A Dangerous Love by Sabrina Jeffries Read Free Book Online

said, and meant it. After Mama had died bearing Juliet, Rosalind and Helena had tried as best they could to take their mother’s place. At six and nine years old respectively, they’d coddled Juliet with great affection. They still did.
    She was everyone’s darling—and with good reason. At seventeen, the girl already possessed a stunning figure and rich hair of spun gold. The three of them all had the Laverick hazel eyes, but Juliet’s shone as green as brilliant emeralds when she wore the right color. Rosalind’s more often bore a strong resemblance to that dull moss growing on the trees in the deer park, no matter what color she wore. Juliet was far too pretty for an unsavory character like Mr. Knighton.
    “So,” Rosalind remarked, as they approached the stairs, “what do you think of our cousin? What can I expect?”
    Ducking her head, Juliet hurried down. “He’s nice. Very gentlemanly.”
    Eyes narrowing, Rosalind hastened after her sister. “You liked him, did you?”
    Juliet shrugged and quickened her pace.
    “Then you did not.” Aha! Perhaps there’d be no need to expose Mr. Knighton’s secrets after all.
    “No. I-I mean, yes!” She glided down the stairs like a sleepwalking Lady Macbeth. “Oh, I don’t know. He’s all right, I suppose.”
    Rosalind caught up with her and stayed her with one hand. “But something about him troubles you.”When Juliet started to protest, Rosalind pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t pretend with me, dearest. Your face is as easy to read as a child’s primer.”
    That was the wrong thing to say. “I’m not a child,” Juliet retorted in a hurt tone, “and nothing is troubling me. I can do this. Truly, I can.”
    She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself. Rosalind sighed as the girl continued down. When had Juliet become so determined to save Swan Park? For a girl used to floating through life on a dream, she was suddenly very set on martyring herself to Papa’s cause.
    You weren’t much older than her when you took on the task of caring for an invalid father, a desperately ill sister, and a failing estate .
    Yes, well, that was different , she argued with herself. I had no choice .
    Juliet probably felt the same. With a sigh, Rosalind caught up to her sister, resolving to say no more for now. Perhaps it would work itself out. Perhaps Juliet’s fears would convince her to turn off this disastrous course.
    When they reached the lower floor, they fell into a more sedate pace on the balding carpet and headed for the dining room. A man entered the other end of the hall, so tall and solidly built that he blotted out the light from the arched window behind him. After spotting them, he waited at the door to the dining room.
    “Did the blessed creature grow in the night?” Juliet muttered under her breath.
    Rosalind kept her voice low as well. “That’s our cousin?”
    “Yes, that’s Mr. Knighton.”
    She scrutinized the man she’d already cast as the villain of the piece. He didn’t look like a villain. He looked like a field laborer in gentlemen’s clothing,awkward and uncomfortable and wary of his surroundings. Papa’s valet, assigned to Mr. Knighton for the visit, must have tied his cravat too tightly, for the man tugged at it so often he was in danger of unraveling the knot entirely. His clear discomfort had the strange effect of making her feel sympathy for him.
    It did not, however, seem to do the same for Juliet. The young woman lagged behind Rosalind fearfully. For pity’s sake, the man was smiling, which transformed his rawboned features into something almost attractive. So why did he intimidate Juliet?
    As they drew near and Rosalind realized how large he was, a suspicion leapt into her mind. The man was rather gigantic. And Juliet was so very petite…
    “You needn’t bother with him, you know,” Rosalind whispered. “If he frightens you, then—”
    “Someone has to marry him,” Juliet interrupted. Rosalind couldn’t