A Notorious Love by Sabrina Jeffries Read Free Book Online Page A

the one consolation of being called a Swanlea Spinster, that dreadful nickname society had given them, was that she shared the title with Rosalind. She’d always assumed that Juliet would marry someday—the girl was too pretty to do otherwise—but Rosalind was to have been her companion in old age. Now she was alone once more.
    “They ought to enjoy their stay on the continent,” Mr. Clancy babbled on. “The weather’s fine for travel this time of year.” He leaned forward to wink at her—actually wink at her. “Besides, newly married couples never notice a drop of rain or two—”
    “How long have you worked for Mr. Brennan?” she broke in before he could speculate on what newly married couples did notice.
    The clerk adjusted to the abrupt change of subjectwithout blinking. “Nigh on two months now. Before that, I worked at Knighton Trading. But when Mr. Brennan set up his own office in August, I was awful proud he gave me the job as his clerk.”
    August? Directly after his disastrous visit at Swan Park? Surely Mr. Brennan hadn’t parted ways with Griff over that. Yet she couldn’t imagine his leaving Knighton Trading simply because Griff was marrying. That made no sense.
    Mr. Clancy warmed to the subject of his employer. “Mr. Brennan has fine prospects ahead of him, fine prospects, to be sure. Long before he set up for himself, he increased the fortunes of many a man with his advice. Indeed, if your ladyship has funds to invest on the Exchange, you couldn’t do better than Mr. Brennan for an adviser.”
    “I shall bear it in mind.” She could well imagine where an unprincipled devil like Mr. Brennan had gained such knowledge and in what shady concerns he would invest her money. No, thank you.
    Suddenly she heard voices in the hall, and Mr. Clancy leaped from his chair, hurrying around his desk and across the room to the coat rack, where he gathered up a gentleman’s many-caped box coat and beaver hat. Seconds later, a well-dressed young man of obvious refinement entered the foyer, followed closely by Mr. Brennan.
    Despite herself, Helena’s pulse quickened at the sight of the burly Mr. Brennan. It was that wretched dream, of course, making her react to him like a silly girl. She must put it out of her mind at once.
    She tried to guess from his expression if he’d found out anything, but he didn’t even look at her. He was too busy playing the man of business with his client.
    And looking very much the part. He’d replaced hisfustian coat and trousers from yesterday with a tailcoat of dark brown kerseymere, buff leather breeches, and a striped waistcoat, all of which were remarkably well-tailored. He looked attractive, even gentlemanly.
    But none of the other attributes of a gentleman were in evidence. As always, the illusion of good breeding on Mr. Brennan was as thin as the veneer of oils on a painting; a mere scrape of a knife would expose raw canvas beneath.
    And no canvas was rawer. His speech and manner proclaimed his true character, brash and ungoverned. Instead of tempering his opinions as a man in his position ought, he voiced them freely. Amazingly, his client did not seem to mind. Then again, Mr. Brennan’s familiar manner did have a certain appeal. It always had.
    A tiny part of her wished she could be like that—say and do as she pleased without thought to the consequences, without worrying about Mrs. N’s rules. But look where such recklessness had led Juliet.
    She would not make the same mistake. Besides, Mr. Brennan was reckless enough for both of them.
    “I’ll invest the funds this very day, Brennan,” his client said as Mr. Clancy handed him his coat and hat. “Knighton must have been mad to let you go. But his loss is my gain, eh, old fellow?”
    “Just be sure to look over that other proposal.” Mr. Brennan spoke in a brusque and confident tone. “Your gain will be trebled if you invest in that coal mine in Wales, your grace.”
    A duke, for heaven’s sake. One of his