Yankee Earl by Shirl Henke Read Free Book Online

Jason. “Oh, I have not minded my manners, have I?”
           Rachel stood back out of his line of vision, taking in the whole scene. The lad bowed like a most proper court gentleman toward the viscount, then looked up at Cargrave, saying, “Good evening, Grandfather.”
           “Grandfather?” Jason echoed, raising his eyes to meet those of the marquess questioningly.
           “And, pray, why not?” the marquess said fondly, patting the boy's back.
           “Grandfather said that since he was your grandfather and I was your foster brother, it was only logical that he was my foster grandfather.” Fox's large black eyes shifted worriedly between the old man and Jason.
           Jason could read the self-satisfied smirk in the marquess' eyes. “Yes, Fox, our grandfather is a most logical man…and a devious one.”
           Fox nodded, once more at ease. “Does that mean he cheats at chess? He does, you know,” the lad blurted out, then flushed with embarrassment and stammered, “I'm sorry, Grandfather. I did not mean that to sound badly.”
           The Marquess of Cargrave struggled to smother his guffaw with only partial success as Jason fixed him with a baleful glare, saying, “Truth is truth, Fox. He always cheats.”
           By this time Cargrave had controlled his brief spurt of mirth. Taking the lad by his shoulder, he directed Fox's attention to Hugh Fairchild. “We must mind our manners, son. This is Viscount Harleigh, my very good friend, Hugh Fairchild.”
           Fox bowed again with the smoothness of a trained courtier. But when the marquess turned the boy to face Rachel, Fox's polish evaporated like mist in sunlight. His eyes, already large and glowing, seemed to grow to twice their size and his mouth opened in wonder as he beheld the gleaming vision in peach silk who now stood before him. In her high-heeled slippers and with a mass of curling chocolate hair piled high atop her head, she was almost as tall as his hero, Jason. And she was so very beautiful that when she smiled at him while Grandfather made introductions, all he could do was stammer and gape until Jason prodded him gently into making his bow.
           Rachel studied the beautiful child whose sinuous long-legged body and finely chiseled features gave a hint of the striking man he would one day be. Another arrogant American like Jason Beaumont? She hoped not as she smiled warmly and said, “Master Fox, I am delighted to meet you.”
           Fox's face once again flushed hotly as he blurted out, “You must be the most beautiful lady in all England! And America, too!”
           The two older men smiled indulgently at the boy, but only Jason noted the way the compliment seemed to affect Rachel. She looked startled, and he detected a faint flush steal up her throat to stain her sun-gilded face. Did she not know she was beautiful? He observed her with interest as she spoke to Fox. She was not conventionally pretty, certainly. Her features were more strong and handsome than the round-eyed, dainty sort currently in favor. Her coloring was off, too, by the standards of the ton, but her skin glowed like honey and her thick chocolate-brown hair begged for a man to run his fingers through it.
           Jason caught himself in horror. He was falling right in line with his scheming grandfather! Damned if he would wed the she-cat, even if he did fancy those long legs wrapped around him. Need of a woman was certainly no cause for matrimony. His troubling ruminations were cut short by his grandfather's announcement to Fox.
           “Miss Fairchild is to be your brother's bride.”
           “You mean you're going to marry her, Jace?” Fox asked in awe, still staring at Rachel.
           She and Jason exchanged troubled looks. What could they say that would not disappoint or confuse the boy?
           “That is a matter for the adults to decide, young man,