Not Quite Darcy by Terri Meeker Read Free Book Online

for some obscure location. Any rural-sounding place at all. “The Shire,” Eliza said with a tone that made it almost sound like a question. “My people come from the Shire.” Sure, it was in Lord of the Rings  but only because Tolkien was referring to a real place. Right? Unless hobbits were invented in the post-Victorian era. God, this was exhausting.
    â€œWhich shire do you mean?”
    Under usual circumstances, she might be able to name half a dozen English locales with “shire” in the title. Romance novels were full of them. Circumstances were most unusual, unfortunately. In her current panicked state, her mind was a blank slate. Damn those Repairmen, for getting her into this. Damn Lancaster and…
    â€œYork! Shire. Yorkshire!”
    Her burst of enthusiasm seemed to hit him broadside and he looked at the floor. A lock of brown hair fell across his eyes and he brushed it away absent-mindedly. “Ah, lovely. My uncle hails from Yorkshire and I’ve spent a great deal of time up north. Might I inquire what area of Yorkshire are you from?”
    Eliza sucked in another deep breath. Conversation about her life was a friggin’ minefield and she seemed to be stepping in all the wrong places. Name of a town in Yorkshire. Any British-sounding name here. Romance novels talked a lot about Gretna Green, but she was fairly certain that was in Scotland. The only solidly English town name she could recall in her muddled state was Shakespeare’s birthplace: Stratford-Upon-Avon.
    â€œYorkshire-Upon-Pudding,” Eliza blurted.
    He looked at her, stunned.
    Yorkshire-Upon-Pudding? Passing off Kurt Cobain as a Victorian poet? It was time to close down this little circus act before she got herself into even deeper trouble.
    â€œI’m feeling quite tired, Mr. Brown. I’m sorry for…all this.” She made a sweeping gesture and stepped toward the door.
    â€œAh, well then. Yes. I shall wish you good evening, Bessie,” he mumbled, opening the door for her.
    â€œGood night, Mr. Brown, sir.” She turned and bobbed a curtsy at him.
    â€œShould you wish to use the library, please feel free to do so, Bessie. Mother no longer takes an interest and it would be a shame if I were the only one to avail myself of it.”
    â€œThank you. That would be great.” Eliza gave him a broad smile. A slight blush tinted the sharp angle of his cheekbones as his eyes flashed downward.
    â€œYou might wish to take this with you.” He held out the Browning book, his eyes still studying the carpet.
    She took it from his hands, and he stepped backward.
    â€œThen I should bid you good evening, Bessie.”
    â€œAnd you, Mr. Brown,” Eliza returned in a voice that sounded so Victorian to her ears that she gave herself a little mental pat on the back.
    As she fled to the safety of her room, she had to admit that the night’s adventure hadn’t been a complete bust. Though she’d gotten into some tricky conversational waters, she hadn’t blown her cover.
    William Brown was a far cry from the dashing young lord she’d hoped for, but there was more to him than she’d initially thought. If William was somehow key to her mission, to the American she had yet to meet, she might only have to find out what he hid behind his mask and she would find the solution to her mission. Trouble was, he seemed to sense she held a few secrets of her own.
    Clutching her small poetry book, she made her way back down the hall to her room, emotionally and physically exhausted.

Chapter Five
    William did not sleep. Insomnia wasn’t unusual for him; his mother was ill and he’d endured many sleepless nights at her side. This night, however, had nothing to do with tending to a sick patient and everything to do with his unusual conversation with the new family maid. Her being an American, he would naturally have expected some differences, a few eccentricities. He