Free Sweet Savage Eden by Heather Graham

Knowing your ways, mistress, I would think that you might be most eager. Your brother is extremely rich.” He paused a moment, and a curious softness touched his eyes. “And your sister is charming. Elizabeth. You should meet her.”
    “I will not go there.”
    He leaned casually against the mantel. “Then what will you do? Settle into scrubbing floors and peeling potatoes again?” He grabbed her hand again, lifting it high for her to see its work-roughened flesh. “Is this what you want for your life? To live and die in servitude?”
    She snatched her hand away. “What I do or do not do with my life is none of your concern.”
    “I am simply trying to help. If you are so interested in scrubbing floors, I might speak with my father. He pays his servants very well, and feeds them even better.”
    “Thank you, no. I would not care to serve any relation of yours any more than I would ever care to serve you.”
    “I see. The tavern life suits you. There are always men about to seduce into parting with income for the mere promise in your eyes.”
    “Any man, my lord. Any five, any ten, any twenty—rather than you.”
    They stared at each other, and then the door swung open and Robert reentered the room. “Ah, Jassy, see what we have found!” He had an armful of garments and came to the bench, spreading them out to be surveyed by the other two. “It seems that Lady Tewesbury came through here not long ago. Do you know the story about Lady Tewesbury? I shall tell you. Her first husband died and she married a man who had pined for her for years. Well, this was a stop on their honeymoon tour, a reckless lovers’ tryst in the forest. Anyway, her new husband could bear nothing of her old husband, and so he forced her to leave all her things here!” He glanced at Jamie. “The tavern keeper is willing to dispose of it all at a very modest cost.” Jamie nodded slightly, and Robert went on. “I think that they shall fit you quite well!”
    “Oh, but I can’t—” Jassy said.
    “Oh, but you must,” Jamie said, interrupting smoothly. “Robert, you can’t imagine what I have just discovered. Jassy is the …” He paused, and she wondered what he had first intended to say. “Jassy is the half-sister of the Duke of Somerfield.”
    “What?”
    The garments fell from Robert’s hands, and he stared at Jassy with renewed and keen interest.
    “Alas,” Jamie said, “I wonder if the duke knows of her existence.”
    “I wonder,” Robert murmured.
    “I had thought,” Jamie said casually, “that we should find out. I shall hire a messenger to hurry to my father’s house, and we shall take Jassy straight to Somerfield.”
    “Of course,” Robert agreed. He was still staring at her. His breathing had gone very shallow. He smiled fully, then he let out a little cry of joy. “Somerfield, eh!” Helaughed, then he reached for her hands and began to dance her around the room. Jassy thought that he had lost his mind, but he was so handsome and appealing and young and light with his laughter that she discovered herself joining in. If only Jamie Cameron weren’t over by the fire, watching her with his dark, brooding gaze!
    “Oh, our supper has come at last!” Robert said. He stopped dancing but still held her fingers, and the feeling was delightful. The tavern keeper entered the room with a kitchen boy at his side. He brought a feast of fish, poultry, and meat swimming in a pool of thick gravy. He brought a huge platter of bread and a dried apple tart and tankards of ale. For once, Jassy realized, she was not serving it. She was being invited to dine.
    “Is it all to your liking, Jassy?” Robert asked her, and his blue eyes danced.
    “It is lovely, thank you.”
    She managed to seat herself beside Robert, but Jamie Cameron was still there, across the table from her. And as always, he stared at her, condemning her, his dark gaze piercing into her, making her feel naked to the soul. She tried to ignore him, and she was