Read Celeste Bradley - [Heiress Brides 03] for Free Online Page B

nothing, from anyone!”
    Even you?
    Especially not from him. Ah, but she knew that already, didn’t she? Dented a bit by the reminder, she stiffened. “I see no reason to allow the grimness of the real world to interfere with a desire to make things as they should be.”
    Graham was returned to the moment by the husky hurt in her voice. Damn it, he’d gotten lost in his own predicament there for a moment.
    Tell her. She’ll understand
.
    Telling Sophie would make it real. He didn’t want to make it real, not quite yet.
    Desperation welled up in him—the need to escape like a surging tide. He retreated into old habits.
    “That’s because I live in the real world and you live in your mind, Sophie.”
    “I hardly think there is more than one world, Graham. I particularly find it hard to believe that a world of gambling and overindulgence could be classified as the ‘real’ world.”
    He waved a hand. “I’m not talking about those. Those are only how I pass the time.”
    Until when?
she wanted to ask, but he went on.
    “I’m talking about the physical world. You spend allyour time in this house, or in some bookshop, and you never notice what is right in front of you.”
    That was going a bit far, coming from Graham! She folded her arms and glared. “What am I missing? The bad London air? The stench of horse manure in the streets?”
    “Yes, London can be a filthy pit sometimes.” Then he tilted his head as he gazed at her. “Yet . . . tell me, Sophie, what did you do in Acton? The air is good there, is it not?”
    She’d spent all her time in the house, with her nose in her books, at least when her duties had allowed it. If she’d ventured out, she might have encountered someone of the male species. The need to converse might have arisen and then chaos would have ensued.
    Still, there was no need to admit that to Graham. She lifted her chin. “I was the toast of the village. I had no end of callers.”
    He smiled fondly. “Liar.” Then he leaned closer, his nearness and his urgency taking her breath away. “Sophie, there’s so much more to life! There’s beauty and passion and fire!”
    “Oh.” She leaned back and gave a knowing scoff. “You’re talking about overindulging in spirits and coitus, aren’t you?”
    His jaw dropped. “What?” Then he shook off his surprise. “Sophie, I’m talking about
living
.” He gazed at her for a long moment. “You really don’t understand, do you?”
    Discomforted, she glanced away. “I like my life as it is.”
I hate my life as it is, but what am I to do about it?
She’d already risked everything to come to London in the first place, but the adventure had only exposed what would never be hers, in full color and graphic detail.
    Graham’s brows drew together in thought. “All right,” he said slowly, “then close your eyes.”
    She drew back. “No.” Then, “Why?”
    He laughed softly. “Sophie, shut up and close your eyes.”

Chapter Four
    The room was still but for the breeze wafting through the partially open window sash. Sophie could hear wheels on the cobbles, and distant voices, but with her eyes closed, the noise blurred into the awareness of Graham near her—near but unobserved.
    At that thought she opened her eyes again to see him reaching for her hand. “What are you doing?”
    He sat back, clearly exasperated. “Can you not relax for a single moment?”
    She scowled. “Not when I don’t know what you’re going to do.”
    “Stubborn Sophie. I can see we’re going to have to start at the beginning.” He pulled out his handkerchief and rolled it quickly. She drew back when he started to put it over her eyes. He challenged her movement with an I-dare-you glint in his eyes. She gave a grumpy twist to her lips but complied.
    “This is silly . . . a child’s game.”
    She could almost hear him smile. “Precisely.” He took her hand—his skin seemed shockingly warm whenshe was in the dark—and put something in it. It was cool