Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance) by Sarah Thorn Read Free Book Online Page A

yet, ” Teddy said. “But we’ll have it done tonight and by tomorrow morning, you shouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.”
    “Not for a while anyway .” Jake laughed.
    “All right, thanks. I’ll see you in the morning then.”
    He came back to Elizabeth and gently touched her elbow to direct her toward the front door. “I have a sister that is about your size. Or she was when I saw her last. I’m fairly certain she will be able to provide some dresses for you until you feel up to going into town to buy some of your own. I will buy them for you. I…I will be a good husband for you.” He was embarrassed and sure he wasn’t saying the right things. He didn’t want to appear foolish to her, but he knew he could easily love her if she wanted him to.
    She went into the house first and liked what she saw as soon as she went inside. The furniture in the living room was almost new. There were bright colored paintings hung in every room but the kitchen. Tyler had laid down an assortment of rugs with varying designs, and a tremendously large mirror was placed directly across from a grand fireplace with marble outlay.
    “I’m working on the inside of the house right now, too.” There was a hint of pride in his voice, and it made Elizabeth smile.
    “This is beautiful already, Tyler. You have good taste.”
    She felt his hand squeeze her elbow, and it sent a jolt of excitement through her. She pulled in her breath and looked up at him to see if he noticed. He was looking at her. She smiled. “How soon can you have your sister bring me a dress?”
    “They live close by, ” Tyler said. “But she keeps some of her clothes here for when she comes to help out. She knows she’s going to get dirty, so she likes to have something here to change into.”
    “That is wonderful!” Elizabeth was excited to get out of her fancy gown. “Where are her clothes?”
    “I’ll show you.” He began to run up the steps, and she followed quickly behind him, lifting her long skirt so that she could keep up.
     
     

Chapter Three
    The first week of her new life was the hardest she thought she had ever spent. She had arrived on a Saturday, spent Sunday with Tyler at the small church in town and had met her sister-in-law, Barbara, Barbara’s husband, Jerry and their infant son, Kyle. Tyler had taken her shopping at the general store and purchased her several dresses and underclothing, as well as two pairs of pants. The thought of wearing pants scared Elizabeth. They represented hard work that she was not used to .
    And a style she definitely was not used to .
    The Monday that followed the Sunday’s rest began what she considered her week of torture. Her muscles hurt so much that first night and all through the next day, she wanted to just cry all the time. Tyler had gotten her up at the break of day and made her breakfast. She knew that he would be expecting her to do that from now on and was only being nice. Then he’d taken her out to the garden, where Elizabeth thought she would be tending to the produce he had planted. But instead, he had her help him repair the garden gate.
    She’d discovered she wasn’t nearly as strong as she thought she was, she had zero coordination, moved much slower than he did and was generally annoyed by the whole “work” thing. Splinters went into her fingers, she broke out in a sweat from the effort (the first time ever for her) and ruined the new clothes he had bought for her right away, slipping in a muddy spot near the gate.
    She complained throughout the day and threw herself into bed that Monday night in complete misery.
    Tyler hadn’t said one negative word to her. She had noticed that by the time Barbara came by on Wednesday with the baby to see how the two of them were getting along. She bounced 6-month-old Kyle in her arms as she talked to Elizabeth, who was taking a break at mid-day to eat and drink some cold water.
    “You look exhausted already, Elizabeth. I know it’s hard work.