Free The Dangerous Lord by Sabrina Jeffries Page A

change this week to pay the vails at the Worthins.”
    Felicity gritted her teeth. “I’m not paying the vails.” When Mrs. Box’s face mirrored both horror and disapproval, Felicity added, “I’ll never return there, so what do I care if the servants think ill of me when I leave without giving them a farthing?”
    The woman gave an exasperated sigh. “Child, you can’t go on this way. If you’d just set your cap for some young chap at the Worthin’s—”
    â€œâ€˜Find a nice gentleman to marry’—that’s your only solution. I’ve tried, you know. But no acceptable man marries a penniless woman with four brothers to raise, and the unacceptable ones are…well…unacceptable.”
    â€œYou mean unacceptable by your grand standards,” Mrs. Box said with a sniff.
    â€œAnd whose standards should I use? I’d be the one living with the wretch and sharing his bed—not you or the boys.” If she could find someone to love, perhaps…But no, mendidn’t marry women like her for love. They married blazing beauties or delicate flowers or fine-boned china dolls. Not sharp-tongued spinsters.
    Not that she wanted to marry, she told herself testily. No indeed. “There are only so many things I’ll sacrifice for my family, and my happiness isn’t one of them. As long as Mr. Pilkington pays me regularly and doesn’t quibble about what I write, I shall continue to produce my column and earn what I can from it.”
    â€œA pittance. It barely staves off your father’s creditors. They’re startin’ to doubt me when I lie about your father leavin’ you an inheritance. How long can I keep them believin’ that your inheritance is slow in comin’ to you legal-like?”
    Mrs. Box had come up with the useful lie about the “inheritance” after they’d first discovered that she and the boys actually had an inheritance of one hundred pounds per annum, an old carriage, and a mountain of debt. Of course, James had inherited the house, which was entailed upon his heir, if he ever had one, and the house was mortgaged to the hilt. So far Mrs. Box’s lie had kept their creditors at bay, but how much longer could that work? Yet if her choice were to marry for money…
    â€œOnce those nasty wretches get wind of how lackin’ in funds you really are,” Mrs. Box went on, “you know they’ll swarm over this place like flies, forcin’ you into bankruptcy. Your brother will lose the house that your poor father designed himself.”
    Tired of the old argument, Felicity slammed the trunk shut. “If that happens, the boys and I shall join the circus.”
    â€œBe serious, luv. You must start plannin’ for the future.”
    What future? She had none. They both knew it, though she wasn’t ready to face it yet. “I tell you what,” she said lightly. “Rumor has it that Lord Worthing used to be a pirate. While I’m at his estate, I’ll ask him to put in a good word for us with his fellow miscreants. The boys wouldmake good pirates, don’t you think? Swaggering about with sabers in their belts and climbing the rigging…”
    â€œLord have mercy, the navy would surely stand up and take notice of that.” Mrs. Box crossed her arms over her ample chest. “What you ought to ask Lord Worthin’ is if one of his friends needs a wife.”
    â€œYou mean his pirate friends?” When Mrs. Box glowered at her, Felicity added impishly, “I shouldn’t mind marrying a pirate, you know. As long as he bathed regularly and kept his wooden leg well polished. Or perhaps I could find one with an eye patch—”
    â€œEnough of your nonsense,” Mrs. Box grumbled. “All I’m sayin’ is, if Lord Worthin’ and his wife like you well enough to invite you to their estate—”
    â€œThey only invited me