Bought for Revenge

Bought for Revenge by Sarah Mallory Page A

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Authors: Sarah Mallory
Tags: Romance, Historical Romance
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through the young leaves and painted a fine tracery over everything, and as the hooves disturbed the soft loamy soil the pungent scent of damp earth rose up to meet them. As he followed Annabelle through this strange, unfamiliar world, an unaccustomed peace settled over Lucas. It was the most relaxed he had felt for a long time.
    The path began a gentle slope downwards and they picked their way, avoiding the tree roots and the occasional stone protruding through theearth. Finally, through the trees ahead there was the glint of sunlight on the water.
    ‘We are nearly there.’
    Even as she called over her shoulder the trees gave way to a grassy bank that ran down to the water’s edge. Before them stretched the lake, a large, serpentine expanse of water enclosed by trees that grew thickly over the slopes of the surrounding hills. It was a sheltered spot and the spring sunshine was surprisingly hot.
    Belle stopped and waited for her companion to bring his horse up beside her. ‘There. Was that not worth pushing through the undergrowth?’
    ‘It is every bit as beautiful as I…as I was led to believe.’
    ‘You can still see the line of the old path around the lake.’
    ‘Shall we follow it?’
    She shook her head. ‘Clegg took me around the lake once, a few years ago, but even then the path was barely passable in some places and we were in danger of being tumbled into the water.’ She threw her groom an affectionate look. ‘He refused to ride that way with me again and made me promise never to do so alone.’ She pointed along the bank. ‘There is a boathouse over there, but to get to it you must cross the old wooden bridge across the inlet. It has not been maintainedand I have no doubt the timbers are rotted away by now.’
    He jumped down and handed his reins to Clegg. ‘I shall go and find out.’
    She watched him stride off, torn between wanting to remain aloof and curiosity. Curiosity won. Kicking her foot free from the stirrup, she slid to the ground.
    ‘Wait for me!’
    ‘Now, Miss Belle—’ The groom’s remonstrance had little effect, save to make her smile at him as she had done so many times in the past when she wanted her own way.
    ‘Pray, look after the horses, Clegg. We will not be long and I
will
be careful.’
    Lucas waited for her to catch up with him.
    ‘Are you sure you will be safe?’
    ‘We are only going to the bridge. Clegg will always be in sight.’
    ‘But he will not be in earshot. I might insult you verbally.’
    ‘You might, of course.’
    ‘You do not think I will?’
    ‘You have shown no inclination to be so ill-mannered since that first meeting.’ She slanted a glance at him, a slight frown in those clear grey eyes. ‘Why
were
you so rude to me then? We had never met, I had done nothing to deserve such treatment.’
    Nothing, save be the daughter of a man I am sworn to destroy
.
    Lucas could not tell her as much, especially now he had decided her affection would prove a better weapon than her disgust.
    ‘Perhaps you were fatigued,’ she offered helpfully. ‘That can make one irritable.’
    By heaven, she was even giving him his excuses! Looking into her eyes, he saw a faint, shy smile lurking there and he was obliged to squash a slight prickle of unease at making use of her in this way.
    ‘Yes, that was it.’
    They were approaching the wooden bridge. Lucas could now see just how poor a state of repair it was in. The side rails had broken away and the boards looked grey and rotten. He stepped on to the bridge and tested one of the boards with his foot. It crumbled beneath his weight. He exhaled impatiently.
    ‘Sheer foolishness to leave it in this state. If it is so dangerous, it should have been rebuilt or removed.’
    ‘It should, of course, but no one ever came here to use it.’
    ‘
You
came.’
    ‘Not for years. Not since…’ She looked about her, and Lucas had the impression she had withdrawn from him. It lasted only a moment, thenshe shook off her reverie

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