A Valentine Wedding by Jane Feather Read Free Book Online Page B

and again she saw with satisfaction that she’d caught him on the raw.
    “Believe me,” he said grimly, “any man prepared to ignore your shrew’s tongue for the sake of your fortune has to be in the most desperate straits. You’d better learn to sweeten your temper, Emma, if you intend to get a husband in your bed.”
    “By the middle of February,” Emma reiterated, “I shall have a fiancé … and …” She paused, her eyes narrowing. It was high time someone taught Alasdair Chase not to make conceited and arrogant assumptions. She stated coolly, “A fiancé and, sir, a lover in my bed. By the fourteenth of February, thefeast of Saint Valentine,” she stated with a flash of inspiration. Saint Valentine, the patron saint of star-crossed lovers! She gave an angry little laugh. How very appropriate.
    “One and the same? Or are you intending to cuckold this mythical and unfortunate fiancé before the wedding?” He raised a sardonic eyebrow.
    Emma stared him down. “I fail to see what business that is of yours.”
    The taut silence stretched between them. The fire in the grate popped and hissed. Then Alasdair shrugged as if the subject was of no further interest. He reached into his waistcoat pocket and drew out a bank draft. “This should tide you over as pin money until I return.” He held it out to her. “You may have your bills sent directly to me for settlement. Your household accounts also.”
    Emma took the bank draft in nerveless fingers. “I would prefer to settle my bills myself,” she declared. “A quarterly payment into my own account will take care of that.”
    “I think I can best manage your fortune in this fashion.” He uncrossed his ankles and pushed himself away from the dresser. His voice was now coldly matter-of-fact. “I need to be able to move your investments around to ensure the best growth, and it doesn’t make sense that a large sum should be tied up every quarter.”
    He walked to the door. “You need have no fear that I will question your expenditures … unless, of course, you start running up massive gambling debts. I give you good morning, ma’am.” He bowed in the doorway and was gone.
    Emma stared at the closed door in stupefaction. He was denying her even the independence of a quarterlyallowance! It was insufferable that all her bills should be submitted to his inspection. Had he always intended this, or was it in response to that vile and bitter quarrel? It was worse than any they’d had before, and it had led her to issue that challenge … or threat … or whatever it was.
    But she would do it. She would bring a rapid end to the powerful position Ned had given Alasdair in her life. It didn’t matter whom she married. All that mattered was that Alasdair would be out of her life finally and forever.
    However, honesty compelled her to admit that it mattered more whom she took as lover. That was a matter for both vanity and taste. It would have to be someone who appealed to her. She stared into the fire for a minute, wondering if she’d gone completely crazy. Did she really intend to go out and find herself a lover just to spite Alasdair?
    Yes, she did.
Ignoble, perhaps. Mad, perhaps. But he’d tried her too far.
    She began to pace her bedchamber, tearing at a loose fingernail. How dared he assume that she’d remained single and unattached since their engagement was broken because she was pining for
him?
Of all the vain, conceited braggarts!
    But was it the truth? Had she spurned all other suitors because none of them could match up to Alasdair, either as a lover or a companion or a sparring partner? Was it only Alasdair who could inspire every kind of passionate response in her? Only Alasdair who could make her laugh and rage and weep all at the same time?
    Of course it wasn’t that, she told herself with robust determination. And she would prove it to him … and, a little voice niggled at the back of her mind, also to herself.
    But even as he thought this,