The Seduction of Lady X Read Online Free PDF

to defile you? Did you think of your sister, who bears my name? Did you think of anything but your own base desires?”
    She bowed her head and wisely did not answer.
    “What shall I do, Alexa?” he continued coolly. “I dare say your sister connived her way into this marriage and there is precious little I may do about that. But I can keep the blight of your judgment from bringing scandal to my family’s name, and therefore, the king’s name, is that not so? I still hold at least some degree of influence over this family, do I not? Is there not someone else to whom you may turn for assistance in this . . . unpleasant matter?”
    Alexa paled. “No,” she said, her voice almost a whisper. “I am at your mercy, my lord.” She regarded Edward uneasily as she dabbed at her tears with her handkerchief.
    Olivia’s scalp tingled with foreboding. “Perhaps if we take a moment—”
    Edward’s gaze turned even harder. “Thank you, madam, but I do not need your assistance in determining what is to be done with the whore. If there is no one to marry her, than I shall send her to St. Brendan’s convent in Ireland with a generous endowment. The sisters may determine what is to be done with the child.”
    “What?” Olivia felt the blood drain from her face.
    Mr. Tolly turned from the window, his brow furrowed with a deep frown.
    “What do you mean, what is to be done with it?” Alexa asked, stricken.
    Edward shrugged. “It is a bastard child. It will be better off raised by an Irish crofter than seeking acceptance in our society. If you think that I intend to put you up and allow you to raise some by-blow at Everdon Court for all to see, and at the end of my purse strings—”
    “You will not take my child from me!” Alexa exclaimed.
    “And you will not presume to tell me what I will or will not do,” Edward said tightly.
    The tone of his voice was bitterly cold, and Olivia knew from experience it would go from bad to worse. She stepped in front of Alexa to save her, to keep her from saying anything. “My lord, perhaps you might consider an alternative?”
    “By all means,” he said grandly, flourishing his hand at her. “Amuse me with your suitable alternative, for the Lord knows I am in need of it after this news.”
    “Olivia, I cannot give my baby to anyone!” Alexa said tearfully behind her. “I won’t!”
    Olivia willed Alexa to be silent. “My lord, my father’s cousin lives in a small manor in Wales and has four young children. It is quite remote and there is very little society. Perhaps Alexa might go there, and when the child is born, my cousin will take her in.”
    She heard Alexa gulp down another sob.
    Edward’s brows lifted. “That is your idea? Send her to this agrarian cousin?”
    He was the cat now, toying with the mouse. Olivia never won these rounds, but she never stopped trying. “To remove her from your sight, husband,” she said. “My cousin is my father’s blood—I know she will not speak of this to anyone,” she added desperately, but Edward chuckled as if Olivia was speaking nonsense.
    He stood up from his perch on his desk and put his fingers under Olivia’s chin, forcing her to tilt her head back so that she was looking into his cold dark eyes. “Dearest Olivia,” he said, sighing a bit. “Do you honestly believe I would trust anyone in your family? Was it not your family who deceived me into believing that you were the best match for me?” He lowered his head and touched his lips to hers, sending a shudder of revulsion through her. “We both know that you were the worst choice for me.”
    She wanted to claw the smirk from his face. But she was aware of Mr. Tolly in the room, of Alexa whimpering behind her. “I am aware of how much you despise me, Edward,” she said softly. “But please do not punish Alexa for it. She’s done nothing to you.”
    “She will go to St. Brendan’s Convent on the morrow, and there she will remain. Or she may go to