Free The Beautiful One by Emily Greenwood Page A

Black.
    â€œAnna,” Lizzie said, staring at them quizzically, “what about the owlet?”
    â€œHe’s safely reunited with his family.”
    Lizzie’s eyes widened prettily, a look that Will supposed was meant to draw attention to her blue eyes and long lashes. Doubtless it generally had quite an effect on males.
    It occurred to him then that his niece would likely be thinking of marriage soon. If only he had an appropriate female relative to help her. That person should have been his stepmother, Judith, but that would be wrong. He didn’t trust Judith, nor did he respect her. Lizzie didn’t deserve such a fate.
    Though neither did he imagine how he would bring a young lady out in society. Definitely something he wasn’t prepared to think about.
    â€œIt was fortunate that Grandville was here to save you, Anna, wasn’t it?” Lizzie said. “You might have been badly hurt.”
    â€œYes,” Miss Black replied without much enthusiasm, turning slightly in his direction, as if just then recalling he was there. Ha. As if either of them could have forgotten what had just passed between them.
    Lizzie looked surprised at her governess’s tone and gave her a discreet, somewhat admonishing shake of her head. Miss Black turned fully toward him, the mutinous look just disappearing from her brow as she adopted a pleasant tone.
    â€œPerhaps, my lord, after Lizzie and I have tidied up, you will join us for luncheon?”
    Probably one of the most insincerely extended invitations he’d ever received, and he knew exactly why she was offering it when what she wanted was his head on a platter. Anna Black did her duty—or what she perceived it to be.
    His ward smiled earnestly at him, trying far too hard to catch his eye. Will ignored her and settled his gaze on the base of the tree.
    â€œI cannot, though I thank you,” he said.
    â€œDisappointing,” Miss Black said. “Then we shall look forward to seeing you at dinner. And I should like to discuss some new supplies for the schoolroom. The atlas alone is from 1740.”
    â€œI’m sorry, but I shall be otherwise engaged for dinner. I do ask, though, that should you come upon any other homeless wildlife—a hapless porcupine, perhaps a wayward cobra—you will allow nature to fend for itself. Good day.”
    * * *
    Lizzie turned to Anna, despair pinching her beautiful features. “He won’t even look at me,” she said in a husky voice. “He doesn’t like me at all. He really doesn’t.”
    â€œI think it’s more the case that his lordship is accustomed to keeping to himself. Try not to take his behavior as a personal slight,” Anna said, even as she willed her pulse to stop racing. Standing so near him had made her remember him undoing her bonnet ribbons. Considering how she’d felt about being made into the Beautiful One, she would have thought she’d hate a man touching her or even being near. But that wasn’t how she’d felt at all.
    She told herself that she’d been the only one who’d found the ribbon-untangling a sensual experience, that he’d merely been performing a service out of remorse. But she knew that wasn’t true. She’d seen attraction in his eyes from the first moments of their meeting on the road.
    She thought of what she’d seen in his eyes the night before—the pain, the anger, the remorse. And the barest wisp of playfulness, though he gave it little indulgence. But it was there, and it hinted at something deep down that was decent. She felt certain now that under his hardness was a kinder man he didn’t want to let out. Far better for her that he didn’t.
    â€œBut everybody likes me,” Lizzie burst out.
    Anna arched an eyebrow at her, and Lizzie’s eyes lofted upward in exasperation. “Well, I mean that gentlemen always do.”
    Lizzie knew her worth in the eyes of men, but that