The Wanton Widow - A Regency Novella Read Online Free PDF

she saw Edward, Willow stopped running. Philip, who was not as attentive, ended up slamming into her. The force of his body sent her sailing to the ground. Upon landing, half of her breasts popped out of her bodice. When Edward crouched down to help her to her feet, he got a more than ample eyeful.
    “ Are you okay, Miss Worthington?” Edward asked. He cradled his puppy in one hand as he hoisted her aloft.
    “ I'm quite fine,” she insisted, trying to stuff her heaping bosoms into her bodice. What had possessed her to go running around the house in such scanty attire? “I would be better if I did not have a dunderheaded brute for a lover!”
    “ Sorry, my lovely,” Philip apologized, though he didn't look the least bit guilty. In fact, he was grinning.
    “ My apologies, Mr. Harcourt. You should not have been subjected to the sight of this,” Willow said, motioning toward her body and its current state of undress.
    “ I don't think you have to apologize, sweeting. I am sure this will be the best part of young Edward's day, if not his entire life.”
    Willow's hands flew to her hips. “And you don't sound the least bit concerned that he's seeing me in such a state! I should box your ears, you lout!”
    “ I would like to see you try.” Philip raised his hands and flexed his fingers again, which is what he usually did when he was threatening her with tickles.
    Willow gave the earl a gentle shove and turned her attention back to Edward Harcourt. More specifically, her eyes were on the puppy he held in his hands. It was a scraggly brown terrier mix, and it had the most adorable face she had ever seen. “Where did you get the puppy, Edward?” she asked. As she reached toward the puppy, it jabbed her with its wet, black nose.
    “ My Cynthia recently had a litter,” Edward said. He extended the puppy toward Willow, so she scooped it into her hands and cradled it against her chest. “I thought you might like to have one of the puppies?”
    “ No,” Philip said.
    “ Of course!” Willow squealed. She held the puppy to her face and kissed it a few times, and it responded by licking her on the nose.
    “ NO,” Philip reiterated, louder this time. “I'll not have some mutt sullying my house and devouring my furniture. I'll have nothing to do with it!”
    “ What if it would make me happy, Phil?” Willow asked. Tilting her head, she tried to disarm him with a precious pout.
    “ It won't make the servants happy, not when they'll be the ones cleaning up after it.” As he spoke, Philip flashed a murderous look at his friend.
    “ Please? Oh, please, Phil! I really quite love it!” Willow held the puppy to her cheek, and when she did, it licked her earlobe.
    “ No. And I won't change my mind on the matter!”
    “ Please ??” Willow's bottom lip protruded even further. She was going to get him to capsize somehow, some way.
    “ No!”
    “ Very well...” She started to hand the puppy over to Edward, “I suppose I will have to live with my crushing disappointment. I'll have to mend my broken heart... fill the void... dry my tears...”
    “ Wait.” Philip took the puppy from Edward and handed it back to Willow, who accepted it with a smile. “Keep the puppy. I will... try to tolerate it.”
    “ Oh! Thank you ever so much, Phil! I won't forget it!” Willow started to kiss Philip, but she decided to kiss the puppy instead. Several times. “And thank you for the gift, Edward. I will treasure it.”
    “ It's my p-pleasure, Willow,” Edward said with a bow. “I thought it might give you some happiness. And look... the puppy seems to adore you already!” At the moment, the puppy was whimpering and pawing, a desperate attempt to get closer to the lady who held him.
    “ Now, if you two will excuse me, I have some business to attend to,” Philip said. He kept staring at the puppy as if it was something infernal. “If you need me, Willow, I will be in the study.”
    “ Wait.” Before he could exit, Willow