The Madcap Marriage by Allison Lane Read Free Book Online Page B

the world.”
    “It wasn’t easy,” she admitted. “I first met my cousin a month ago when he returned from the Peninsula. I refused his hand. If I’d suspected this new plan, I could have escaped sooner.” She pushed the quilt down to her neck and steeled herself to ask for her stays.
    “We haven’t time for modesty.” Rafe’s smile sent tingles along her nerves. “Get up, Helen.”
    “Can’t you—”  She twirled her finger.
    Sighing, he turned his back.
    Ignoring her headache, she jumped down and pulled her gown on, then slipped her stays in place beneath it, holding them up with her left arm. The gown wasn’t much protection, for it gaped in the back, and the skirt bunched around her arm, but each layer made her feel better.
    “I need help with the lacing.”
    “I know.” His voice turned seductive, making her nerves tingle. Warm hands burned through the thin shift as he expertly laced her up. No maid could have worked faster. It spoke volumes about his experience.
    “Relax,” he murmured. “I can enjoy touching without ravishing you.”
    She didn’t trust her voice to respond. By the time he’d fastened her gown, her heart hammered wildly. There was no hiding it, for the kisses he trailed up the side of her neck paused with his lips on her pounding pulse. His breath melted her bones.
    A moment later, he calmly straightened. “What about your hair?”
    She had to swallow twice before she could speak. “Have you a comb I can borrow?”
    “There’s one in my shaving stand. Be careful you don’t open that cut again.”
    She touched the bump and flinched.
    He lifted her hand away. Gentle fingers probed the wound. “The swelling remains, though not as extensive. There is no bleeding now, but your hair is matted. I was serious about the stitches. Even with care, it will take weeks to heal.”
    “It’s too late for stitches, Rafe. Once a cut scabs over, nothing can be done. But as long as it doesn’t start bleeding again, it should be fine.” Turning, she met his gaze. “You haven’t grasped the gravity of my situation, Rafe. My uncle is obsessed. He wants Audley Court more than life itself, and he will do anything to get it.”
    “Anything?”
    She nodded. “This is not a recent problem. His lust for Audley is part of a lifelong rivalry with my father. That turned to hatred after Papa refused to cover his gaming debts.”
    “Many men carry grudges.”
    “I don’t doubt it. But this has gone far beyond a grudge. He needs Audley to pay his creditors, so he convinced himself that it should have gone with the title. He’s already talked the trustees into violating Papa’s orders. I cannot give him a chance to do it again. Papa knew that if his brother gained control, he would milk Audley of every shilling and lose most of it at the tables. The tenants would suffer badly. I must protect them, but I can’t do it lazing about here.”
    “I agreed to call at the bank. But once that is done, you must stay in bed. For now, be careful not to tug on the wound lest it break open. And take your time. Paul won’t have breakfast out for another half hour. He has to fetch it from an inn two streets away.” Rafe left the bedroom.
    Helen traced the swelling. Rafe hadn’t exaggerated its extent. If seeing her trustees was any less urgent, she would take his advice. But that was not possible.
    At least he listened to reason, unlike most gentlemen. Her father had turned stubborn when his will was crossed. Dudley became vicious. Steven ignored anything he didn’t like. Was Rafe’s tolerance real, or was he humoring her?
    She washed her face, then began untangling her hair – leaving it down for the night had turned it into a Gordian knot.
    Had she convinced him to stay alert?  Steven would be livid about losing the prize he’d long considered his own. And Dudley was more than capable of violence. If Rafe came to harm because of her, she would never forgive herself.
    Defending Audley Court was her