What the Groom Wants Read Free Page A

Northern Glory , likely a week back. But I followed afterwards on—”
    “Yes, yes. He came back over a week now. But I’ve sent for him. I…” She hiccupped again, and then her words were lost.
    Radley was all too aware of the girl standing behind him. Whatever the tale was, there was no point in declaring it to the world. “If I might come in, Mrs. Drew? I’d love a spot of tea. Then you can tell me what you’ve done to find Henry. I’m sure I can locate him, if you give me a little time.”
    She nodded and was just stepping back to let him in when they heard it: footsteps running hard. Light enough to be a woman’s, fast enough to be desperate. He knew without looking that it was her. Wendy. He knew, and yet he still had no time to brace himself as he turned to look.
    There she was, her eyes wide, her bonnet askew, and her skirts stained with mud. She topped the stairs in a leap, and then skidded to a halt before them. Her gaze caught for a moment on him, then narrowed on her mother’s distraught expression.
    “I’m going to kill him,” Wendy cried. “I’m going to kill him and feed him to the dogs. And you—” she said as she pointed a finger at Radley. “You’re going to help me.”
    Her mother was as shocked as he was. “Wendy!” she snapped even as she wiped away her tears.
    He rocked back on his heels while a smile tugged at his lips. That was his Wendy: fierce, passionate, and impetuous. And now he could finally start courting her.

Two
    “Perhaps we should step inside.”
    Wendy grimaced as she looked at the one man she’d never expected to see standing in front of her door. He was gesturing her inside. And lest she be confused, his gaze shifted to the shadows behind her where Little Lucy stood listening to every word she said.
    Damnation, this was not what she needed. Radley Lyncott was head and shoulders above other men. Rumor had it that he’d been born to the nobility, though on the wrong side of the blanket. Whether that was true or not, his mother had done her damnedest to make sure everyone knew they were related to the Duke of Bucklynde. Truth be told, Radley had never seemed concerned with that. His heart and soul had always been for the sea. And seafaring he had gone, appearing every once in a while bearing gifts that were the envy of everyone in the neighborhood.
    There was a time when she’d thought to catch his eye. A time when she had dangled herself before the prince of their little pocket of London. But whenever she’d tried to put on airs, he had been the one to point out her deficiencies. She hadn’t had the polish his mother taught to lucky girls in their neighborhood. And by the time Wendy had learned it, the man was gone.
    At least she’d managed to get him to take Henry with him. Otherwise, she might now be dealing with both her idiot brothers’ problems instead of just Bernard’s. Unless she was wrong. Unless this had nothing to do with Demon Damon. And that, of course, was what she needed Radley Lyncott to help her with.
    But first—yes, he was right—they needed to be inside and away from Lucy’s prying eyes.
    “Of course,” she said in as polite a manner as possible. “Pray, Mr. Lyncott, would you come inside? Mama, please put on some tea. I’m sure Mr. Lyncott is thirsty, and it is teatime, after all. I would like a cup myself.”
    Then she brushed straight by them both as she went inside. She was putting on airs, of course, acting a great deal more elevated than she was. But she needed to get inside before he did to make sure their home wasn’t in a state of disarray. She and her mother kept things as neat as possible, but Henry was home and had been for more than a week. She needn’t have worried. Apparently, shipboard life had taught her brother something. Everything appeared in its place—most especially Henry’s seaman bag, set in the corner.
    “Where is Henry?” she asked as she pulled off her bonnet and tried to neaten her hair. It was