To Love a Lord by Christi Caldwell Read Free Book Online

sooner plead for her post at Mrs. Belden’s than send ’round a request for assistance from the Duke of Ravenscourt. The Marquess of Waverly, in all his infinite coolness and icy disdain, had ordered her gone. Granted, he’d permitted her the use of his chambers—
    A knock sounded at the door.
    She stiffened, but then the handle turned and a small army of servants hurried into the room. Jane widened her eyes and shock slapped her as they carried forth an enormous bath. In short order, the contingency of the marquess’ servants filled the porcelain tub with steaming buckets of water and then ducked from the room.
    A lone young woman bearing a large silver tray of food entered on the wake of their speedy departure. The woman caught her eye and gave a smile. Another kindly servant. Despite the precariousness of her situation, Jane managed to return a grin.
    “I am Cora,” the young lady greeted as she set the tray down on the small secretaire. “Is there anything else you require, Mrs. Munroe?”
    “Jane,” she corrected automatically. She was not different than these people. In fact, she’d wager by her dependence upon her father’s assistance in finding employment, she was inferior to any one of the marquess’ servants who attained their posts by merit. “Please, just Jane, and no, there is nothing else I require.” That is unless you have any ability to drum up a miraculous position in a safe household for the next two months.
    The woman’s smile widened. “Very well, Jane.” With a slight curtsy, Cora took her leave, closing the door quietly behind her.
    Steam poured off the top of the bath and beckoned Jane over. She sank to her knees alongside the porcelain piece and rested her arms along the side. He’d turn her out. He would send her back to Mrs. Belden’s, having judged her worth on a conversation not even fifteen minutes long. Jane skimmed the tip of her fingertips along the smooth surface of the water. Her determined visage reflected back in the shimmering ripples. He believed her spiritless and easily cowed? He thought to send her away in the morn? Well, the ostentatious nobleman would find out tomorrow just how spirited she, in fact, was and then let him try to turn her out.

Chapter 5
    S eated behind his office desk, Gabriel consulted the neat, meticulous lines of the open ledger. He dipped the tip of his pen into the crystal inkwell, marked an additional column, and then tossed his pen down. The landholdings had proven far more successful under his careful attention. He rolled his shoulders, even as his lips pulled up in a hard smile. His father would have been pleased. Such a thought was enough to make a man let all that carefully crafted success go hang.
    Yes, he’d like to see all legacies left by his evil sire rot and all the while he would revel in that destruction. If it weren’t for the siblings who’d been dependent upon them.
    A knock sounded at the door and he raised his gaze to the doorway. “Enter,” he barked.
    His butler appeared. “My lord,” he greeted, a serious set to his weathered face.
    Gabriel frowned. The man had been in his family’s employ since his youth. He’d stayed on, loyal and, on occasion, scuttling his depraved employer’s children off and shielding them. Yet, Joseph refused to quit his post. “Did you see Mrs. Munroe received my note this morning?” he asked, climbing to his feet.
    “Er, yes, my lord,” he said and stepped out of the way as Gabriel took his leave of the office.
    “And you had the carriage readied?” he asked as the man fell in to step alongside him. He recalled the lady’s crystalline eyes, the most interesting part of the bland creature, snapping with fury.
    Joseph inclined his head. “I did, however—”
    “I take it Mrs. Munroe was less than pleased with being sent away.”
    The old servant scratched his brow. “I would venture you are correct, my lord. However, there are several matters I would speak with you on.” They