The Devil Who Tamed Her by Johanna Lindsey Read Free Book Online Page A

ignore her—”
    “I heard that,” Ophelia snapped as she reached him. “And I will not be ignored!”
    The caretaker hurried off to do as he’d been told. Ophelia immediately turned and ordered her maid, “Stop him from unhitching my coach.”
    The maid was starting to look outraged herself by now and, with a curt nod, marched off after Bartholomew with a determined look in her eyes. Raphael knew it wouldn’t do any good, but he wasn’t going to stand there in the cold and wait for her to find that out.
    With a sigh, he extended an arm, indicating for Ophelia to follow him inside. “If you’ll calm down, I’ll explain fully, Ophelia, I promise you, just as soon as we can find a moment alone. You’re not going to embarrass my aunt with the scene you’re sure to make. So a little patience, if you please, because I’m going to thaw out first. You might have been comfortably warm on the way here, but I certainly wasn’t.”
    He headed toward the parlor, where he was sure his aunt had gone. Ophelia’s hiss stopped him. “Don’t you dare walk away from me again!”
    He glanced back at her. “Did I mention patience?” he said drily. “I’m sure I did.”
    “What makes you think I have any? I don’t, you know. None a’tall.”
    “Then I suppose that is something else we’ll need to work on, and we can begin immediately. Pay attention, Ophelia. You will come into the parlor here, sit down, and remain quiet until the rest of the house is opened up and everyone is situated.”
    “And if I don’t?”
    “Well then, I just may keep to myself the reason why you’re here. Come to think of it, an explanation isn’t necessary—”
    “This is ridiculous!” she cut in. “Keep your bloody explanations to yourself. I’m going home!”
    She turned about to leave and nearly collided with her maid, who had returned, mumbling, “The caretaker wouldn’t listen to me. He’ll only follow his master’s bidding.”
    Raphael heard the low growl that Ophelia emitted with that news. He smirked, “Which of you would have driven the coach if my man had been obliged to ignore my orders?”
    Ophelia swung back around and glared at him. He shrugged and added, “If you’d like an explanation, and there is a perfectly good one, I’d suggest you do as I say, because I really don’t have to explain myself in order to accomplish what we’re setting out to do. Of course, that would leave you in the dark, floundering your way through, but I’m sure you can manage.”
    “You can’t be serious!” she gasped.
    “Patience is a virtue. Since you don’t possess any—patience or other virtues for that matter—we’ll let this one be the first you learn. Practice, m’dear, beginning now.”

Chapter Eight
    O PHELIA WAS STILL FUMING. T HE viscount was out of his mind! Why had no one mentioned that to her sooner?
    Ophelia glared at Raphael’s back as he stood in front of the fireplace, warming his hands. She might as well not even be in the room, he was ignoring her so completely. She’d sat there in the parlor, practicing patience, for what seemed like an hour now, without saying a single word to anyone.
    Esmeralda had been taken to her room upstairs as soon as it was heated. She’d only had a few words to say about Ophelia’s seething silence before she left.
    “Don’t pout, gel, it doesn’t become you. Play your cards right and you’ll come out the winner here.”
    What did that mean? She didn’t ask because Raphael was in the room. She would find out later when she could speak with the older woman alone, because she obviously knew what was going on. Did Raphael’s aunt condone what he was doing? It would seem so, but Ophelia hoped not. She could use someone other than Sadie on her side. But until he gave her that promised explanation, she was going to remain silent, even if it drove her mad with frustration.
    The two maids had been shown to the servants’ quarters. Sadie had returned to tell her that her room