To Seduce a Bride Read Free Page B

eventually joined a settlement of Arab tribesmen.
    â€œSo she did. But she was significantly older than you.”
    â€œI am one and twenty, old enough to take care of myself.”
    â€œSo…you won’t marry because men often make their wives unhappy,” Claybourne said slowly, as if testing the theory in his mind.
    â€œYes. First you make us too infatuated to think clearly, so we give over all control to you, and then you make our lives a misery.” Unconsciously Lily ground her teeth. “I think it abominable that husbands have the
legal
right to be villainous toward their wives. I am not about to give any man that power over me.”
    To her surprise, Claybourne leaned forward and raised a hand to touch her cheek. “Who hurt you, angel?” he asked quietly.
    Discomfited, Lily drew back. “No one hurt
me.
It was my mother who was hurt. And my eldest sister also, for that matter.”
    He was silent for a moment. “I understand your father was a champion philanderer.”
    Lily looked away, not wanting to recall the painful memories. “He was indeed. He flaunted his mistresses before my mother at every opportunity. It hurt her terribly. And Arabella’s first betrothed betrayed her almost as badly. Belle
loved
him, but when my parents’ scandal broke, he ended their engagement out of hand.”
    Lily was certain Lord Claybourne knew all about the terrible scandals that had befallen her family four years ago. First their mother had taken a lover because she was unable to endure her unhappy marriage any longer, and then was forced to flee to the Continent by her outraged husband. A fortnight later their libertine father gambled away the last of his fortune and was killed in a duel over one of his mistresses. The Loring sisters had been left penniless and homeless, at the mercy of their curmudgeonly step-uncle, the Earl of Danvers, who had taken them in most grudgingly.
    â€œIs that why you didn’t want Marcus marrying your sister?”
    â€œIn large part.”
    â€œYou seem to harbor a strong prejudice against noblemen.”
    â€œI won’t deny it. Noblemen can make the worst sort of husbands.”
    â€œThen I can take heart from the fact that your aversion is not directed at me personally.”
    Her brows drew together. “No, I have nothing against you
personally,
my lord. I don’t even know you.”
Thankfully,
she added to herself.
    Claybourne remained silent for another dozen heartbeats before shifting his position to study the box’s inhabitants. “I take it this is Boots,” he murmured, reaching down to scratch the mother cat behind one ear. Surprisingly Boots didn’t object but started purring at once, rubbing her head sensuously against his fingers.
    Lily found her gaze riveted on his lordship’s hands as he stroked the silky gray fur. He had strong, graceful hands, surprising in such a bold, masculine man.
    â€œI think you are forgetting one important fact,” he said finally.
    She didn’t immediately realize that Lord Claybourne was speaking to her. “What fact?”
    â€œIt is true that some men can be hurtful, but they can also give women great pleasure.”
    Warmth rose to her face. “Perhaps some men can, but that is beside the point.”
    Just then the black kitten pounced on his cuff and started chewing his knuckle.
    â€œHungry little fellow, aren’t you?” he murmured with a smile. “And you as well,” he added as the gray kitten attacked his thumb.
    He drew out the tiny creatures, settling them in his lap. Almost at once the black kitten crawled up his chest, digging its claws into the gold brocade of his waistcoat.
    â€œI am sorry, my lord,” Lily said regretfully.
    â€œIt is no matter.” When the black one scampered higher, Claybourne gave a soft laugh. The low, husky sound raked across Lily’s nerve endings with undeniable potency.
    â€œHere,