Free The Scarlet Bride by Cheryl Ann Smith Page A

Before she could catch herself, giggles broke free as she reached up to rub at the stains. She heard his chuckle and lifted her eyes to his face, their laughter mingling in the small room.
    “When you arrive unexpected, you must accept whatever condition I am in.”
    His chuckle faded to a smile. “I am not disappointed.”
    Beneath her corset, her stomach flipped. His warm eyes reconfirmed his words. He wasn’t the least bit horrified by her condition. It was the intensity of his stare that rattled her emotions. She didn’t need him to gather her into his arms and kiss her to feel a surprising and most unwelcome attraction to this appealing stranger.
    She sobered and cleared her throat. “Don’t come again.”
    “I can’t make that promise.”
    Impatience flared. She glanced over her shoulder. There was no sound of chatter coming from the kitchen. The women likely had their ears pressed to the door. “Men are welcome only at the party. You are breaking Miss Eva’s strict rules.”
    Beneath unruly dark hair, his face sobered. “Then I should leave at once. Miss Eva can be positively frightening.”
    Laura’s lips twitched. The man was a rake. An utterly charming rake. Why couldn’t she hold on to her anger? “Only because she cares.”
    “Yes, she does.”
    Silence fell between them. Then, “Mister Harrington—”
    He interrupted, “The real reason for my visit was to ask you a favor.” He crossed the room and stopped a respectable distance from her. “I have purchased a property in Surrey and it requires renovations and a woman’s eye for decoration.” He leaned back on his heels. “Would you ride out with me and give your opinion on what needs to be done to make it inhabitable?”
    Laura stared. She couldn’t get rid of the man no matter what she tried. “Don’t you have a female relative you can press into service?”
    “I’d ask my sister but she is put out with me at the moment.” He grinned. “Right now she is out searching for highwaymen and pirates.”
    Pirates? Laura let the odd comment pass. “I don’t thinkthat wandering about Surrey with you is a good idea. We would be alone and Miss Eva has her rules—”
    “I promise not to take advantage,” he interjected and rushed to assuage her fears. “I will be a proper gentleman.”
    “I suspect you have never been proper, sir.” She wanted to refuse. Knew she should refuse. However, something inside her felt an obligation to him. If not for his timely arrival that night, she’d have been returned to her nightmare. What he asked of her was small in comparison. She nodded and sighed. “I will help. But you must have me back by nightfall.”
    “It is a promise.”
    Another promise? Why then did she have the feeling she was about to crawl into a bucket of snakes?

Chapter Seven

    S imon was surprised by Laura’s agreement to accompany him. He expected her resistance and lined up several arguments in hope of changing her mind. Thankfully, he didn’t have to use them. Though she wasn’t pleased, she’d agreed, and he was relieved.
    “I can retrieve a carriage if you have an aversion to horses or would like to bring a chaperone.” He hadn’t considered that she might be unable to ride. Clinging to Horse out of fright did not make her a skilled rider. “For the sake of propriety, of course.”
    A cheerless smile tugged her lips. “The maid has gone off to purchase eggs and the courtesans are better off kept away from you. Besides, I am well beyond the age and circumstance where I need to concern myself with propriety. Being a courtesan allows me the freedom to wander about as I wish.”
    Simon grimaced. There was no bitterness in her words, just cold acceptance. How had she come to this? He found that he wanted to know her story—every last detail.
    “You are no longer a courtesan,” he said tightly. Itannoyed him to think of her that way. As if “courtesan” was all she could claim. She was so much more.
    She settled her