Rakes and Radishes by Susanna Ives Read Free Book Online

feeling of deep, peaceful relief flowed through him like the day they had set his father’s coffin in the family vault and heaved the heavy marble slabs back in place.
    “What abominable trash,” Lady Kesseley cried. She slammed her book shut with a hard thud, regarded the cover for a moment, then pushed the offensive volume off the desk.
    Kesseley chuckled. “I gather the lady does not care for the book?”
    His mother’s head shot up. Sunlight reflected in her pale, wintry eyes. “Tommie, I didn’t see you!” A deep blush blossomed over her skin.
    “Good lord, what lurid things are you reading?” he teased, bending over to retrieve the book.
    Oh no. He recognized the swirling marbled cover. “Don’t tell me you are reading The Mysterious Lord Blackraven too?”
    “Good heavens, no! Fanny sent me that. How she could dare—” Lady Kesseley halted, and then brushed the curls off her forehead. “I mean, how dare she send me such embarrassing drivel.”
    “I concur. I’m only on page ninety-seven and I keep hoping some right-minded gentleman character will challenge Blackraven to a duel and end my literary misery.”
    His mother let out a little gurgling laugh. “I never knew you liked sensational claptrap.”
    “I don’t. Henrietta recommended it. Actually recommend is putting it lightly. She ordered me to read it.”
    The amusement vanished from his mother’s face. “I thought you were avoiding that girl. You know how I feel about her.”
    Kesseley sighed and resigned himself to the inevitable battle. He returned the abused volume to the desk. “You judge her too harshly.”
    “I do not. I can’t forgive Henrietta for how she treated you. She’s been spoiled since her poor mother died and her father does nothing to curb her selfish and wild behavior. Every time I saw her in the village, I tried to give her some motherly guidance but she paid me no heed. As if I didn’t matter.”
    He didn’t miss the slight quiver in her voice. His father had told her over and over that she was worthless.
    “Now, that’s not true,” he said, laying his hand over her smaller one. “Henrietta thinks the world of you. Everyone does.”
    He gave her fingers a small squeeze and then let go.
    “I have a little problem. Can you help me?” he asked, taking a seat in the ladder-back chair near her desk. He leaned back, lifting the front feet from the floor.
    “Yes, of course.” A bright smile curled her lips. He knew she loved feeling needed.
    “A scholar—a bachelor scholar—is visiting Henrietta’s father and pushing his unwanted affections on her.”
    “I fail to see how this is your problem. She has a father, albeit a rather useless one. Don’t you dare help her. She’s hurt you enough. If this scholar is so bothersome, she should have that cousin of hers take care of him. She’s been chasing him hard enough these past months.”
    Kesseley fingered a loose green thread on his cuff. “The thing is, Edward was caught trying to run away with a Lady Sara. Henrietta is devastated.”
    “No!” his mother gasped. “The Duke of Houghton’s daughter?”
    “I believe so.”
    She paused for a moment, running her thumb along the edge of The Mysterious Lord Blackraven. “Well, I truly feel sorry for Henrietta,” she began, “but please don’t think this is a chance for you to win her affections.”
    Kesseley’s focus shifted from his mother to a figurine of a shepherdess set by the inkwell. “I don’t have those feelings for her anymore.”
    “Yes, you do. You are too much like me when you care for someone.”
    “And how is that?”
    She rose and walked to the window. “Weak,” she whispered. Beyond the glass, Samuel had plopped down on the cool stones under the sundial.
    “I asked her to be your companion in London.”
    “What!” His mother spun around.
    “I thought I could help her.”
    Her eyes widened with horror and then narrowed. “Help her? This was that sly minx’s idea. This scholar