With This Ring Read Online Free PDF Page A

somewhere?It certainly wasn’t in Shropshire, or the Worthingtons would be more familiar with it.Elektra had the vague notion that she’d heard of it and that it was vast.An estate like that would go a long way toward undoing the Worthington repute of quirky destitution further stained by the rigorous application of outrageous conduct.
    An entire decade out of England?
    A decade away from the increasingly mad antics of her mad family making the rounds of London gossip?Even better.
    And looking for a proper English countess?
    Elektra had spent her last decade becoming precisely that!
    Now all she needed was the opportunity for a little quiet time with Lord Aaron …
    Lysander entered the room.“No Bliss.”
    Rather than believing that brief utterance to be a description of Zander’s emotional state, Elektra took it to mean that their cousin, the Just Wonderful Miss Bliss Worthington, had not arrived on the morning coach as they’d hoped.There was another due in the evening, the innkeeper had informed them.
    Elektra waved a hand carelessly.“Bliss may take the rest of the week to arrive if she wishes.”There was work to be done here!
    Lysander wandered to the window.“The corpse is leaving.”
    Elektra’s head snapped up.“What?He’s leaving?Are you sure?”She joined him quickly, for if having five brothers taught one anything, it was to confirm all rumor and implication.
    Zander, however, was usually inclined to brief, unvarnished truth.Elektra’s fingers tightened on the windowsill.“That’s the same carriage.I’d know it anywhere.”She couldn’t allow this.Lord Aaron Arbogast was perfect.
    There was only one thing to be done.It wasn’t so much a plan as a moment of superbly imaginative panic.She turned decisively to Zander.“We cannot allow him to get away!”

 
    Chapter Three
    Zander Worthington, bless him, didn’t even blink.He simply turned and left the room.Elektra knew that her brother would have his horse ready in moments.She dashed toward her own room to don something a bit more appropriate for her half-formed plan.Then, on impulse, she diverted to Zander’s quarters instead.
    She threw on a pair of Zander’s trousers and cinched them tight.He was still so thin that they almost fit anyway, despite his height.She added one of his shirts, left untucked to hide the revealed curves of her hips and bottom.Her bosom she concealed with one of her brother’s weskits, buttoned up and tightened snugly in the back.Her own sturdy traveling boots with her own stockings would have to do.
    Done!Having taken a bare seven minutes to dress herself—possibly a lifetime record—Elektra opened Zander’s door and flung herself into a run before she’d even fully entered the hallway.
    And ran directly into one of the maids walking down the hall with a covered tray.
    Elektra bounced back into the wall.The smaller girl was flung right off her feet.Her salver tumbled through the air, scattering its contents over both of them.
    Elektra was at the girl’s side before she’d managed to right herself.“Let’s see there.”She ran a quick sisterly inspection, just as she would for Attie after a tumble.No cuts, no head wound, stand her up, brush her off.“Now, see?Right as rain.”
    When she looked into the girl’s face, she realized that the petite, dark-haired maid who stared back at her was at least her own age.Elektra dropped her hands.“So sorry.That was pure habit.I have this younger sister who is always falling out of trees and such.”
    Thinking about time and escaping almost-earls and Zander waiting downstairs, Elektra dropped to her knees to quickly gather the fallen items back onto the tray.
    “Oh, no, miss!You mustn’t!”
    Elektra snorted.“Well, I knocked it down, didn’t I?”It was all quickly sorted.The clunky pottery water jug had a new chip or two, but the lidded pot of something smelly remained solid and the clean rags were soon folded and placed neatly next to jug and pot.Elektra stood