Beauty Tempts the Beast (Sins for All Seasons #6) - Lorraine Heath Page 0,6

grinned. “It has been known to lay men flat.”

Yes, once she’d been the darling of the ton, had been in no hurry to settle on anyone. Until finally, she’d decided on the Earl of Chadbourne. They were to have been married in January, a few weeks from now. “I’ll give it to you when I’m done here.”

“Keep it. You might have a need for it.”

“I want to contribute.” It was the reason she’d taken a position at the tavern. She’d begun feeling rather useless. Keeping things tidy, preparing meals—which had been a challenge in itself—and mending Griffith’s clothing had not taken most of her day. She’d been left with nothing to do but sit and worry.

“Then simply hold it close. I’ll let you know if we have need of it.”

While she appreciated the protectiveness, she also wanted to be viewed as independent, wanted her brothers to understand she was as equal to the task of handling their change in circumstance as they were. She very much doubted if he should run into Marcus, Griffith was going to tell him to stop sneaking into the residence and leaving them money. But he refused to take her coins.

She patted his freshly covered hands. “There. Almost as good as new.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “Not really.” Shoving back the chair, he stood. “Will you carry the lamp?”

She didn’t know why he asked. It was their nightly ritual. They journeyed across the small room to the hallway where he turned right and she went left. She always waited until he disappeared into his bedchamber at the front of the house. He claimed not to be bothered by the dark, that he could navigate his way through it. When he closed his door, she went into her chamber at the rear of the residence and fought against the melancholy that usually came over her at the sight of the unfurnished room, the pile of blankets on the floor that served as her bed.

She knew her life would never again be as it once was, but had to believe that in time, it would improve.

Setting the lamp on the floor, she divested herself of her clothing, changed into her nightdress, undid her hair, brushed it a hundred times, and plaited it. She had just settled on the pile of blankets, bringing her ermine-lined cloak over her, when she remembered the sovereign. She dug it out of the pocket of her frock, closed her fingers around it, and snuggled back down. She didn’t know why she viewed it as a talisman of better things to come.

Nestling her closed fist against her breast, she was torn between hoping this Beast fellow would return and praying she’d never see him again. He’d guessed correctly that she originally hailed from Mayfair.

How long would it take him to determine that the change in her circumstance had come about because she was the cursed daughter of a traitorous duke?

After striding into the residence, Beast crossed the foyer and peered into the front parlor. The madam, Jewel, was plying four gents—who were no doubt awaiting their turn—with alcohol and keeping them entertained with ribald stories and jests. It had been years since she’d taken a man to her bed. Catching sight of him, she gave him a little smile that signaled all was well, no trouble was afoot.

Christ, but he hated this bloody business.

He headed for the stairs. On his way up, he crossed paths with Lily escorting one of the gents down. The man looked so proud of himself that Beast briefly wondered if it had been his first time. It was none of his concern. He did not care. He was weary of the gentlemen lounging about, the women entertaining them. The need to protect them.

He finally reached the top floor that served as their main living quarters. He and all the ladies who worked within these walls had private rooms along this hallway. He went into the library, poured himself a scotch, dropped into the comfortable wing-backed chair near the roaring fire, and tried not to think of the serving wench who was as fair as an angel, a beauty who would tempt a saint into sinning.

Just the memory of her was enough to cause his body to tighten with need as though she sat across from him.

Everything within him had gone on heightened alert when he’d seen the man approaching her after she’d left the tavern. It hadn’t been his intent to spy on her but because she