The Hidden Heiress Read Online Free PDF Page A

been trying."
    "You assume far too much, Paige." She took a deep breath. If she exploded, she let her student win. Isabel stacked the schoolbooks. "There was no reason to go behind my back. I would have been happy to show you what I brought if you had just asked."
    "What you brought ? That isn't all you own?"
    Isabel looked away. "Well, of course it is."
    Paige shrugged. She didn't seem convinced.
    Isabel stood up and moved to the door. "We'll do botany tomorrow. Perhaps we can go to the park? Isn't Hyde only a few blocks away?"
    "Yes. I went often with my last governess."
    "Then we shall too. It's late. We'll resume tomorrow," she said, and she hurried out.
    Alone in hall, Isabel stomped on a loose floorboard. She was foolish to pretend to be someone she was not. Paige was asking far too many questions.
    Isabel supposed it was a part of Fate's sinister plan to make life as difficult as possible for her. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out what she'd done to deserve it. "Why me?"
    "Past sins?"
    Isabel nearly jumped out of her skin. She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't heard Marshall come up the stairs.
    "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he said.
    "Of course you scared me!" she said, crossing her arms in front of her body. "Especially with a comment like that."
    "Past sins? Only a sinner would have any reason to be afraid." He held his hands up in front of his chest. "Just teasing. I wanted to know how your first day went with Paige."
    "She's an intelligent girl, but headstrong."
    Marshall's eyes grew. "What, Paige? She's a well-behaved angel. She just must not like you."
    At the narrowing of her eyes, he corrected himself. "Teasing you, again," he chuckled. "My niece most certainly is a brat. No, I correct myself again, she's worse than a brat."
    "How did she get that way?"
    "There's no obvious answer, sorry to say." Marshall shook his head, then said, "You'll have to figure out what demons torment Paige yourself, because I don't know any more than you do."
    Isabel stared at him for a moment and wondered if he spoe the truth. Did he truly not know what pained her or was it family secret? "I won't be able to discover anything if she has her way."
    "Is she already threatening you to have you dismissed? She does that to every governess that comes here. You don't have to worry about that. Jane won't let you go now that she has you trapped."
    She laid her hand on her stomach and took a deep breath. "How many of them have there been?"
    He smiled. "My lips are sealed."
    The hallway suddenly seemed frightfully narrow. "Thank you for your kind interest in how I am faring. Good evening to you."
    He stepped closer. "Why so formal?"
    "It is appropriate for my position. And for yours."
    "What harm could there be in relaxing?"
    "Relaxing?"
    He was suddenly even closer. "Flirting?"
    Isabel shook her head and reached for the handle of her bedroom door. "I wouldn't want to give the wrong impression, Mr. Templeton. I came here to teach your niece, not to seek a husband."
    "That's good to hear because I'm not the marrying kind."
    His words were a bucket of cold water upturned on her head. "I must prepare for tomorrow. Good night, sir."
    His expression made it quite clear that he was endlessly amused by the entire exchange, but before he could reply, Isabel hurried into her room and locked the door fast behind her.
    Whatever was she to do with him?

Chapter 4

    Isabel sat up in bed, nightmarish images raced through her mind. She panted and wiped her brow with the edge of her sheet. It was wet. Her entire body was damp, her white nightgown soaked through.
    She coughed, her throat hoarse and dry. It was a miracle she hadn't woken the entire household when she'd called out. She covered her face with her hands, willing the images to go away.
    Even in her dreams, she wasn't safe from her assailant. He'd followed her all the way to the Templeton household, to her bedroom just off the schoolroom, merely to laugh at her. He