Read Cardiff Siblings 01 - Seven Minutes in Devon for Free Online

eyes just now said far more than you
would ever dare to say with words in my presence.” David took a
breath and let it out slowly. “I have never understood your
animosity toward her, and I never—”
    “ You just—”
    David held up a hand and
scowled. “Allow me to make myself quite plain. I will not tolerate
your behavior. If you cannot find a way to comport yourself in a
civil manner with regard to my sister-in-law, or any of my guests, you
will have to leave.”
    “ In that case, I’ll take
Morgan with me.”
    “ I said you would have to
leave. Morgan is free to stay.” David crossed his arms over his
chest. “It will be her choice, just as living her life is.
Trenowyth will remain, so there is no reason she must go just
because you’re incapable of behaving as anything other than an
arse.”
    Morgan would never leave with him if
given the choice, should he be forced to go. Aidan held no doubt on
that score. This was her first foray into society in years, her
first attempt to test herself and see how she could get along. He
couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her behind. He wouldn’t be
able to watch over her, to guarantee her safety.
    That couldn’t happen. The family had
all promised Morgan a fortnight of enjoyment. Two full weeks of
diversions and entertainments, of not thinking about the
past.
    Well, he hoped she would not think of
the past. That was the point of all of this, after all.
    Despite the sharp stab of pain it
caused his pride, Aidan nodded. “Understood.”
    “ Good. Then I suspect we’ll
have no problems.” David walked away, following the path clumsily
blazed by Miss Hathaway moments before.
    Aidan stood there for a long while.
How could he tamp down the rage that built within him every time he
saw Miss Hathaway’s face or heard her voice? He would have to find
a way.
    This might prove to be a very long
fortnight, indeed.

    Emma took a sip of her chocolate the
next morning and placed the cup back on the dining room table,
cautious not to overturn anything. Perhaps overly cautious, but now
was not the time to make a cake of herself again. She turned the
page of her book as quickly as she dared, lest she rip the pages
from the bindings.
    Damaging the book would not
do.
    Almost before the page had been
settled, her eyes were roving over the words as fast as they would
go.
    How dreadful, that Sir Walter Elliot
and his family must let their estate! Emma had been far too close
to similar circumstances in her own life. It felt entirely too
real. The authoress, Miss Austen, had Emma hooked into the story,
as usual.
    Coming to the end of the page, she
bent back the spine more than she’d intended in her haste to turn
to new words. “Lud,” she muttered, earning a snicker from the
footman standing beside the door. She frowned up at him. He raised
an eyebrow, almost daring her to comment on his
reaction.
    Instead, she returned her
attention to the novel. Yesterday afternoon, she’d selected two
from the library: Mansfield Park and Persuasion . Mansfield Park hadn’t lasted her the
night. Emma had finished with it before turning in to bed. She
could quite possibly finish Persuasion before any of David and
Vanessa’s other guests arrived.
    After reading about twenty more pages
without pausing to take a bite, the footman snapped to attention
and his austere expression returned, drawing Emma’s notice. She set
her book aside and took a now-frigid bite of shirred egg. Someone
must be joining her, finally.
    Sure enough, Lady Morgan came through
the entryway to the breakfast room with her maid on her
arm.
    “ Good morning, Miss
Hathaway,” the maid said with a sweet smile. “We imagined most of
the house would still be abed at this hour.”
    “ Indeed, most of them are,”
Emma replied. She cast a surreptitious glance behind them as the
maid helped Lady Morgan into a seat across from her. No one else
followed. No Mr. Cardiff—at least not yet—and no Lord Trenowyth.
Thank goodness. Emma