Read A Midsummer's Kiss (Farthingale Series Book 4) for Free Online Page B

mind.”
    “Lass—”
    “Yes?”
    “You’ve won this day. No need for you to do more. I’ll take care of the rest. Go away.”
    She blushed. “Of course. You must think I’m the most meddlesome creature, and you’d be right. We Farthingales can’t seem to help ourselves. We see a situation and must jump in, whether or not asked.” She gave him the gentlest smile. “I know you’ll be true to your word. Thank you. I’ll go home now.”
    Her blush deepened and she began to walk toward him. What the hell? Didn’t she realize that the door was in the opposite direction? “My parents think I’m repenting in my room, which I will do now that we’ve settled matters. But first…” She stopped at his side and bent over him. “This I give willingly and with my heartfelt appreciation.” She kissed him on the cheek, her lips sweet and warm against the beginning stubble of a beard on his face.
    He said nothing, just waited for her to leave his room before sinking back against his pillows and allowing that disobedient lower head of his to spring to attention and express its profound joy over Laurel’s innocent peck on the cheek.
    He was going to stick a keg of gunpowder under that bottle of laudanum and blow it up before it did more damage to his already addled senses.
    He glared at the medicine bottle on his night stand, sitting within easy reach. “No, not taking any more of you.”
    Which was why he was in agony by the time Laurel’s father entered his bedchamber an hour later in response to the note he’d sent over. John Farthingale did not look happy as he greeted Graelem with a politeness he clearly did not feel. “My lord, seems we have a situation.”
    “Are you referring to your daughter or her horse?” Graelem realized the question sounded glib and impertinent. “Mr. Farthingale, my situation is such that I cannot let your daughter out of our… er, betrothal… as unusual as the circumstances surrounding it happen to be.”
    Laurel’s father frowned. “Unusual? I would call it alarming. You took advantage of my daughter.”
    “She almost killed me.”
    Her father arched an eyebrow, and the hint of a grin appeared on his lips. “All the more reason to avoid her at all costs. Surely, you can’t be serious. Until this morning, you’d never set eyes upon my Laurel. And now you want her as your wife? I’m a great admirer of Lady Dayne,” he said, referring to Graelem’s grandmother, “and am somewhat relieved that she vouches for your good character, but I cannot permit this wedding to happen.”
    “I hope to convince you otherwise. Have a seat, Mr. Farthingale,” Graelem said, motioning to the stool by his bedside, which seemed inadequate for a man of his prominence. “Or shall I ring for a footman to bring you a chair?”
    “I’m fine standing.” Laurel’s father crossed his arms over his chest and tossed him a look of anger mingled with impatience, his momentary humor now faded as they moved on to the more serious discussion.
    Graelem noticed a resemblance between father and daughter, especially in their scowls. “I’ll ring for that chair, Mr. Farthingale. While I will not relent on the marriage to your daughter, I hope to address some of your concerns in that regard. I would also like to discuss your plans for Brutus. Laurel loves that horse, you know. It would break her heart to lose him. Perhaps we can agree on a solution to that.”
    The comment obviously surprised Laurel’s father. “The beast almost cut short your life. Why do you care what happens to him?”
    Graelem ran a hand roughly through his rumpled hair. “I don’t, but your daughter does. So that makes it my problem. She doesn’t like me much right now. In truth, she probably detests me. I don’t know if I’ll ever change her opinion of me, but I’ll do my best. I’m not very proud of myself either. Despite what she thinks of me, I’m not an ogre. I want to make her happy and saving that horse is a first step