Three Graces by Victoria Connelly Read Free Book Online Page A

the situation. She glanced at Richard who gave her a look as if to say, I won’t blame you if you run away right this minute.
    ‘Cecily, Evelyn,’ he began, ‘Carys is going to be my wife, yes.’
    Carys swallowed hard. The term wife was alienating enough; the title marchioness would be odd in the extreme, but the position of mama was positively daunting.
    She bit her lip. ‘And I’m hoping you two will be my bridesmaids,’ she suddenly said, wondering how she’d come up with such a bribe. Well, it had worked wonders with Louise.
    ‘Can we?’ the younger girl said.
    The older girl, whose expression seemed set in stone, said nothing.
    Richard knelt down and took the little girl’s hands in his. ‘Of course you can be a bridesmaid, Evie.’ He turned to face Cecily. ‘And you can too, my love.’
    Cecily didn’t say anything but remained resolutely silent.
    ‘Now,’ Richard said, ‘hadn’t you two better get ready for lunch?’
    Cecily and Evelyn nodded in unison and left the room.
    Richard stood back up to full height and dared to turn round to Carys.
    ‘I meant to tell you earlier,’ he said, his face creasing in anxiety.
    Carys’s eyebrows rose. ‘Don’t tell me, they slipped your mind.’
    ‘Of course they didn’t. It just didn’t seem to be the right moment.’
    ‘Didn’t seem right to warn me that I’d be taking on two step-daughters?’
    ‘Well, you won’t really. They have a nanny and a tutor. You don’t have to have anything to do with them if you don’t want to.’
    ‘What do you mean?‘
    ‘I mean, they’re well looked-after.’
    Carys frowned. ‘But they’re children, and I’m going to become their surrogate mother. What kind of a woman do you think I am?’
    Richard sighed.
    Carys shook her head. This was going badly. ‘Look,’ she said, ‘they’re adorable. I’m sure we’re all going to get on really well. It’s just - well - they’re a bit of a surprise.’
    ‘Then you’re still going to take me on?’
    Carys couldn’t help but smile even though her head was spinning. ‘Of course I am! But don’t go presenting me with any more surprises.’
    ‘Okay,’ he said, his face flushing with relief. ‘But there are two more surprises.’
    ‘What?’ Carys said, envisioning mad wives in the attic.
    ‘Mother and father.’

    Nothing could have prepared Carys for the Duke and Duchess of Cuthland. Before entering the dining room, Richard took her through to an ante-room filled with dark, oppressive tapestries.
    ‘So,’ a gruff voice greeted her. ‘This is Miss Miller, is it?
    Carys stepped forward.
    ‘This is Carys, father, mother. Carys, please meet my father and mother.’
    Carys held her hand out to shake the duke’s. He wasn’t as tall as she had expected but he was solidly built and had the kind of expression which made one feel instantly ill at ease.
    He shook her hand, crushing her fingers into a slim sausage. ‘Carys. Welcome to Amberley,’ he said, doing his best to avoid eye-contact.
    ‘Pleased to meet you, your grace,’ she said quietly.
    ‘How do you do, Miss Miller?’ the duchess said, stepping forward. She was slightly taller than her husband and stood with the grace of a ballerina, her slender frame and elegant clothing making her look as if she’d stepped out of the pages of a glossy magazine. She had raven-dark hair which was thick and lustrous and swept up into a perfect chignon. Carys also couldn’t help noticing the most exquisite amethyst broach she was wearing - its jewels winking darkly at her.
    ‘Very pleased to meet you,’ Carys said with a smile. ‘Your grace,’ she added quickly. Oh, dear. Had she lost brownie points even before sitting down to lunch?
    ‘And you,’ her grace said simply, quietly and with very little emotion as she shook Carys’s hand.
    ‘Great,’ Richard said, clapping his hands together as if thrilled that the formalities were over. ‘Shall we go in to lunch?’
    The duke and duchess led the way into