calmly.
    “As you wish,” Wright answered without any sign of emotion.
    And then they raised their swords.
    They were truly going to fight. Gillian began shaking. Wright was a bruising swordsman. She’d overheard an officer who had served with him on the Peninsula describe him that way. For the first time she realized her husband had killed men.
    She didn’t know Andres’s experience but she knew his heart. He would fight to the death for her.
    There was the slide of steel-on-steel and then both raised their arms—
    Gillian found her voice. “No.” She rushed forward, placing herself between the two men and their swords.
    Both had been ready to deliver slicing blows. They pulled their weapons back just in time. Wright swore colorfully. “Do you realize you could have been killed?”
    She shook off his complaint, unconcerned for her own safety. “This is nonsense,” she informed them, speaking as if they were schoolboys. “I’m not worth fighting over.”
    “We disagree,” Andres said.
    Wright kept quiet, wary and impatient.