Lady In Disguise (The Langley Sisters) Read Free

his check and give him a surprisingly sturdy hug.
    Petite with red hair, the Duchess might appear angelic yet she had a backbone of pure iron when required. She loved her husband and family passionately and Will was relieved to see no censure in her eyes when she looked at him.
    “His name is William but everyone calls him Billy,” she added.
    “William? Did you doubt I would return?” he questioned her, yet it was directed at his brother.
    “It is a dangerous world out there, Will, and we had no idea in what part you resided or if, indeed, you lived or died. Joe and I wanted our son to carry your name in case you did not return.”
    “I’m sorry,” Will said. “It was never my intention to hurt you, any of you.”
    “And yet you walked away from here without word, William, and stayed away for years, never once sending so much as a note to let us know your situation.”
    The words were spoken quietly yet Will heard the anger in them. His brother had no intention of forgiving him any time soon for his departure.
    “I have no defence against your words, Joseph, everything you say is true.”
    Surprise flashed across the Duke’s face briefly, he had expected Will to argue with him.
    Penny squeezed Will’s hand before going to her husband and slipping her arm around his waist. Joseph unbent enough to do the same, pulling his wife closer.
    “It is late now, and Thea needs her bed, therefore the reunion will wait until the morning, William,” Joseph said.
    “Oh but—”
    “Go to bed, Thea, we will talk tomorrow.” Will kissed the top of his sister’s head and then urged her from the room.
    “Alders will have your room ready by now, therefore I bid you good night, William.”
    He watched the Duke and Duchess leave the room, the later throwing him a final wave before passing through the door ahead of her husband.
    “Goodnight, Joe.”
    Will knew his brother heard him, as his footsteps faltered briefly, but he did not stop.  

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
     
    Olivia Langley gritted her teeth as Jenny, the family’s housekeeper, poured something that burned like fire over her shoulder.  
    Dear God she’d robbed William Ryder!  
    Lying face down on her bed Livvy gripped the blanket with both hands. Desperation had forced the Langley sisters out into the cold tonight in the hopes that they could steel enough money to survive, and of all the people who could have stepped down from that carriage it had been Lord William Ryder, the man she had once loved.  
    “I should have put a stop to this foolishness before it began!” Jenny said.
      Livvy heard her sister Phoebe soothing the housekeeper as thoughts tumbled around inside her head. She felt numb, even the chill from hours spent outside could not penetrate it. They had stolen money from an innocent man and no matter how dire their circumstances Livvy didn’t think she would ever forgive herself.
    “It had to be done,” Phoebe said, reading her thoughts.
    “I know we had no other choice, Phoebe, yet I still struggle with the guilt.”
    “And the shock of who we robbed, sister. I know seeing Lord Ryder after so long has upset you.”
    It had upset her because Livvy always believed that when she saw him again she would be prepared, yet how could you prepare yourself to see the man you loved whilst pointing a gun at his head.  
    “Tis wrong for gently-bred young ladies to go about dressed as hoydens brandishing pistols!”
    “We’ve talked this over, Jenny.” Livvy sighed, suddenly feeling older than her twenty-two years. “Phoebe and I believe this was the only course of action open to us. After our cousin sent that letter stating he would no longer support us financially, everything changed.”  
    The sisters had sold anything of value in the house over the past few months, even their father’s precious hunting pictures, but the money had soon gone.
    “The tonic Bella needs to ease her pain is expensive, and now that you’ve told us