petticoats.”
“She’s deaf, has been for years,” he said flatly. “I believe Filey clouted her too hard about the head after one of his
drinking bouts. I see no reason why she can’t speak but I’ve never heard her do so.”
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
The girl whitened until he could almost see the veins beneath her skin. “That’s awful.”
“I don’t need to tell you the man is a brute.”
“Then I don’t need to tell you why I need help,” she said with a hint of asperity. She reminded him briefly of the shabby
duchess he’d met yesterday with her threadbare gown and her imperious manner. “Will you ask your uncle to let me go?”
This time his laugh held a grim tinge. “Mrs. Paget, my uncle pays no heed to my wishes. I expressed abhorrence of this
latest scheme before your arrival.”
“Well, perhaps I could ask him.”
He shrugged and turned away, heading toward his greenhouse. “If you can get a message to him, you’re welcome to try.
He’s a man who follows his own notions. His current notion is that I need a woman to share my delightful idyll. You’re
unquestionably a woman so I doubt he’ll stir himself to find a replacement.”
“I cannot accept we’re stuck in this impossible situation.”
Yet again, she pursued him. Couldn’t the blasted chit take a hint?
He didn’t pause nor did he look at her. “You will.”
This time he managed to escape by going into the greenhouse and shutting the door firmly after him.
He should have known she wouldn’t leave the matter there.
That afternoon Matthew wandered through the woods with Wolfram. He remained blind to the beauty of dappled sunlight
breaking through new leaves. Instead, his mind fixed on his problem.
The woman.
Mrs. Paget.
Grace.
He’d been little more than a boy when he was confined. Even so, his recollection of the world beyond these walls didn’t
include whores who spoke in cultured accents and deliberately played down their attractions. She was a beautiful woman
but she didn’t use paint and she insisted on that unbecoming hairstyle.
He had a sudden intense urge to see her hair down. It would be long and shining as it tumbled about her naked shoulders.
Even the severe braids around her head couldn’t conceal her hair’s luxuriance.
He drew a tight rein on his imagination. She was dangerous enough to his control fully dressed. Or as close to fully
dressed as that green gown allowed.
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
If she wasn’t a common prostitute, what was she? Why would a woman like her agree to this scheme?
Was she indeed a temporarily unengaged actress? It was possible. With destitution as the alternative, the prospect of
tupping a madman might be attractive. His uncle mightn’t even have given her so much information.
When Matthew had told her he was insane, her shock had almost convinced him.
If she didn’t know he was mad, why did she think he was held prisoner? She must have known, which meant all her show
of dismay and fear was just that—a show.
Perhaps she had another reason for falling in with his uncle’s machinations. Perhaps she wasn’t here for money, but for
love.
He swore under his breath and kicked discontentedly at the leaf litter on the path. If the woman were his uncle’s cast-off
mistress, a great deal made sense.
Like her air of innocence. His uncle wasn’t above corrupting a respectable woman. His uncle, for all his public probity,
wasn’t above much. Eleven years of captivity had taught Matthew that.
This could explain why she set out to diminish her beauty. In her heart, she remained loyal to her original protector.
Maybe she was unable to face bedding another man.
His uncle was unprincipled enough to ruin an innocent and turn her to his purpose. Any
“She’s deaf, has been for years,” he said flatly. “I believe Filey clouted her too hard about the head after one of his
drinking bouts. I see no reason why she can’t speak but I’ve never heard her do so.”
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
The girl whitened until he could almost see the veins beneath her skin. “That’s awful.”
“I don’t need to tell you the man is a brute.”
“Then I don’t need to tell you why I need help,” she said with a hint of asperity. She reminded him briefly of the shabby
duchess he’d met yesterday with her threadbare gown and her imperious manner. “Will you ask your uncle to let me go?”
This time his laugh held a grim tinge. “Mrs. Paget, my uncle pays no heed to my wishes. I expressed abhorrence of this
latest scheme before your arrival.”
“Well, perhaps I could ask him.”
He shrugged and turned away, heading toward his greenhouse. “If you can get a message to him, you’re welcome to try.
He’s a man who follows his own notions. His current notion is that I need a woman to share my delightful idyll. You’re
unquestionably a woman so I doubt he’ll stir himself to find a replacement.”
“I cannot accept we’re stuck in this impossible situation.”
Yet again, she pursued him. Couldn’t the blasted chit take a hint?
He didn’t pause nor did he look at her. “You will.”
This time he managed to escape by going into the greenhouse and shutting the door firmly after him.
He should have known she wouldn’t leave the matter there.
That afternoon Matthew wandered through the woods with Wolfram. He remained blind to the beauty of dappled sunlight
breaking through new leaves. Instead, his mind fixed on his problem.
The woman.
Mrs. Paget.
Grace.
He’d been little more than a boy when he was confined. Even so, his recollection of the world beyond these walls didn’t
include whores who spoke in cultured accents and deliberately played down their attractions. She was a beautiful woman
but she didn’t use paint and she insisted on that unbecoming hairstyle.
He had a sudden intense urge to see her hair down. It would be long and shining as it tumbled about her naked shoulders.
Even the severe braids around her head couldn’t conceal her hair’s luxuriance.
He drew a tight rein on his imagination. She was dangerous enough to his control fully dressed. Or as close to fully
dressed as that green gown allowed.
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
ABC Amber LIT Converter http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
If she wasn’t a common prostitute, what was she? Why would a woman like her agree to this scheme?
Was she indeed a temporarily unengaged actress? It was possible. With destitution as the alternative, the prospect of
tupping a madman might be attractive. His uncle mightn’t even have given her so much information.
When Matthew had told her he was insane, her shock had almost convinced him.
If she didn’t know he was mad, why did she think he was held prisoner? She must have known, which meant all her show
of dismay and fear was just that—a show.
Perhaps she had another reason for falling in with his uncle’s machinations. Perhaps she wasn’t here for money, but for
love.
He swore under his breath and kicked discontentedly at the leaf litter on the path. If the woman were his uncle’s cast-off
mistress, a great deal made sense.
Like her air of innocence. His uncle wasn’t above corrupting a respectable woman. His uncle, for all his public probity,
wasn’t above much. Eleven years of captivity had taught Matthew that.
This could explain why she set out to diminish her beauty. In her heart, she remained loyal to her original protector.
Maybe she was unable to face bedding another man.
His uncle was unprincipled enough to ruin an innocent and turn her to his purpose. Any
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