The Masked Heart (Sweet Deception Regency #2) by Karla Darcy Read Free Book Online

obligingly. "Forgive my shortness of temper. Tell me your story and I promise not to interrupt."
    Robbie smiled gratefully and then launched into his story. "I first saw Fleur in the village. I cannot tell you how impressed I was with her grace and beauty. She was with her governess and a young boy whom I later discovered was her brother. I did not approach her but we did exchange smiles. A week later I saw her on the road to the west of Fairhaven. She had been out riding and was very properly accompanied by a groom. Her horse had taken a stone and I stopped to see if I could be of some assistance. As before, I was much struck by her. She has a sweet innocence and a gentleness of manner."
    Robbie paused and from the glazed look in his eyes, Drew could tell that his brother was once more seeing blond curls and violet eyes.
    "When I discovered that she lived so near to Fairhaven, I asked if I might call. She hesitated and then explained that her aunt was not well so that they were not receiving. Since, by then, her groom had taken out the stone and the horse did not turn up lame, I had no excuse to even accompany her home. But quite naturally, I could not leave it at that."
    Robbie finished his brandy and placed the glass carefully back on the table. He looked across at Drew and was relieved to find his brother's austere features set in an encouraging expression.
    "I asked various people in the county if they had acquaintance with the Meriweathers but no one did. It seems that when the aunt first had come to the area she had been less than sociable, so the family is little known. Fleur is only just eighteen and is not out in society. At any rate, I did understand the general vicinity of her daily rides and so over the next several weeks I was able to run into her quite by accident. Sometimes she was able to get away without her groom and we were able to meet in the old mill on the edge of the village which was a decided improvement since it has been extremely cold this winter."
    The conniving chit had set her trap well to enmesh the trusting Robbie. First refusing to allow him to meet her obviously disreputable family and then by letting him know how he could find her. And finally meeting with him secretly. Was there ever such an innocent? Drew muttered. "How long has this been going on?"
    "Three months."
    "Good God, Robbie! Have you compromised the wench? Is that what this is all leading up to?"
    "Devil take it, Drew!" Robbie rose to his feet with a roar. "Fleur is not that kind of a woman!"
    "They are all that kind of woman," Drew answered cynically. Then he waved a hand at the red-faced man across from him. "Sit down. Sit down. If I have misread this situation, my apologies. But get to the point, lad, before I succumb from apoplexy. I will take your word for it that Fleur Meriweather is an innocent maiden. What then is the problem?"
    Robbie resettled himself after refilling his snifter from the cutglass decanter. Color rode high on his cheeks but he was back in control as he continued. "We were forced to these clandestine meetings because the aunt was never well enough to receive guests and would not approve of Fleur having callers. The old woman keeps her close and does not permit her to go out in company. Neither one of us liked the idea of meeting secretly but we did enjoy each other's company. I will admit, to my shame, that at first I was only interested in a light flirtation but I soon realized that she was too fine a person for me to offer her such an insult. Little by little I discovered that I had quite lost my heart."
    Drew suspected that unless he took a hand in the discussion he would be regaled once more with the wondrous charms of the lovely Fleur. Clearing his throat to gain his brother's attention, he asked, "And, Fleur? Is her heart also engaged?"
    For the second time in their unusual interview, Drew saw a wave of distress cross his brother's features. When Robbie raised his eyes, he could see the uncertainty