The Heiress Bride by Catherine Coulter Read Free Book Online Page A

taste good, too. Now, onward to the drawing room. You must deal with Douglas, since he is the head of the Sherbrooke family.”
    I don’t believe this is happening to me, Colin thought as he strode beside the tall girl with her coltish walk and her tumbled hair. She began to whistle, just like a boy. He started, then just shook his head. He said aloud, “This really isn’t what I expected. I didn’t know you existed until last night, and now here I am in your house and your brother attacked me and I’ve even been in your kitchen.”
    â€œDouglas firmly believed you deserved it. He didn’t know you then. All he saw was this very handsome man holding me up with his hands.”
    â€œThat’s not all I was doing with my hands.”
    Instead of blushing like an English heiress maiden should, she stared at his mouth and said in a very wistful voice, “I know. It was very nice, although it was startling. No one has ever done that to me before. I quite liked it.”
    â€œYou must keep your mouth shut, Joan. The guile I spoke of, it’s a useful thing. You must protect yourself.”
    â€œI can and I do, though there is seldom the need. How old are you, Colin?”
    He sighed and let it go. “I’m twenty-seven. My birthday is in August.”
    â€œI thought you were about Ryder’s age. He’s one of my brothers. You will meet him soon. He’s quite outrageous and funny and charming and quite the philanthropist. He used to hate anyone knowing how kind and good he was because he liked his wicked rake’s image. As to my youngest brother, Tysen the Holiness we call him, I will protect you from his vicaring, which is what Douglas calls hisprosing on and on about good deeds and the many paths to hell and such. But he is my brother and I love him despite his narrow vision of things; and then there is his wife, Melinda Beatrice. Ryder said two names were too many, and besides she has no bosom.”
    Colin could only stare at this outpouring. “I’ve never met a family like yours before.”
    â€œNo,” Sinjun said comfortably, “I expect not. My brothers and sisters-in-law are wonderful. All except Melinda Beatrice, and she’s really a bore, to peel the bark off the tree. Do you know they’ve been married four years and have three children? My brothers are forever twitting Tysen about unvicarlike potency and lack of control and overloading Noah’s ark with all his offspring.”
    They had reached the drawing room. Colin turned to her and smiled. “I won’t attack your brother, I promise. Hands in pockets.”
    â€œThank you. I also hope that my mother keeps herself absent until after you’ve left. I must deal with her gently but firmly, and that will require having Douglas on my side first.”
    When he remained quiet, Sinjun turned and asked, “Do you want to marry me, Colin?”
    He looked thoughtful. “I want to meet your mother first. It is said that daughters become the very image of their mothers.”
    Sinjun, aghast, poked him in the arm. “Oh dear,” she said. “Oh dear.” When he laughed, she poked him again and dragged him into the drawing room.
    She said to her grim-faced brother and a smiling Alex, “Now we shall do things properly. This is Colin Kinross, the earl of Ashburnham. He is twenty-seven years old and he is considering marrying me, Douglas, so you see it was all right for him to take, er, liberties with my person.”
    â€œHe was caressing your bottom, dammit! A man only does that to his wife.”
    â€œDouglas!”
    â€œWell, he was caressing her, Alex. Was I to stand there watching the bounder seduce my little sister?”
    â€œNo, of course not. I apologize for not quite understanding the situation. Drubbing him was exactly the proper thing to do. Ah, here’s Drinnen with tea. Do come in. Sinjun, you and Colin please sit over here on the