The Legend of Lyon Redmond Read Online Free PDF

had watched the house fill with flowers every day from suitors who hadn’t a prayer of getting her attention. They had seen the betting books at White’s fill with wager after wager, making a game of her presumed heartbreak. Presumed, because no one had ever said a word to her overtly about it, and she’d certainly never confessed to such a thing.
    Only Olivia and Lyon knew the truth.
    Her brothers wanted, above all, for her to be happy.
    They liked Landsdowne very much, and she wished they wouldn’t tread so gingerly about him, as if they were afraid he would vanish if they made any sudden moves. For God’s sake, she honestly did intend to marry the man.
    They had married the women they loved.
    â€œThey weren’t in when I stopped at your town house,” Landsdowne mused. “It must be a fortunate coincidence.”
    She wondered just how “fortunate” it might be.
    â€œWell! Good afternoon, Olivia, Landsdowne!” Ian enthused, when they moved forward to meet them. “What a lovely coincidence.”
    â€œIs it?” Olivia said suspiciously.
    Hats came off and bows were exchanged.
    â€œFine weather we’re having.” This came from Ian.
    Colin was standing unusually still and he was uncharacteristically silent. Rather, in fact, like a sentry.
    â€œI suppose,” she said, still suspiciously.
    â€œHave you a complaint about it, sister dear?”
    â€œIan, may I point something out to you?”
    â€œSince when have you ever asked permission to point something out to me, Olivia? Would it be to impress your husband-to-be?”
    â€œHer husband-to-be is already thoroughly impressed,” Landsdowne said with charming loyalty.
    â€œI don’t think we’ve ever exchanged banalities about the weather in our entire lives,” Olivia said calmly. “Nor have you ever called me ‘sister dear.’”
    She locked eyes with Ian for a challenging moment.
    â€œThen I have been remiss, for you are a dear sister, and I should tell you so more often,” he said smoothly. “We were just inside, and it’s an uninspiring lot of prints in there today, wouldn’t you say, Colin?”
    â€œUninspiring,” Colin parroted. “Why don’t the four of us stop in at Twining’s for something hot?”
    Her brothers were offering to drink tea with her?
    â€œWe’d like to take our tea in Ackermann’s tearoom,” she said firmly, and she looped her arm in Landsdowne’s and feinted to the right.
    In tandem, her brothers gracefully, ever so subtly shifted to the right and blocked her.
    â€œHow were the fittings at Madame Marceau’s?” Ian tried. “I’m sure your dress is beautiful.”
    This made her snort in derision. The day Ian was interested in her dress fittings was the day he’d wear a dress.
    She tried a quick slide to the left, startling Landsdowne, who came along with her just in time.
    Her brothers, neatly and in tandem, subtly shifted at the same time.
    â€œCare to share what might be the trouble, gentlemen?” Lansdowne asked, with deceptive mildness.
    Which she was beginning to realize was his way of disguising temper.
    Her brothers exchanged a glance. Some silent brotherly conversation took place during that glance.
    â€œOlivia.” And then Colin said very, very slowly,as though willing her to understand something, “I genuinely think you don’t want to go in today.”
    It was a tactical mistake. This was Olivia, after all. Telling her what not to do was tantamount to inviting her to do it.
    Colin realized this too late. Her brothers, after exchanging another rather fatalistic glance, stepped aside with grim resignation.
    She all but burst inside.
    Then paused as she took in the space with a swift, sweeping glance.
    Nothing was out of the ordinary. Everything seemed splendidly as it should be. She inhaled deeply. Ah, but she loved Ackermann’s the way she