The Unintended Bride Read Online Free PDF Page B

has romantic ideals that have not been met for hundreds of years — if they ever were at all."
    Her tone was still sympathetic, but her words were not comforting. "She does not think of them as myth, you know."
    He lost his step again, and recovered, saying sharply, "Well, she must understand eventually that I will not meet her ideals, no matter what blood runs in my veins."
    Her voice was softer still when she replied, "I'm sorry. I did not mean to make our first meeting in London unpleasant —
    "I'm the one who owes an apology." The music ended, and he saw her back to his grandmother. "I don't want you to share my grandmother's misapprehensions, Gwen. You are much too sensible a girl to believe that I will ever live up to the mythic example of King Arthur."
    "Oh, Arthur. I know you well enough to understand you. Haven't I known you forever? You are the older brother I never had. The son my father never had. Sometimes I — " Her voice broke off as they neared her father, as if she had meant to confide something else, something more, but did not want to risk her father overhearing.
    "Sometimes you what?" For a moment he dared to hope that she would release him from their family's promise. Tell him that she had found another and would love him like a brother but did not want to marry.
    She did not. Instead, her father gripped his arm. "Arthur, how good to see you in London."
    "I am here for a brief time only." Arthur hoped to forestall an invitation to dine with them.
    "So your grandmother has informed me." Gwen's father did not try to hide his frown. "I hope to hear all about this book that brought you to London. We will see you at dinner tomorrow?"
    "I would be honored, sir," Arthur lied. It was hell to know it was time to settle things with Gwen, when all he wanted was to spirit Hero away with him and never see the city again.
    * * * * *
    He had called Gwen the most beautiful woman in the room. They had looked well dancing together. As if they were meant to be. Like their namesakes, Arthur and Guinevere.
    Hero wanted to sleep. Her bed was soft enough, and she was not too warm. Juliet lay peacefully dreaming across the room, her breathing even. But sleep would not come.
    Unwillingly, when she closed her eyes she saw Arthur dancing with Gwen Delagrace, just as he had been that evening. Gwen laughing and teasing him with utter familiarity and affection. Arthur had been distracted, she would swear it. Twice, she had met his eyes and looked away. Twice, she had found his eyes upon her and then, almost as if she had been mistaken, he had turned his head.
    She pressed her face into her pillow. She was making herself into a madwoman with all this useless speculation. Every word, every movement, every look from Arthur Watterly, had suddenly begun to have import to her. Sheer foolishness, but she could not seem to stop herself.
    She could not forget how sharp he had been to Digby in the drawing room that afternoon. Almost as if he were jealous. Was it possible? Could Arthur Watterly feel the same degree of connection to him that she found in his company?
    Nonsense. He regarded them all with affection, that had been clear since the first time she had ever met him. He had been struck nearly speechless with Miranda's spirited attempts to create happily ever afters for everyone around her, and he was always deft at deflection when Juliet practiced her wiles upon him.
    Tonight, at the Framingham's, he had been the conscientious escort and nothing more. He had danced one dance with each of them. No, he had danced two with Gwen, she reminded herself Only one waltz, but still, two dances. One more and everyone would have been certain he was on the verge of making the proposal that was so clearly expected.
    So why did she persist in hoping that he felt more for her than he could say? More than he felt for Gwen? Just because he shared her own delight in the classics, as well as in the tales of King Arthur and his court? Just because he, too,