Free Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires by Sophie Barnes Page B

She frowned. “Are you sure you never met her before this evening? I could have sworn there was a certain familiarity between the two of you, though it did perhaps seem a bit strained.”
    There was no way in hell he was going to mention his encounter with Lady Sarah in the conservatory earlier in the day. Only trouble lay in that direction. “You’re imagining things,” he said.
    â€œI don’t think so,” Chloe said.
    Christopher was reaching his limit. “I don’t want any of you to interfere,” he told his mother and sisters crisply.
    â€œAnd we won’t,” Lady Oakland assured him as she offered a far too innocent smile, “as long as you promise to give Lady Sarah a chance.”
    â€œShe. Plans. To. Marry. Mr. Denison!” Did he really have to educate his own mother on the impropriety of setting his cap for another man’s intended, no matter who he might be?
    â€œTsk, tsk.” His mother waved a dismissive hand. “Until Mr. Denison actually proposes . . . he hasn’t proposed yet, has he, Fiona?”
    â€œNo, Mama,” Fiona said, her smile annoyingly smug upon her pretty face.
    â€œWell then,” Lady Oakland said, “until he does and Lady Sarah accepts, there’s nothing to prevent you from pursuing her as well. With your title taken into account, not to mention that you’ll be the Earl of Oakland one day as well, I think it’s fair to say that you have a clear advantage.”
    â€œHas it not occurred to you, Mama, that Lady Sarah probably has a good reason for considering Mr. Denison?” Christopher asked. “That he’s probably been chosen for her by her parents? Especially if what Fiona says about Lady Sarah’s lack of enthusiasm for the man is true.”
    â€œOf course it’s true!” Fiona looked at him incredulously.
    â€œI can’t imagine Lady Sarah’s reasoning,” Lady Oakland said, “or her parents’ for that matter, but I can assure you that once you show an interest, they’ll welcome your suit with open arms. They’d be fools not to.”
    Which was precisely why Christopher was reluctant to have anything more to do with Lady Sarah. Instinct told him that something wasn’t right about her willingness to marry beneath her station and that involving himself with her would be synonymous with courting trouble.
    â€œAll I’m asking is for you to make an effort to further your acquaintance with her, Kip. See where it goes,” his mother said. She made it sound like such a small request, when it was anything but. “In return, we’ll stop pestering you about finding a wife, won’t we, girls?” All the Heartly daughters nodded their agreement. “Otherwise,” Christopher’s mother continued, delicately brushing a piece of invisible lint from her skirt, “I fear we’ll have no choice but to keep looking for other eligible young ladies for you to consider. After all, it is your duty to marry, so I’d hate to squander the opportunity Thorncliff offers in finding you a potential bride. And before you protest too loudly, you ought to know that your father agrees.”
    Christopher’s mouth dropped open. He was being blackmailed by his own family. A ghastly vision of having all the young ladies who were visiting Thorncliff dragged before him by his mother produced an instant shudder.
    â€œIt’s for your own good, you know,” his mother added, patting him gently on the arm.
    Christopher almost winced. “But what if Lady Sarah doesn’t want to give me a chance?” Good God, he’d lost control of his own future, and all in the space of fifteen minutes if the clock on the mantel was any indication.
    Lady Oakland shrugged. “Then at least you can say you’ve tried. Besides, you’ve always enjoyed a good challenge, and if she’s worth having, she’s also worth fighting for.