Free The Seduction of Lady X by Julia London Page B

and marauding and mayhem. Illicit loves and bamboozles.”
    Olivia had smiled. So had he. “I could not possibly be more intrigued.”
    “No?” He’d pressed the book into her hand, and Olivia had wondered if he’d felt the spark between them as she had. “You must have it,” he’d said. “It is a jolly good tale of the inhabitants of Castle Rackrent.”
    Olivia had glanced anxiously down the hall, expecting Edward to appear at any moment and demand to know what she was about. “Thank you,” she’d said softly. She could not recall the last time Edward had given her anything, or had desired to please her. “I appreciate it more than I can say.”
    Mr. Tolly had given her a smile that made her skin tingle, and Olivia had quickly walked away, the book clutched tightly in her hand.
    He was quite right about the book—it was indeed entertaining, and when Olivia finished it that night, she laid it on her lap, then leaned her head against the chaise, her eyes closed. She imagined Mr. Tolly seated in a chair at the dowager house, quietly passing an evening with this book in his lap, chuckling to himself from time to time.
    She heard Edward coming down the hall before she saw him—there was a thump, as if he’d bumped into something, followed by a curse. Foxed again, she thought, and in the next moment, Edward stumbled into her room, blinking at the light. “What are you about?” he demanded.
    Olivia put the book aside and smoothed her lap. She could smell the whiskey on him from across the room. “I was reading.”
    “Reading!” He snorted as if he didn’t believe that she was capable of reading. “I sincerely hope you are reading something that will improve your mind,” he said, and began to untie his neckcloth, yanking at it. “Frankly, I find your education lacking, Olivia. You have no knowledge or opinions on matters of import.”
    Olivia wondered how this man, who couldn’t stay out of the bottoms of his cups, could possibly think he knew what her opinions were on anything. He never inquired and was quick to cut her off when she did try to speak. “What matters?” she asked casually.
    Edward sighed impatiently. “That is precisely my point. I should not have to enumerate them for you, should I? What are you reading?”
    “A book.”
    “Clearly it is a book! What is the book?”
    “ Castle Rackrent, ” she said, and stood from her chair, walking to the hearth.
    Edward paused from his fumbled attempts to disrobe and peered at her, swaying a bit. “That does not sound like a book with any redeeming value. What sort of book is it?”
    And here they went, Olivia thought grimly. “A fictional tale,” she said with a shrug.
    Edward dropped his hands from his waistcoat, his face darkening. “Must I instruct you in everything? Is your judgment so poor? I do not approve of your reading fiction, Olivia. For God’s sake, if you choose to read, do me the small courtesy of reading something of value. Not something that will weaken your mind any more than it suffers already.”
    Olivia imagined herself with her archery bow, an arrow pulled taut, and letting it go, watching it pierce Edward between the eyes. “Yes, dear,” she demurred, and when he eyed her suspiciously, she smiled as innocently as she could.
    But of course Edward was not satisfied. “Where did you obtain this fictional tale?” he asked snidely.
    Olivia hesitated only slightly, but long enough for Edward’s face to redden. “I asked you a question.”
    “Mr. Tolly lent it to me.”
    Something flickered in Edward’s eyes. “Tolly,” he said. He turned away from her and worked at his waistcoat. “That one seems to be entirely too involved in the affairs of women of late,” he said, at last managing to discard the waistcoat. “I will admit that I was rather disappointed in his stepping forward for your whore of a sister. But then again, he himself is a bastard. Who better to raise a bastard than a bloody bastard?”
    “Edward!”