Wild Heart by Lori Brighton Read Free Book Online

have forced to be feral.”
    “I see.” Her gaze fell to her lap. “Leo.” She smoothed her finger and thumb over a leaf. “Your grandfather wants you to learn the ways of English society. You are obviously intelligent enough to do so, which leads me to believe you have no desire to learn.”
    He tensed, resisting the sudden urge to flee, to rip the wretched, confining clothes from his body and return to the Continent where it was warm and no one judged him.
    “Leo,” she said softly, her voice pulling him under. “Do you want to learn?”
    “No,” he snapped and stood.
    “But what about your grandfather? What about the castle?” She scampered to her feet. Her lips were parted, her eyes shining with a hurt he was surprised to witness. Even more shocking was the way his body reacted. Why did he have the mad desire to reassure her? He didn’t know this woman, and she didn’t know him. She sure as hell did not have the right to tell him what to do. He stepped around her and started toward Charlie.
    “Well, well. Look who we have here.” The male voice rippled across the garden and scattered whatever patience Leo had left. Just the sound of his cousin’s voice made him want to hit someone.
    Not bothering to respond, Leo picked up Charlie’s rope. He steeled his resolve and turned to face the man who had come to represent all he hated about England. Brown hair that even the breeze refused to touch combed into place. Pale face. Suit impeccably tailored. Amber eyes that sparkled with amusement at Leo’s expense. To make it worse, his cousin had come with two simpering females and another pompous male. The more the merrier.
    Ella shifted her attention from Leo to the small group. She looked unsure and wary of his cousin. Good girl, be very wary of him.
    “And who do we have here?” Henry asked, stopping in front of Ella and studying her body in a way that made Leo want to let Charlie loose.
    “I’m a friend of Leo’s,” she said softly.
    Leo almost rolled his eyes. Friends? They barely knew each other.
    “Friend?” His cousin’s grin turned into a smirk. “I wasn’t aware Leo had any friends. Well, bravo for you, making a chum and a female at that. Of course any friend of Leo’s is a friend of mine.” He raised his brows, and the two nondescript women clinging to his side giggled.
    “Such a pretty little companion too.” He took Ella’s hand and pressed his lips to her fingers. “Call me Henry, my de—”
    Charlie released a low growl, and Henry snapped upright, eyes wide and unblinking. “That thing should be locked away.”
    Charlie lunged at Henry, swiping his massive paw through the air. Henry jumped back, and Leo had to look away to hide his amusement.
    “By God, control that thing. Better yet, let me retrieve my hunting rifle and take care of the situation before he kills someone.”
    Leo knew better than to react, although Ella couldn’t seem to contain her shock and gasped.
    Apparently, Charlie felt he’d done his duty, for the animal collapsed onto the grass and began to lick his front paw.
    “It just wanders about?” one of the women asked.
    Henry’s frown deepened. “Yes, preposterous, but the old man has a soft heart for my dear cousin. Truth be told, Grandfather is just as worried about Leo going insane as I am about that cat attacking.”
    His cousin’s male friend gave a nervous laugh. “Henry, dear boy, can’t he hear you?”
    “Leo? I doubt he understands.”
    “That’s not true!” Ella cried out, stepping forward and making Leo want to sigh in exasperation. She’d been here a day and already she was causing trouble. “He’s not ignorant and your grandfather does not want to lock him up. He never would have hired me…” She trailed off, blushing.
    Henry quirked a brow, his eyes twinkling. “Ah, so you were hired? And for what, pray tell?”
    “Hired her?” the other man laughed and stepped closer to Ella. Her eyes widened like a frightened hare, and Leo’s