Winning the Viscount’s heart (Regency Romance) (Regency Lords Book 2) by Regina Darcy Read Free Book Online
Authors: Regina Darcy
family! Your family has ruined me! It is my turn to ruin you!” he shouted.
“Whatever my wife’s father did,” Mr. Knight replied in a cold and stern voice, “this is not the fault of anyone present here, least of all my daughter, you scoundrel. You are unworthy of the title gentleman.”
“I will have my revenge,” the Count continued to rant. “I swear it.”
At this point, Lord Blackwood did something out of character. He struck the Count across the face, hard, with the back of his hand.
“That is quite enough from you, sir,” Lord Blackwood said. “You are lucky I am too much of a gentleman to teach you the lesson you so sorely deserve!”
The Count looked like he was going explode. Instead he jumped into his carriage and ordered his groomsman to drive off. His plan was ruined, and there was nothing to be done about that.
CHAPTER 10
2 Weeks Later
Emmeline was feeling quite overwhelmed with everything that had happened. The events of the past few weeks felt like something out of a bad dream or nightmare.
She was walking with Lord Blackwood in the garden behind her home, discussing his latest discovery of the Count de Coligny’s motivation to harm her and her family.
“As it turns out,” Lord Blackwood explained, “my contacts have found out a fair bit about the Count de Coligny’s background. His father and your grandfather had been in business together. When the business failed, they lost a lot of money.
Your grandfather was a rather intelligent man and had many other investments, but the Count’s father had not been so shrewd, and he lost a lot more than your family did. He did not take this well. He blamed your grandfather for taking away his family’s wealth and decreasing it significantly, and he fed this poison to the Count. This was what he was trying to avenge. Something that, frankly, did not deserve to be avenged at all.”
“What an awful man,” Emmeline said. “I can’t believe that I fell into his trap. I feel like such a dimwit. I am so utterly embarrassed.”
“You have no reason to be,” Lord Blackwood replied. “He is a very manipulative man; he has a way of making people see him the way he wants them to see him. I am just grateful we arrived in time.”
“How did you even find us?” Emmeline asked.
“We went to the Count’s estate, assuming that was where you were most likely to go. Upon reaching his residence, we discovered from the manservant that he had left just recently. I remembered that he had spoken of getting married in Gretna Green. Hence, your father and I started to ride in that direction at once.”
Emmeline stopped walking and looked at Lord Blackwood.
Ever since her near ruin, she could not converse with any man besides her brother and father. Behind each face all she saw was deceit. Her nerves had been in tatters. All that time though, Lord Blackwood had been at her side. Visiting her every day until she regained her spirits.
She appreciated his silent strength and pleasant disposition.
“Lord Blackwood,” Emmeline said. “I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me. You were always there; you were always trying to protect me. Even when you had no reason to, you chose to protect me. I am sorry for treating you so horribly when you only had my best interest in mind. Will you forgive me?”
“There is nothing to forgive, Miss Knight,” Lord Blackwood replied. “And I would not be so presumptuous as to think that now I shall be the recipient of your affection. I assure you, what you are feeling right now is gratitude.”
“I beg to differ,” Emmeline replied passionately. “I have never been more certain where my true feelings lie.”
Lord Blackwood looked at her, and Emmeline realized this was the look that she had been waiting for all her life. This was the look of a man who truly loved you.
And in that moment, Lord Blackwood was hard pressed to resist the enchanting sight of Miss Emmeline Blackwood. The
“Whatever my wife’s father did,” Mr. Knight replied in a cold and stern voice, “this is not the fault of anyone present here, least of all my daughter, you scoundrel. You are unworthy of the title gentleman.”
“I will have my revenge,” the Count continued to rant. “I swear it.”
At this point, Lord Blackwood did something out of character. He struck the Count across the face, hard, with the back of his hand.
“That is quite enough from you, sir,” Lord Blackwood said. “You are lucky I am too much of a gentleman to teach you the lesson you so sorely deserve!”
The Count looked like he was going explode. Instead he jumped into his carriage and ordered his groomsman to drive off. His plan was ruined, and there was nothing to be done about that.
CHAPTER 10
2 Weeks Later
Emmeline was feeling quite overwhelmed with everything that had happened. The events of the past few weeks felt like something out of a bad dream or nightmare.
She was walking with Lord Blackwood in the garden behind her home, discussing his latest discovery of the Count de Coligny’s motivation to harm her and her family.
“As it turns out,” Lord Blackwood explained, “my contacts have found out a fair bit about the Count de Coligny’s background. His father and your grandfather had been in business together. When the business failed, they lost a lot of money.
Your grandfather was a rather intelligent man and had many other investments, but the Count’s father had not been so shrewd, and he lost a lot more than your family did. He did not take this well. He blamed your grandfather for taking away his family’s wealth and decreasing it significantly, and he fed this poison to the Count. This was what he was trying to avenge. Something that, frankly, did not deserve to be avenged at all.”
“What an awful man,” Emmeline said. “I can’t believe that I fell into his trap. I feel like such a dimwit. I am so utterly embarrassed.”
“You have no reason to be,” Lord Blackwood replied. “He is a very manipulative man; he has a way of making people see him the way he wants them to see him. I am just grateful we arrived in time.”
“How did you even find us?” Emmeline asked.
“We went to the Count’s estate, assuming that was where you were most likely to go. Upon reaching his residence, we discovered from the manservant that he had left just recently. I remembered that he had spoken of getting married in Gretna Green. Hence, your father and I started to ride in that direction at once.”
Emmeline stopped walking and looked at Lord Blackwood.
Ever since her near ruin, she could not converse with any man besides her brother and father. Behind each face all she saw was deceit. Her nerves had been in tatters. All that time though, Lord Blackwood had been at her side. Visiting her every day until she regained her spirits.
She appreciated his silent strength and pleasant disposition.
“Lord Blackwood,” Emmeline said. “I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me. You were always there; you were always trying to protect me. Even when you had no reason to, you chose to protect me. I am sorry for treating you so horribly when you only had my best interest in mind. Will you forgive me?”
“There is nothing to forgive, Miss Knight,” Lord Blackwood replied. “And I would not be so presumptuous as to think that now I shall be the recipient of your affection. I assure you, what you are feeling right now is gratitude.”
“I beg to differ,” Emmeline replied passionately. “I have never been more certain where my true feelings lie.”
Lord Blackwood looked at her, and Emmeline realized this was the look that she had been waiting for all her life. This was the look of a man who truly loved you.
And in that moment, Lord Blackwood was hard pressed to resist the enchanting sight of Miss Emmeline Blackwood. The