Good Earl Hunting by Suzanne Enoch Read Free Book Online Page A

all?
    When Annabel nudged her shoulder, she blinked. “Beg pardon?”
    “I asked if you told Vashton that I enjoy riding, and that mama’s been letting me plan the household meals for nearly a year.” Belle furrowed her perfect, slightly-arched eyebrows. “And you shouldn’t go walking so much. You’ll end up with man legs if you keep that up, and no one will want to marry you.”
    Ha. Someone already did. “I wasn’t hiking the Lake District, Belle,” she retorted. “It was just a stroll around the pond.”
    “Fine. I didn’t mean to insult you.” Her sister sighed. “It’s only that after luncheon Lord Vashton went upstairs to take a nap. After he came all this way to meet me, I haven’t even had a chance to do more than wish him a good morning.”
    “He came all this way because he was invited to a fox hunt,” Theodora countered. “And if you want to know if he likes you, ask him.”
    “Oh, as if I would be so bold.” Abruptly Belle stopped. As her hands were wrapped around her sister’s arm, Theodora was forced to halt, as well. “What in the world is wrong?” the twenty-two-year-old demanded. “Has someone else caught his eye? It’s not Rachel Henry, is it? Oh, I should have realized when she stole the seat next to him at luncheon. I knew we should never have invited her. She’s always been jealous of me, as if I have any say over the color of my eyes or my height.”
    Was it insulting that Annabel had never considered her own sister to be a romantic rival, or was it a compliment to her supposed loyalty and integrity? She didn’t feel in great possession of either one, at the moment. “What about Vashton?” she asked aloud.
    “What do you mean, ‘what about Vashton?”
    “I mean, it takes two to make a match. A hundred women could make eyes at him, but he has to like one of them back if anything’s going to happen.”
    “You do know something,” Belle returned, narrowing her pretty emerald-colored eyes. “He fancies someone. Who is it? Has he declared for her? Do I still have a chance to win his affections?” She seized Theodora’s arm again. “If there’s been no declaration, then nothing is settled. Is she here? Is that why he’s come?”
    Theodora squeezed her eyes shut for a heartbeat. This was not a conversation she could have. Not at this moment. “Just stop asking me questions, will you?” she snapped, yanking her arm free and striding for the front door. “If you want to know something about Lord Vashton, ask Lord Vashton, for heaven’s sake!”
    Her sister likely thought she’d gone mad, but as she stalked upstairs to her bed chamber to change for dinner, Theodora didn’t care. She hadn’t gone looking for Geoffrey Kerick. He’d told her that he liked her. So why did she feel like a criminal? How could she have stolen a man from Belle if Belle had never had him in the first place? And why the devil was she stuck in the middle of all this?
    Halfway into her room she changed direction and stomped down the hallway past a handful of surprised guests to Geoffrey’s door. Squaring her shoulders, she took a deep breath and pounded on the sturdy oak door.
    It opened, and a short, balding man leaned his head out. “Lord Vashton is changing for dinner and cannot be disturbed,” he said, his voice and mouth pinched. “He will be down shortly.” Before Theodora could utter a word, he closed the door again.
    For a moment Theodora stood there looking at the door. Abruptly she noticed the other half dozen people lurking in the hallway directly around the earl’s door – the rats to Geoffrey’s Piper, she assumed.
    Well, that hadn’t gone as planned. And if she barged in now, within five minutes everyone would know. But if he sat beside her at dinner after doing the same at luncheon, even Belle would have difficulty ignoring the obvious.
    Considering how much time she’d spent watching her sister and her polished friends, she also knew what would happen next; she would