WitchofArundaleHall Read Online Free PDF

beautiful, French
and dangerous to know. Every man in the room was her slave.
    Her mother had been kinder in her assessment of Madame de
Laval but Lady North had been scathing, though Madame claimed an acquaintance
with her. Which was why Perry had chosen the woman. Madame de Laval would be
able to stymie Lady North’s efforts to bring Sarah to heel.
    “She is much more than her reputation, as are you,” Perry
said calmly, as if he were speaking to a child.
    Sarah opened her mouth to protest and closed it. What had
she heard about Madame de Laval? Licentious rumors of orgies and deviant
behavior had been all over the ton even years after the scandal. Her husband
had rejected her, divorced her publicly. Yet the woman had never denied
anything, facing her critics with the same beatific smile she always had.
    Sarah’s mother had pitied her and never cut her dead. Somehow
they were distantly connected, though Sarah had never known in what way. Madame
had kept their meetings short yet filled with warmth. It was Lady North’s
viperous tongue that had caused Sarah to doubt Perry’s wisdom. “How do you know
her?” she asked.
    “She…rescued me once when I was in a difficult predicament,”
he said, and stared out the carriage window. “I was often in difficult
predicaments,” he said in a painful, wry tone. “She told me, without speaking
directly, that she knew of my affliction and that she wanted to help me.”
    “She knew?” Sarah stared at him, her mouth open again.
    “I, of course, refused her kind offer with my usual charm,”
he said with bitter sarcasm. “She is somehow connected to my family.”
    “And mine,” Sarah blurted out.
    Perry leaned forward. “You realize what we will have to do.”
    Sarah clenched her fists. “Marry immediately.”
    “Yes. I’m sorry, Sarah. I didn’t want it to be this way.” He
took one of her tightly closed fists in his. “You will not believe me if I tell
you that it will be right in the end, will you?”
    She tugged her hand away. “No, Mr. Arundale. I will not.”
    “I’m afraid you will have to pretend. For the priest.” Perry
spoke the words as the carriage stopped in front of a beautiful house in a
wealthier part of London. “I will be back for you in one hour. Be ready.”
    Her stomach churned. He couldn’t mean it. “You are leaving
me here? Without an introduction?”
    Perry’s smile was wicked. “Madame de Laval needs no
introduction. Jaimison!” he called, and the tall man of business appeared out
of nowhere.
    Jaimison was an imposing figure, perfectly capable of
dragging her out of the carriage if she refused. He had been protecting Perry
for years, a responsibility given to him by Perry’s brother Joshua.
    “This way, miss,” he said gently.
    “Mr. Jaimison, what a surprise.” She glared at Perry. “You
never miss an opportunity to humiliate me, do you?”
    The smirk on Perry’s face faded and he bowed his head. “So
you say. One hour, Sarah. Don’t be late.”
    She flounced out of the carriage with Jaimison’s strong arm
to steady her and refused to look back as Perry left.
    “Miss, please believe me when I say that Mr. Arundale only
has your best interests in mind.” Jaimison’s tone was reassuring. “He and only
he can round up the appropriate parties to marry you and stop Lady Marion
North.”
    “He has only reinforced what I knew already. He does not
care for me except as his blood mate.” She tipped her chin. “I am only a means
to tame the wolf inside him. Once I break the curse he will abandon me soon
enough.”
    Jaimison shook his head. “The feminine mind is beyond me. He
has been your slave since he met you, even when you were his maid. But I
suppose with his carousing and unhappy childhood he is not a good catch for an
ambitious woman.”
    She dropped his arm and faced him, her temper slipping. “Carousing?
Of course he sought oblivion in drink and sex. His parents were killed. His
grandmother has never ceased to