Read Sylvie Sommerfield - Noah's Woman for Free Online

so much fun, and you can tell me all about it when you get home."
    "Of course I'll tell you all about it. I'll act out every character I meet and try to remember everything about them. We'll have great fun." Charity sighed. "I guess I'd better go. Mr. Brentwood will be waiting for me downstairs, and I don't think he will like it if I keep him waiting."
    Beth wished Charity a wonderful evening, and then left the room to dash down the back stairs to her quarters, where she would enjoy dreams of her own.
    In Jessica's room, Charles was seated on the edge of his wife's bed, holding her hand in his. He watched her slowly relax, smiling at his consideration. He'd brought her a tray for her evening meal and coaxed her with smiles and sweet endearments to eat everything. He insisted she drink all of her wine.
    What Jessica did not know was that the wine and her soup were both heavily laced with laudanum. Charles watched her eyes close and he smiled. It would take a battery of cannon to waken her this night. The house would be close to empty of servants,

    for he had already planned the evening for Beth as well.
    Beth had hardly reached her room when Cook rapped on her door. When Beth saw who was there she smiled. Cook had been kind to her from the day of her arrival.
    "Beth, my dear, get your cloak and come with me."
    "But it is past seven, where must we go?"
    "I need help to fetch the new pastries for the guests tomorrow night, from my brother's shop. Mr. Brentwood wants them tonight, and my lazy brother has not filled them all. We need an extra pair of hands. It'll most likely take most of the evening, but I wouldn't want to disappoint Mr. Brentwood."
    Beth had no recourse but to agree. She put her cloak on and walked to the back of the house with Cook, where her brother's cart awaited them.
    Charles stood at a window above them and smiled as he watched the two women leave. Cook was a kind and gentle soul, and had been easy to deceive. Especially when he had paid her greedy brother. He knew Beth would not return until quite late. He turned to look at his sleeping wife, then left the room and walked downstairs to his study.
    There he poured himself a generous amount of brandy and savored both it and the prospect of the evening to come.
    He was caught in this fantasy when a timid knock sounded on the door. "Come," he said softly.
    When she opened the door and stood framed in the dark polished wood of the doorway, Charles inhaled

    a deep, ragged breath. Innocence and beauty contained in misty gold made his entire body react.
    Charity had been told to call him Charles, but no matter how generous and kind he was, this was difficult for her. Somehow it seemed to make her more vulnerable.
    "Ch . . . Charles, I'm sorry if I kept you waiting."
    "Nonsense, my dear, the wait was well worth it. I believe you are the loveliest creature it has ever been my pleasure to escort. The gown suits you well."
    "Thank you. I shall be very careful with it, for I know it must be quite expensive."
    Charles imagined Jessica's frail, formless body in the gown and was glad he had purchased it without her knowing. This gown could be no one but Charity's, and he fully intended to see that a lot more belonged to her. Once she was his mistress, he meant to attire her in the best of everything.
    Eventually, he decided, he would place her in appropriate apartments of her own where he would be free to come and go as he chose.
    "Nonsense, the gown is perfect for you. In fact, you may keep it."
    "Oh, I couldn't, I"
    "I'm sure my wife would be very upset if you were to refuse it. Come . . . come here, my dear." She walked across the room to stand closer to him. "The dress needs something." He smiled as he reached out and took a square black velvet box from his desk. When he snapped it open, she saw a double strand of perfectly matched pearls inside.

    Charity could only stand there stunned as Charles removed them from the box and walked behind her to drape the