The Reluctant Duke (A Seabrook Family Saga) by Christine Donovan Read Free Book Online

well.
    But Isabella
had been ten-and-three at the time. Now, at the mature age of ten-and-eight,
and with some knowledge of what transpired inside brothels, Isabella blushed
profusely and threw things at him when he reminded her of her wish.
    Finally Thomas
organized thoughts in his head and allowed them to exit his mouth. “Your
situation is much different from what Miss Austen’s was at your age. You have a
large dowry and a trust fund. You come from a wealthy family and now a noble
one. You have no need to tax yourself writing novels.”
    Thomas watched
her intently as she turned her reticule over in her lap, digesting that
information. One foot tapped in a nervous rhythm on the wood floor of the
carriage. Her chest rose and fell with her deep breathing, obviously to
maintain a level of control. Several times she opened her mouth to speak only to
close it again.
    He did not know
Miss Hamilton well, but something told him she was angry beyond mere words and
was struggling to maintain her composure. He thought to compare her to others
her age in the ton .
    Most girls her
age—not all—were silly, empty-headed debutantes whose only purpose was to make
a good impression when introduced to society and to marry well. Miss Hamilton,
on the other hand, seemed not at all interested in making a good impression.
For some reason, though it irritated him on one level, he found conversing with
her to be refreshing.
     “Please speak
you mind. As I told you before,” he said, waving his arm around the inside of
the coach, “you are family.”
    Thomas politely
ignored the ungentlemanly snort from Myles.
    “If it is
acceptable to you, Your Grace, I will take your opinion and think it over.”
    That was it.
She had nothing else to say? Oh, well, it was probably for the best. Thomas
could not encourage her to write novels or take seriously her declaration never
to marry. It was just as well the matter was settled now.
    “I would like
to bring up another subject which has me curious,” Thomas began. “Why have two
burly men been following us in a phaeton?”
    Emma visibly
winced, and all color escaped her face. “Papa hired Jerome and Sully to guard
me whenever I leave Miss Beauregard’s.”
    “Why?”
    “To keep me
safe,” she replied.
    Thomas stole a
look at Myles and then turned back to Miss Hamilton, his brows raised. “Why, I
ask again?”
    Miss Hamilton
clearly did not like this topic. She refused to look at him. Her head bowed,
she watched her hands intertwine with each other on her lap.
    When she
finally answered his query he had to lean forward to make out what she
whispered. “Papa was afraid I would be taken for ransom again. I was kidnapped
down by the docks when I was seven. It took three days before Papa found me and
had the men responsible arrested. He was always afraid I would be taken again,
so he hired Jerome and Sully to protect me.”
    Thomas sat
back, closed his eyes, and tried to relax his tense body. It was not unknown in
this day and age that criminals kidnapped children of wealthy parents in
England for ransom. Apparently it happened in America as well.
    Dear God. His
heart sped up. What must she have endured?

 
    CHAPTER
FIVE
     
    Nine long months
spent in America, and Thomas still struggled with indecision. Was it best to
sell off Hamilton’s whole fleet of whaling ships and all properties Hamilton
had held? Or should he keep Mr. Walsh on as manager of the business related to
the whaling industry and keep the holdings? Regardless of his decision, he
planned on keeping one of the homes. He considered one a gem––a sea captain’s
hip-roofed colonial, complete with widow’s walk. It was by far his favorite.
That house sat high on a bluff where the views were spectacular and rivaled
some from his country estate in England.
    The furnishings
were not to his taste. But quite nautical in theme, they suited the property
perfectly. This was where Thomas spent most of his free time in