Jacquie D'Alessandro by Who Will Take This Man Read Free Book Online Page B

back.
    Albert narrowed his eyes. “If ye ask me, this curse is mighty suspicious-like. Maybe this Greybourne bloke is makin’ it all up so he don’t have to get married.”
    Meredith slowly shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
    “Yer just too trustin’, that’s all,” Albert said.
    “I’m not saying I believe in this curse. In truth, I’m not quite sure exactly how I feel about it. As incredible as it seems, I somehow find I cannot discount it. And there is no doubt in my mind that Lord Greybourne believes in it absolutely.”
    “Well, that just proves that the bloke’s half daft.” Albert pointed his index finger at her. “I think ye should stay away from him, Miss Merrie. I don’t trust him one bit. And in the meanwhile, don’t ye worry none about funds. I’ll take on some nighttime labor, maybe down at the docks. Or we can resettle somewhere else, somewherewhere the gossip ain’t been heard. Maybe somewhere near the sea like we always talked about. We’ll get by, just like always.”
    “Of course we will,” said Charlotte. “I can take on some sewing—”
    “I don’t want for us to just get by .” Meredith’s chest tightened, and she clenched her hands to tamp down the panic threatening to overwhelm her. “We’ve worked too hard, too long. I cannot, will not, allow this situation to destroy my good name, respectability, and reputation. The chance for a secure future for all of us. For Hope. And the only way to ensure that it does not ruin anything is to make certain that Lord Greybourne marries Lady Sarah.”
    “Well then, we’ll just make certain that that’s wot happens,” Albert decreed, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. “Why, we’ll just offer to help Lord Greybourne find his missin’ rock, and before ye can say ‘Brummel’s a dandy’ we’ll have this problem fixed and the bloke married off.”
    A tired smile tugged at Meredith’s lips. Dear Albert. Somehow, when she hadn’t been looking, he’d grown into a tower of strength. Certainly a far cry from the sick, broken child she’d found discarded in the gutter, left for dead. Here she was supposed to be taking care of him, but now it appeared he was taking care of her, bearing her troubles upon his broad shoulders.
    He rose and limped across the carpet to her, then wrapped a strong arm around her shoulders. “We’ve faced worse than this, Miss Merrie, and come through all right. Why, if it’s necessary, I’ll dress meself up like a bride and marry the bloke meself.” He squeezed her shoulders and shot her a wink, and because she knew he was trying to cheer her up, Meredith forced a smile.
    Slanting a sideways glance toward Charlotte, Meredith asked, “I believe Albert would make quite a lovely bride, don’t you, Charlotte?” She reached out and playfullypinched Albert’s cheeks. “After all, he’s so very handsome.”
    Meredith felt Albert tense at her teasing question, and Charlotte’s face blazed crimson. But then her dear friend merely shrugged and said, “Lovely or not, I suspect that at some point Lord Greybourne would notice there was something amiss with his bride. How long do you think it would escape his notice when his wife’s beard began to grow?”
    Albert stroked his clean-shaven jaw. “Hmmm. Yes, that could present a problem.” His expression sobered and he clasped Meredith’s hands. “I’ll not have ye worryin’ ’bout something ye cannot change, Miss Merrie. We’ll try to find this stone, and if we do, well then, the bloke and Lady Sarah will marry and all will be fine. And if we don’t find the stone—”
    “I’ll be ruined.”
    Albert’s expression turned fierce. “Never. Nothin’ could ever dim ye in my eyes.”
    “Nor mine,” Charlotte added softly. “Nor Hope’s.” She rose and hugged Meredith. “Albert is right. This will all work out fine. And if it doesn’t, we’ll leave London. Go somewhere new. Start again.”
    Meredith forced a smile and hugged