The Earl's Stolen Bride (Marriage by Deceit Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

continued, “I like to spend time with friends.  Usually, we drink tea or go for walks.  Um…I do enjoy balls.  I like dancing.  And the music they play at balls is nice to listen to.  Sometimes I sit and listen to the music, though I prefer to talk to a friend if possible.  Regina’s so in love with Toby that she’s with him most of the time.  And Helena is usually helping someone secure a betrothal.” She shrugged.  “Ever since I married Lord Hawkins, I sit and listen a lot.”
    “I notice you refer to him by his title.”
    “I didn’t really know him.  I only saw him twice.  Once before we married and then again on the wedding day.  I suppose he was worth loving.  It’s just that I never got to know him well enough to love him, that’s all.”
    He’d be lying if he said this disappointed him.  The truth was, this was the best news he’d received after learning she was willing to run off to marry him.  “I hope, in time, you will come to love me.”
    Once again, he wanted to kiss her, but he refrained.  It wouldn’t do good to rush things.  But perhaps she wouldn’t mind it if he held her hand.
    He shifted so he was closer to her.  “You might find it terribly forward of me, but may I hold your hand?”
    A smile spread across her face.  “You may.” She removed her glove then held her hand out to him.
    He took her hand and kissed it before he held it.  “Tell me more about yourself, Chloe.”
    “What else do you want to know?”
    “Start at your childhood.  Then continue on from there.”
    “I don’t know how interesting you’ll find it.  I’ve led a rather boring life up to now.”
    His eyebrows rose.  “Up to now?”
    “This is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me.”
    He laughed.  “It is for me, too, and that includes the time Toby’s cousin caught me coming out of the lake.  I didn’t realize Toby’s family was due that day, though I am sure my mother warned me.”
    “Are you telling me Toby’s cousin saw you naked?”
    “She did.  I was fourteen, and she was thirteen.  But in all fairness, there was a row of bushes on the side, so I didn’t see her coming, and she was as quiet as a church mouse.  It wasn’t until I got out that she appeared from the bushes.”
    She gasped.  “You think she was watching you?”
    “At first I did because she just stood there.  So I asked her if she liked what she saw, and she screamed all the way back to the manor.  That’s when I knew she’d come there by accident.”
    She giggled and shook her head.  “What an awful thing to ask an innocent girl.”
    “What?  If she liked what she saw?”
    She nodded.
    “I didn’t realize she was staring at me because she was in shock.  I thought she was trying to catch a glimpse of me without my clothes on.”
    “Girls don’t go around trying to spy on boys while they’re naked.  It’s highly improper.”
    “At fourteen, I didn’t know any better.  But it’s in the past.  She never joined Toby’s family for another visit to my family’s estate after that, and to this day, she still won’t make eye contact with me.”
    “I wouldn’t expect her to after such a traumatic event.”
    “I assure you, it was never my intention to scare her.”
    “I bet you didn’t swim naked after that.”
    “You bet wrong.  I swim naked whenever the day is warm.”
    “But aren’t you afraid someone else will see you?”
    He shrugged.  “No one else has ever come by, so it’s not likely to happen.  The thing with Toby’s cousin was a coincidence.  If you, on the other hand, choose to stop by the lake, I hope you’ll watch me on purpose.”
    There was that lovely shade of pink in her cheeks again, and he couldn’t resist the urge to kiss one of them.  “I’m surprised a lady who’s been married before would blush at the mention of seeing a gentleman naked.” He squeezed her hand.  “Enough about me.  I want to learn more about you.  Tell me all