Taming the Beast by Heather Grothaus Read Free Book Online

Tornfield, my apologies for bursting in on you without warning, but I felt I must come to you immediately!” She stopped before the dais, panting, and made a quick curtsey before smiling sweetly in Elizabeth’s direction. “My dear.”
    On the opposite side of Elizabeth, to Michaela’s left, Alan stood, wiping his mustache with a cloth. “Lady Juliette, you are always welcome at Tornfield Manor. You must tell me, what is the nature of your distress?”
    Juliette gave a great, dramatic sigh and held forth her fist, gripping a wrinkled piece of parchment. A manservant ferried the piece from the lady’s hand to Alan’s, who shook it open with an intrigued frown on his handsome, kind face and read it silently.
    Michaela and Elizabeth exchanged looks from the corners of their eyes.
    The dark-haired woman had wandered down the table. “Miss Fortune,” Lady Juliette at last acknowledged. “I trust you are enjoying your boon?”
    Michaela nearly lost her good humor, being reminded of the fairly won gown. Juliette had kept her word and sent the green velvet to the Fortune hold, but when Michaela had opened the package, the gown was nothing more than a pile of strips, having been cut through all the seams and down the skirt and bodice with a very, very sharp blade.
    â€œOh, I’m enjoying it very much, Lady Juliette,” Michaela agreed. Then she lowered her voice to nearly a whisper. “Why, just his morn, I marveled at how soft it feels against one’s bare bottom.”
    Alan Tornfield let loose an abrupt, disbelieving laugh and raised his eyes from the missive. “I can scarce believe it. How did you come by this, my lady?”
    â€œIt was sent to Osprey by Cherbon’s messenger only last month,” Juliette supplied, rushing back to stand before the lord. “And I can assure you by my own vow that it is true—I have just come from Cherbon, and can attest to its sincerity.”
    Michaela saw one of Alan’s noble, sculpted eyebrows raise, as if in sarcastic question.
    Juliette fidgeted and blushed. “Only to see if it was true, of course. And it is!”
    â€œI knew he sought a—well, no matter,” Alan said mildly, folding the missive carefully and tucking it into his belt. “Although I would learn more from your visit.” He turned to look at his daughter and then Michaela. “If you will excuse me, ladies. I’ll return before your bedtime, Elizabeth.”
    â€œMy lord,” Michaela acquiesced, and watched him go, she knew, with longing in her eyes. He was so handsome. And kind, as well, to give that nasty Lady Juliette audience during his mealtime. The very epitome of nobility. And he was so handsome….
    Elizabeth elbowed her sharply in the ribs.
    â€œOw! Minx,” Michaela whispered, and gave the girl a pinch on the arm.
    Elizabeth grinned and then threw her head pointedly in the direction of her departing father. She shrugged her shoulders and raised her eyebrows, looking very much like Alan in that moment.
    â€œI’ve no idea,” Michaela answered.
    Elizabeth pushed her plate away as if the sudden appearance of Lady Juliette had spoiled her appetite.
    Michaela could not help but agree, and dropped her eating knife onto her own platter. Immediately, a servant appeared to sweep away the remains of the meal, and Michaela marveled at her new station in the Tornfield household. Although the Fortunes of course employed servants, they were few, with only a handful of people filling a multitude of positions. Many were the times that Michaela had cleared the Fortunes’ table of the mealtime dishes and delivered them to the overworked and frazzled kitchen staff herself. She did her own cleaning of her chamber, and often helped with the monthly washing. She had no lady’s maid at the Fortune home.
    At Tornfield, she had two. And she’d not so much as stepped foot in the kitchens or wash house