The Lady's Disgrace Read Free Page B

what I mean.” He drew himself up. “What is wrong with the man?”
    Too stunned to form words, Abigail just stared at him. Joseph Fox had been her nemesis for years. As a child, she had had such a fancy for him that she had followed him and Drake around until they had become so annoyed with her that they’d tied her to a tree and sent Sybil to tell her mother where she was.
    Despite the differences in their rank, Joseph had continued to hang about Manchester Manor every time both he and Drake were home from University. Joseph had grown into a handsome, virile man—with a bit of a devilish twinkle in his eyes, despite his higher calling.
    The few times Abigail had tried to gain his attention as she’d approached her come-out, he had treated her as a little sister. Although the rejection had stung, once caught up in the whirl of her first Season, with all the balls, gowns, parties, and musicales, she’d forgotten all about her infatuation. Except for the few times they met in the village when he was there to visit his parents. He’d treated her with respect, but his eyes always seemed shuttered, as if attempting to hide something from her.
    Now the man had agreed to marry her. Or had he?
    She narrowed her eyes at her brother. “Have you spoken to Joseph about this?”
    “Yes. He’s downstairs right now.”
    “Here? Downstairs? Right now?”
    “Very good, Abigail. It seems your ability to repeat words and phrases is top notch.”
    She viewed him with disgust. “Say you didn’t summon him all the way from Addysby End to present this ridiculous proposition to him?”
    “No, he is visiting London and was nice enough to call.”
    “He was ‘nice enough to call?’ You mean he just happened to stop in, you invited him for tea, and served up your sister?”
    “That is enough, Abigail.”
    She slumped, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
    “If you will calm yourself, I will explain how it all came about.”
    She shrugged.
    “Redgrave has put you in an impossible situation.”
    She gave an unladylike snort.
    “Through absolutely no fault of your own, your reputation has been tarnished. The way I see it, you can weather the storm, and eventually take your proper place in society. Which, given the ton’s love of gossip, could take a while. Or you can marry someone you like and respect, and have a comfortable life. Love has been known to grow from more tenuous circumstances.”
    “I have no interest, whatsoever, in love. I’ve had my fill of it.”
    “Then this is not so terrible a suggestion?”
    “No. I do want my own home and children. But why Joseph?”
    “Why not? Do you have something against the man?”
    Not wishing to dredge up old feelings of rejection, she shook her head.
    “Then why not consider marrying him?”
    Marriage to Joseph? Indeed, she did like and respect him. But the intimacy of marriage could very easily turn those feelings into something she no longer wanted. The hurt that love had the ability to inflict upon someone was not worth the few heady moments of elation. If she went along with this crazy scheme of her brother’s, she would have to be extremely careful with her heart.
    “What sort of inducement did you dangle in front of Joseph to take me off your hands?” Surely the man who thought of her as no more than a pesky little sister would not freely enter into a lifelong commitment without some type of boon.
    “It was not an inducement as much as a way to solve both of your problems.”
    “I’m waiting.”
    “Joseph wants to open a school for the village children. He is in London to raise money for that very reason. Your dowry would more than cover the cost of the school, as well as provide an income to support the endeavor.”
    “Joseph is opening a school?” Suddenly the idea became more palatable. For some time now, the constant round of parties and balls had become tiresome. Her life seemed to lack purpose. She wanted to do something else with her energy, besides shopping