The Wife He Always Wanted Read Online Free PDF

fighting to hide his impatience. “We can stop there for rest and food.”
    She lifted her deep violet eyes above the rim of her book and shrugged. “Whatever is your pleasure.” As soon as the sentence was out, she flushed crimson, as if remembering last evening’s ill-fated attempt at lovemaking with the poorly chosen words.
    The book snapped back up and covered all but the top of her forehead and a bit of light brown hair.
    He bristled. She was put out. Why, he could not fathom. If he lived another fifty years with this puzzling woman, and spent the majority of those looking at her, or rather, the cover of some book, he’d go mad.
    He’d thought marriage was the simplest way to keep her protected from whatever had caused Albert to flee England. As he looked at his wife, he knew plots were often made complicated when moved from mind into practice.
    Though Gabe only knew pieces of the story, he understood enough to realize Sarah could be in danger now that Albert was dead. It was the details of that danger that were murky.
    Their father had served the Crown early in the Peninsular War and had died mysteriously. Albert had feared his father’s past and knew a secret that could endanger Sarah. So he’d dropped her at the cottage with an elderly aunt and broke off almost all contact with his sister, hoping the distance between them would protect her from harm.
    No amount of cajoling ever convinced Albert to share his secret. On his deathbed from a fever, he’d been adamant that Gabe find and protect her from an unknown foe. Any secrets were taken to the grave.
    Albert expressed the hope that his death would set Sarah free. Gabe was not entirely certain that the deaths of both men ended the matter. When he was in New York awaiting the ship, he was convinced he was being followed. Then his trunk, including Albert’s few possessions, was stolen. Coincidence? He couldn’t be sure.
    The longer he considered everything he did know, the more he realized that marrying Sarah
would
best serve the man who’d saved his life. Unfortunately, he wasn’t convinced Albert would feel the same.
    All he could do now was remain vigilant and hope to learn the mysteries of both men. For now, he had to familiarize himself with his wife.
    “According to the coachman, this inn serves a magnificent lamb stew,” Gabe continued, searching for a way to get her out from behind her book. As the only coach passengers, he was bored and tired and longed for conversation to pass the time.
    “How nice,” she said politely, book unmoving. “I’m certain I will enjoy a pleasant repast.”
    Gabriel Harrington, world traveler and adventurer, glared at the damned book and the prim figure that was his wife, and growled low in his throat. With the swiftness of a lioness running down an antelope, he leaned forward, snatched the book out of her hand, and tossed it out the open window.
    Sarah gasped; her eyes went wide. “Oh!”
    He brushed his hands together, satisfied he’d finally gotten her attention, and slumped back against the well-worn squabs. Stretching out a long and dusty buckskin-covered leg, he grinned wickedly as her pink-hued lips vanished into a thin line of disapproval.
    “I do apologize, Wife, but I grew weary of talking to your book.”
    She frowned. “You could have asked me to put it away. I am now out one of my few remaining possessions. And it was a very interesting book.”
    “I shall buy you a new one when we get to London. In fact, I’ll buy you an entire library full of books.” He ran his gaze from her expressive eyes to her downturned mouth. “Until then, I intend for us to converse during the rest of this journey like civilized people.”
    She let his words settle before lowering her attention to his buckskin breeches. “Civilized?” One brow went up. “I have lived a sheltered life and have never had the chance to move in London society. However, I am quite certain that no gentleman, from baron to duke, wears