Read Lady Sarah's Sinful Desires for Free Online

either—­indeed, there was nothing in the effort that could be construed as inappropriate in any way—­and yet, Sarah could still feel the heat of him upon her after he’d let her go. His touch . . . it had somehow curled its way beneath her skin, warming her insides—­an odd sensation, considering his ability to vex her. It had to be his handsomeness, she decided. Against her better judgment, she looked up, her eyes settling on the soft curve of his mouth—­a mouth that threatened to smile, even though it resisted—­and she inadvertently wondered what it might be like to place a kiss there.
    She jerked away from him. Where on earth had that thought come from? She didn’t even like this man! Not particularly.
    â€œAre you all right?” Lord Spencer asked.
    â€œYes,” Sarah replied, hating the high pitch of her voice. “Thank you. I um . . . I think he went that way.” With a sniff intended to hide her discomfort, Sarah pushed past Lord Spencer and went after Snowball, pretending all the while that her heart was completely immune to the viscount’s presence.
    â€œYou must be terrified,” Sarah whispered moments later when she discovered Snowball in a gap at the base of a fountain. “Come on,” she added, hoping her voice would soothe the anxious creature. How awful it must be for him to be chased through a veritable jungle by two stomping giants. Sticking her fingers inside the hole, Sarah coaxed him out toward her, murmuring words of reassurance until she finally managed to scoop him up in both hands while gently stroking his head with her thumb. “Shh . . . it’s all right. You’re safe now.” Remembering she was not alone, Sarah turned to Lord Spencer, her eyes meeting his as she smiled and said, “My lord, we’ve finally got him!”
    Lord Spencer tilted his head and peered down at the subject of their discussion. “ We ? To be fair, you’re the one who caught him.”
    Determined to part with Lord Spencer on good terms, Sarah shook her head. “It was a joint effort.” She hesitated a moment before reaching her cupped hands toward him. “Would you like to hold him?”
    Lord Spencer eyed her offering with clear apprehension. “I don’t think . . .” He straightened, his features hardening as he looked in the direction of the door.
    Sarah stilled. Voices were approaching.
    Clutching Snowball against her chest, Sarah looked to Lord Spencer, who appeared to be equally aware of their problem, his eyes as dark as when he’d accused Sarah of trying to trap him.
    His eyebrows drew together. “Hide yourself,” he said, his expression both rigid and cold. “I’ll divert their attention. You can come out and leave as soon as we’re gone.” And then he strode away along the path without another word, leaving Sarah behind with an unexpected pain in her chest.

 
    Chapter 3
    T wo hours later, Sarah was summoned to a small parlor by her father. A footman showed her in, and as she stepped inside, she realized that her father was not alone. He was accompanied by a man who looked to be of similar age to her father, with a figure that showed a great fondness for food.
    Caught off guard, Sarah dipped into a curtsy as the door closed behind her.
    â€œMy dear,” her father said, his voice more loving than it had been these past two years, “I’m so glad you could join us.” She rose, straightening her spine. The man with her father . . . it couldn’t be . . . please don’t let it be . . . “Why don’t you have a seat on the sofa beside Mr. Denison so you can become better acquainted?”
    Oh dear God, it was.
    The man she was meant to marry was as old as her father, making him a good thirty years her senior. His head was balding too, whatever hair that remained there as gray as ash from a