Strictly Forbidden by Shayla Black Read Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shayla Black
with your wife?”
“Miss Melbourne would never do that! She is loyal to our common cause. Truly, you
have misjudged my fiancée.” James shook his head at Gavin. “My higher calling to God’s
service is the one area of my life of which I am certain. I know this is the right thing to do. Please understand.”
“So you plan to give up your bachelorhood in supreme sacrifice to God?”
James brushed a wisp of fair hair from his forehead, his blue eyes both sad and resolute.
“I believe God put Miss Melbourne in my path so I might save her. And saving her is
exactly what I intend to do.”
Chapter Three
“This travesty has gone too far!”
Kira turned to the sound of her brother’s agitated voice, carried by the late morning
wind. With long strides, Darius marched across Norfield Park’s green lawns. The sun
hid behind a hazy gray sky, portending a storm. In keeping with the weather, his mouth
had a grim cast.
“Good morning.” She ceased walking until he reached her side. Clasping her hands before
her, Kira watched his vigorous approach, hoping the subject darkening his mood was
the weather, or even Mrs. Howland’s chilly inhospitality. But Darius’s thunderous
expression gave her little hope.
“The hell it is,” he snarled.
She sighed. “Darius, don’t— ”
“Don’t what? Defend you when people speak ill of you?” He scowled. “James is a good
man and you are deserving of his gentle attention and care. But I vow to you his cousin
needs a swift pounding of his face.”
So Cropthorne had managed to rouse Darius’s ire, besides her own. “His grace is rather…”
“Arrogant? Presumptuous? Lacking in judgment?”
She repressed a smile, knowing she ought not to encourage Darius in this rage.
The wind whipped a loose strand of her hair across her mouth, and Kira brushed it
aside. “I meant to say daunting, but I may be persuaded to your way of thinking.”
Darius grunted in disgust. “I overheard the pompous ass in the breakfast room with
James moments ago.”
“The duke has returned from London?”
That realization set Kira’s blood running with a tingled rush of anxiety. She’d rather
hoped he’d be gone at least another week , enough time to establish some bond with James’s mother. As it was, Mrs. Howland had
scarcely spoken to her, except with contempt in her eyes. She’d also hoped for more
time in deciding how to deal with Cropthorne and the disturbance he had on her peace
of mind. Her odd awareness of him unsettled her. He affected her in a way she did
not understand.
“Indeed,” Darius replied, “and from the sound of it, he did nothing but dig into this
nasty scandal while in Town. The jackass even did his utmost to convince your fiancé
to cry off.”
Kira swallowed, fear suddenly chilling her. From the moment James had insisted she
meet his family before they wed, she’d feared they would hate her, scorn her mixed
heritage , and believe the worst of her. Almost from their first meeting, Kira had suspected
Cropthorne would try to persuade James to end their betrothal. But to hear it stated
as fact unnerved her.
“What did Mr. Howland say?” Apprehension colored her voice no matter how hard she
tried to avoid it.
“Thankfully he remains steadfast to you, sister. But I do not think his grace accepts
his cousin’s decision. You have not heard the last of the mischief from Cropthorne.”
With a shaky nod, Kira agreed with Darius’s assessment.
“Cropthorne apparently learned of your birthmark from Lord Vance’s gossip, but he
told James he verified its existence. Might his grace have paid your lady’s maid— ”
“I truly think Kitty is loyal, Darius. Perhaps the duke lied to convince his cousin.”
“Perhaps. Or it’s possible one of the duke’s servants learned of it, I suppose.” Darius
swiped a frustrated hand across his face. “Why did you ever plan to elope with Vance
without
“Miss Melbourne would never do that! She is loyal to our common cause. Truly, you
have misjudged my fiancée.” James shook his head at Gavin. “My higher calling to God’s
service is the one area of my life of which I am certain. I know this is the right thing to do. Please understand.”
“So you plan to give up your bachelorhood in supreme sacrifice to God?”
James brushed a wisp of fair hair from his forehead, his blue eyes both sad and resolute.
“I believe God put Miss Melbourne in my path so I might save her. And saving her is
exactly what I intend to do.”
Chapter Three
“This travesty has gone too far!”
Kira turned to the sound of her brother’s agitated voice, carried by the late morning
wind. With long strides, Darius marched across Norfield Park’s green lawns. The sun
hid behind a hazy gray sky, portending a storm. In keeping with the weather, his mouth
had a grim cast.
“Good morning.” She ceased walking until he reached her side. Clasping her hands before
her, Kira watched his vigorous approach, hoping the subject darkening his mood was
the weather, or even Mrs. Howland’s chilly inhospitality. But Darius’s thunderous
expression gave her little hope.
“The hell it is,” he snarled.
She sighed. “Darius, don’t— ”
“Don’t what? Defend you when people speak ill of you?” He scowled. “James is a good
man and you are deserving of his gentle attention and care. But I vow to you his cousin
needs a swift pounding of his face.”
So Cropthorne had managed to rouse Darius’s ire, besides her own. “His grace is rather…”
“Arrogant? Presumptuous? Lacking in judgment?”
She repressed a smile, knowing she ought not to encourage Darius in this rage.
The wind whipped a loose strand of her hair across her mouth, and Kira brushed it
aside. “I meant to say daunting, but I may be persuaded to your way of thinking.”
Darius grunted in disgust. “I overheard the pompous ass in the breakfast room with
James moments ago.”
“The duke has returned from London?”
That realization set Kira’s blood running with a tingled rush of anxiety. She’d rather
hoped he’d be gone at least another week , enough time to establish some bond with James’s mother. As it was, Mrs. Howland had
scarcely spoken to her, except with contempt in her eyes. She’d also hoped for more
time in deciding how to deal with Cropthorne and the disturbance he had on her peace
of mind. Her odd awareness of him unsettled her. He affected her in a way she did
not understand.
“Indeed,” Darius replied, “and from the sound of it, he did nothing but dig into this
nasty scandal while in Town. The jackass even did his utmost to convince your fiancé
to cry off.”
Kira swallowed, fear suddenly chilling her. From the moment James had insisted she
meet his family before they wed, she’d feared they would hate her, scorn her mixed
heritage , and believe the worst of her. Almost from their first meeting, Kira had suspected
Cropthorne would try to persuade James to end their betrothal. But to hear it stated
as fact unnerved her.
“What did Mr. Howland say?” Apprehension colored her voice no matter how hard she
tried to avoid it.
“Thankfully he remains steadfast to you, sister. But I do not think his grace accepts
his cousin’s decision. You have not heard the last of the mischief from Cropthorne.”
With a shaky nod, Kira agreed with Darius’s assessment.
“Cropthorne apparently learned of your birthmark from Lord Vance’s gossip, but he
told James he verified its existence. Might his grace have paid your lady’s maid— ”
“I truly think Kitty is loyal, Darius. Perhaps the duke lied to convince his cousin.”
“Perhaps. Or it’s possible one of the duke’s servants learned of it, I suppose.” Darius
swiped a frustrated hand across his face. “Why did you ever plan to elope with Vance
without