Free A Lesson in Forgiveness by Jennifer Connors Page B

imagined this would happen.” The poor woman was now sobbing, for both what had happened to the boy and what would happen to her.
    Ginny went to her side and tried to offer her comfort. She couldn't hug her without opening the blanket and revealing even more of herself to the crowd. Reaching one arm from under the blanket, still clad in the sleeve of Whitmore's jacket, she patted the woman gently. “Do they do that sort of thing often?”
    Looking up into Ginny's eyes, she replied, “They learn how to treat me from their mother and you can plainly see how she treats me. I have been trying to find another position for months, but without a reference from my current employer, no one will hire me.” She spoke so quietly that only Ginny could hear her.
    Turning toward her host, Ginny remarked, “I need to get out of these wet clothes. Miss Jones will accompany me.” Eyeing Whitmore to see if he would object, he merely nodded and they all walked back to the house. Miss Jones bent down and picked up Ginny's clothing and carried them for her. Then they walked ahead and Clarendon caught up to Whitmore's side.
    “Damn interesting woman, wouldn't you say, Whitmore.” His voice sounded angry, which caught Whitmore's attention.
    “Indeed. Why do you sound so ill-tempered?”
    Raising an eyebrow, he simply replied, “Do I?”
     
     
    Clarendon broke off from the group as they approached the house and kept walking toward the gardens in the back. Once there, he wandered among the tulips trying to contain his temper. What was it about that woman , he thought grimly. How does she have the power to make me feel like a schoolboy?
    He was all too aware of how his body reacted to seeing her wet and practically naked. No woman had made him lose his carefully crafted control before. The erotic thoughts that ran through his head, while she whispered to the child who had nearly drown, nearly overpowered him. Did this mean something? Was she the one he should marry?
    Clarendon didn't want a love match. He didn't even want to respect his future spouse. What he wanted was a woman he didn't mind sleeping with long enough to produce an heir, then go about his business as usual. He didn't want his life to change, only to fulfill his obligations as a future duke.
    And yet, over the past few days, he found himself pursuing her. Constantly seeking her out and spending time with her. It was no mystery that he wanted to bed her. If she would only marry some other chap, then he could go about making her his lover. That was the type of relationship he wanted with her. But marry her? When he went about his extra-curricular activities outside the marriage, then she might very well do the same. But for the life of him, he couldn't understand why that should bother him so much.
    So now, he had to find a way to get her more involved with everyone else. The other bachelors seemed to think she was unobtainable, now that he had staked his claim. Things had to change, he had to get her married off as soon as possible. There were so many possibilities from which to choose.
    Suddenly, as he made a second pass of the rose bushes, an idea formed in his head. It was childish, but certainly most of the available gentlemen would be more than willing to partake in a little bet. It was deuced boring in the country, so many would do it just for the amusement. Others would partake to prove their manliness. Either way, it would get the other bachelors to start paying attention to Miss Hamilton and it might just lead her to the altar in record time.

Chapter 8
     
     
    By the time Ginny reached her room, Tabby had already been summoned and was arranging for a bath. Ginny escorted Miss Jones into her room and walked behind a screen that was placed to hide the tub. She went about peeling the wet clothing off her body and handing it to her maid. Her body smelled of the stagnant lake water and Ginny could only imagine what might be lurking in her hair. Not a fastidious woman by