Free If the Earl Only Knew (The Daring Marriages) by Amanda Forester Page A

said hurtful things.
    “I am sorry, Lady Jane. I hope this is the right choice and you will forgive me one day.” Kate swung the door open.
    There was a woman’s shriek, curses from Sir Richard, and the hasty grabbing of clothing. Kate gave the scrambling couple nothing but a fleeting glance. Her eyes were on Jane, for it was only Jane who mattered.
    Jane’s eyes were wide and her mouth had dropped open in a perfect oval. How would she respond to such unwanted insight? Would she ever speak to Kate again?
    “How could you?” Jane’s voice shook, though from fury or grief, it was hard to tell. Kate wasn’t sure if Jane was about to dissolve into tears or strangle the life from Sir Richard. She hoped for strangulation.
    “It’s not what it looks like,” said Richard, adjusting his pantaloons. He correctly surmised who had alerted Jane and cast Kate a murderous glare.
    The woman finished adjusting herself and smoothed a hand over her hair, which had not one strand out of place—Kate could only guess she had years of practice at the art of maintaining deceptive appearances. Indeed, had they not walked in on the activity, she would not have looked as if she had been doing anything untoward.
    “Now don’t get in a pet, my dear,” said the woman to Jane. “You are very young yet, but even an innocent such as yourself should know how the world works. You really oughtn’t go where you don’t belong, for you will only see things you do not wish to see.”
    “I think it is past time for you to remove yourself,” growled Kate.
    The woman gave them a serene yet superior smile. “I shall see you next week, Sir Richard,” she said over her shoulder.
    Despite Jane being right there, Richard gave her a quick nod. The woman glided out of the room, her beautiful face a picture of poise and confidence. Jane, on the other hand, had gone red and her neck was turning rather blotchy. She took a deep gulp of air as if she were a fish tossed out of the water onto the cold stones of death.
    Kate feared she might have to cause Richard bodily harm for this. While she could not count herself one of Jane’s close confidantes, she was still a friend, and Kate had so few of them, she felt a fierce loyalty to protect her.
    “She’s right, you know,” said Richard, straightening his cravat. “You really ought not go opening doors and sticking your pretty little nose where it doesn’t belong.”
    “The only place I don’t belong is anywhere near you,” cried Jane.
    Kate fought the urge to applaud Jane for standing up to him.
    “Now, don’t get it into that head of yours to do anything rash,” said Richard with an air of contemptuous disdain. “I don’t know what you expected, but this is how it is, my dear. I regret that you saw something you didn’t wish to see, but I think it best that we just forget it happened. In the future, take better care to keep yourself away from places you ought not to go, and I will never mention this again after we’re married.”
    “I do not think you quite understand, Sir Richard. There will be no marriage. There is no way that I would ever consider marrying you now.” Jane ground out the words through gritted teeth.
    “Don’t be such a little goose. Of course we will be married. Honestly, my dear, you have no other choice. I don’t wish to be ugly about it, but you force my hand. If you do not go through with the wedding, I shall sue you for breach of contract.”
    Jane gasped, tears springing to her eyes.
    “That is most unfortunate,” said Kate. “For it means that the only way for us be rid of you is to make you disappear.”
    Richard gave her another look of poisonous contempt. “What are you prattling on about?”
    “My dear man, my brother has spent the past many years as a rather successful privateer. If need be, you would not be the first man he has had to kill.”
    “You cannot threaten me,” demanded Richard, but Kate noted with some satisfaction that he’d gone a shade