Read Almost Persuaded: Miss Mary King for Free Online Page A

expression horrified, her demeanour determined, she
pulled Mary away from the barbarous ruckus.
    “Come away,
Mary, before you meet with harm.”
    Wrenching and
struggling, Mary jerked out of Anne’s grasp. She threw herself
between her father and her lover. “But, Papa!”
    Mr. King’s
voice roiled with thunder. “Get her out of here!”
    Anne forcefully ushered Mary out of the room. A burley
servant racing to the scene nearly tumbled them over. Mary’s
heartbeat hammered against her chest. Pounding flesh, menacing
groans, breaking glass, and falling objects echoed throughout the
halls. How
has an evening with the man I love come to this?
    Once inside
Mary’s room, Anne settled her charge by the fire and commenced
pacing. “How could you have allowed yourself to be so easily
persuaded to surrender your virtue to that man?”
    “How can you
even ask such a question? You know how I cherish him. What is more,
he admires me. We are to be married.”
    “Did he offer
you his hand?”
    Mary bit her
lower lip. She relished the spiced taste of him still lingering.
“Not in so many words.”
    “What did he
say?”
    “He reminded
me of his desires, his hopes, his plans, and how our dreams are one
and the same.”
    Anne threw her
hands in the air. “Do you know nothing of the opposite sex? He
would have said anything at that moment to satisfy his
desires.”
    “Not Mr.
Wickham. You simply do not know him.”
    “I know his
kind—all too well. You are most fortunate in having a father who
cares enough about you to protect you from the likes of Mr.
Wickham.”
    Nervous and
full of fear over her lover’s fate, Mary stood and strode towards
the window. She folded her arms about her shoulders. “I do not
consider myself as fortunate. I am rather embarrassed. What must
Mr. Wickham think of me? How shall I face him again?”
    Anne anchored her hands about her waist. “You should be embarrassed as
well as ashamed. As far as facing the gentleman, I believe if your
father has his way, you shall never lay eyes upon him again—barring
any unfortunate consequences.”
    “Anne, there
shall be no unintended consequences. Nothing happened. As for my
not seeing him again, I believe you are wrong. No doubt after what
has happened, Papa will insist the gentleman and I marry. That
shall satisfy both of us.”
    “I believe
your father would see Mr. Wickham face down in a pool of the man’s
own blood rather than consent to an alliance between the two of
you.”
    “You are
wrong. I am sure they are discussing the impending marriage as we
speak.”
    “You are
determined to believe that some good will become of this. You must
prepare yourself for the exact opposite. Your father was livid when
he came upon you and rightfully so. Nothing will remove the
spectacle of what happened from his brain.”
    Mary headed
towards the door.
    “Where are you
going?”
    “I must see
Papa. I must allow him a chance to hear from me what has taken
place. I must make him understand what he saw.”
    “No—you had
much better remain in your room until his ire has cooled than risk
reanimating his wrath.” Miss Heston tiptoed towards the door.
“Things have quieted considerably. I shall go downstairs to speak
with your father. I pray he spared your Mr. Wickham’s life—that he
sent that vile man on his way and we never see him again.”
    Mary drew a
sharp breath. “I know you never truly cared for him, but I always
supposed you were on my side.”
    Anne embraced
her charge. “I am on your side. Your father is on your side. Mr.
Wickham is not worthy of you, Mary. The sooner you accept it, the
better.”
    As Anne opened the door, Mary threw a defiant look at her
companion. I
shall never accept it. Mary was glad for the solitude Anne’s departure
afforded, for it allowed her to dwell upon those things that
mattered most to her. I must see him, but how? She crumpled her brow and bit her
lower lip. I
shall send word to him. He cares for me. Surely he is