day, Lord Brentwood.”
A harsh shiver raced down her spine when she looked at the man standing in her doorway.
The expression on his face was pleasant enough, and the lift to the corners of his mouth indicated an offer of friendship, yet the narrowing gleam in his eyes brimmed with predatory intent. The man who owned Freddie’s title and estates was not an easy man to like.
In the various dealings she’d had with him and Mr. Woolsey since the initial reading of the will, she felt his simmering temper lying dormant just below the surface.Each time he came to call, she saw a malevolent look. An intense look. A hungry look that frightened her more than the threat of his temper.
“Lady Anne. How lovely you look. Just the sight of you is well worth taking a few hours out of my busy schedule to come to visit. You are indeed breathtaking.”
She didn’t answer. How could she when his words were so blatantly false?
“May I come in?”
Her muscles knotted with a nervousness that was unfamiliar to her. “Of course, my lord.”
Anne stood back to allow him to enter, then turned and walked to the small living room. She sat in the center of the faded settee, leaving him no choice but to sit in a worn chair halfway across the room. “I regret I do not have tea to offer you,” she said, folding her hands in her lap.
“That’s quite all right, my lady. I didn’t come for tea, but to look upon your loveliness and enjoy a few moments of your time.”
“How kind.” She felt a blush mixed with unease.
“Are you alone?”
“Uh, no,” she lied. “Becca will be back any minute. She went to Reverend Talbert’s to return some books we’d borrowed.”
“The Brentwood library is at your disposal anytime you want. Please feel free to borrow as many books as you’d like. You are always welcome.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Instinct caused her to lean farther away from him. No matter how desperately she tried, she couldn’t ignore the uncomfortable knot that churned in the pit of her stomach.
“I have a great respect for your late brother,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “The holdings I inherited are quite substantial, and from the records I see he did an admirable job of efficiently running both the estates and businesses.”
“Frederick was a remarkable man. He was an exemplary individual.”
“I hope to follow in his footsteps with equal ability.”
She found herself unable to answer. The silence between them became exceedingly uncomfortable. She clenched her hands in her lap.
“Have you thought about your future, Lady Anne?”
She gave him a surprised look. “Given our precarious position, my lord, I have thought of little else.”
“Then perhaps I can be of some help.”
She raised her eyebrows and studied the confident look on Lord Brentwood’s face.
“I’ve decided it’s time for me to consider taking a wife.”
Her blood thundered inside her head. Surely he wouldn’t consider her for a bride?
She thought of the hungry look she’d seen when he looked at her. The way he held her hand far too long. She was suddenly frightened of him. Terrified of his intent. She would never consider marriage to him. Her mother had been sold to the highest bidder and was miserable her whole life. Anne would never go down that same road. She would starve before she married a man who didn’t love her.
“I have certain responsibilities now,” the marquess continued, “and as you and I both know from your brother’s mistake, it’s not wise to be without an heir. I’m afraid I’mthe last male Brentwood heir. If something were to happen to me before I could provide a legal heir, the Brentwood name would unfortunately die.”
Anne’s heart thundered in her chest. She didn’t know what was worse—associating the Brentwood name with a man like the new marquess, or not having it in existence at all. His next words pulled her back with a jolt.
“We are not, your family and mine, so closely
A harsh shiver raced down her spine when she looked at the man standing in her doorway.
The expression on his face was pleasant enough, and the lift to the corners of his mouth indicated an offer of friendship, yet the narrowing gleam in his eyes brimmed with predatory intent. The man who owned Freddie’s title and estates was not an easy man to like.
In the various dealings she’d had with him and Mr. Woolsey since the initial reading of the will, she felt his simmering temper lying dormant just below the surface.Each time he came to call, she saw a malevolent look. An intense look. A hungry look that frightened her more than the threat of his temper.
“Lady Anne. How lovely you look. Just the sight of you is well worth taking a few hours out of my busy schedule to come to visit. You are indeed breathtaking.”
She didn’t answer. How could she when his words were so blatantly false?
“May I come in?”
Her muscles knotted with a nervousness that was unfamiliar to her. “Of course, my lord.”
Anne stood back to allow him to enter, then turned and walked to the small living room. She sat in the center of the faded settee, leaving him no choice but to sit in a worn chair halfway across the room. “I regret I do not have tea to offer you,” she said, folding her hands in her lap.
“That’s quite all right, my lady. I didn’t come for tea, but to look upon your loveliness and enjoy a few moments of your time.”
“How kind.” She felt a blush mixed with unease.
“Are you alone?”
“Uh, no,” she lied. “Becca will be back any minute. She went to Reverend Talbert’s to return some books we’d borrowed.”
“The Brentwood library is at your disposal anytime you want. Please feel free to borrow as many books as you’d like. You are always welcome.”
“Thank you, my lord.” Instinct caused her to lean farther away from him. No matter how desperately she tried, she couldn’t ignore the uncomfortable knot that churned in the pit of her stomach.
“I have a great respect for your late brother,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “The holdings I inherited are quite substantial, and from the records I see he did an admirable job of efficiently running both the estates and businesses.”
“Frederick was a remarkable man. He was an exemplary individual.”
“I hope to follow in his footsteps with equal ability.”
She found herself unable to answer. The silence between them became exceedingly uncomfortable. She clenched her hands in her lap.
“Have you thought about your future, Lady Anne?”
She gave him a surprised look. “Given our precarious position, my lord, I have thought of little else.”
“Then perhaps I can be of some help.”
She raised her eyebrows and studied the confident look on Lord Brentwood’s face.
“I’ve decided it’s time for me to consider taking a wife.”
Her blood thundered inside her head. Surely he wouldn’t consider her for a bride?
She thought of the hungry look she’d seen when he looked at her. The way he held her hand far too long. She was suddenly frightened of him. Terrified of his intent. She would never consider marriage to him. Her mother had been sold to the highest bidder and was miserable her whole life. Anne would never go down that same road. She would starve before she married a man who didn’t love her.
“I have certain responsibilities now,” the marquess continued, “and as you and I both know from your brother’s mistake, it’s not wise to be without an heir. I’m afraid I’mthe last male Brentwood heir. If something were to happen to me before I could provide a legal heir, the Brentwood name would unfortunately die.”
Anne’s heart thundered in her chest. She didn’t know what was worse—associating the Brentwood name with a man like the new marquess, or not having it in existence at all. His next words pulled her back with a jolt.
“We are not, your family and mine, so closely
Similar Books
