Read Mistletoe and Magic (Novella): A Loveswept Historical Romance for Free Online

him, and felt she could endure his attentions long enough to convince Jared to pursue someone else.
    “I see.” Jared couldn’t hide his disappointment. “So money is enough for you then, I take it?”
    Something in his tone made her bristle. “You don’t understand. If I wed him, I can take care of myself and Auntie, too! Right now we subsist very nicely on Mr. Forester and Mr. Howe’s generosity, but it is my duty to marry well in order to relieve that burden.”
    “What about the rest?” Jared closed the short distance between them and looked into her eyes. Softly he ran a finger down her cheek. “Marriage means more than a wayto pay the bills. It means sharing a hearth and home, your husband’s bed …”
    “How dare you!” Penelope said, aghast, slapping his hand away at the lurid suggestion. Yet his words stirred an unbidden excitement inside her that she struggled to conceal.
    “It is the truth,” he continued, his eyes an even darker green than the lake. The smile he gave her was wicked. “And something you should consider if you are serious about entering into a marriage with a much older man …”
    “I will not entertain this conversation another minute! Good day, Mr. Marton!” Her nose in the air, Penelope pulled away from him indignantly, ignoring his laughter as she picked up her skates and made her way back to her friends.
    Jared’s amusement vanished as he watched her go. So she had a new suitor. He thought of the strange note he’d received the previous day. It simply said:
Get out of town now while you can
. The letters were written in a simple block print, almost as if a child had done it. He hadn’t given the warning much credibility, and had thought it simply a prank. Now he wondered if Mr. William Sweeney was trying to scare him off.
    Dismissing the note, his mind returned to a more pleasant topic: the elusive Miss Appleton. Once more she was running, but at least this time he knew why.
    Penelope Appleton thought her duty in life was to provide for her aunt, and that her looks were the only way to make this happen. Yet there was much more to her than a pretty face. She didn’t seem to know her real worth, the woman he could see. Nor did she seem to understand there was a lot more to marriage than financial wealth. This was something he had learned painfully from observing his own parents’ marriage. He wanted better for himself, and for Penelope.
    Somehow he had to make her see that.

    Winifred caught up with Jared once Penelope had left for the hotel tea. “So are things progressing?”
    Jared smiled wryly. “I wouldn’t say that. Your sister confided in me that she is going to allow another man to court her. A Mr. William Sweeney.”
    “That’s odd.” Winifred frowned. “I remember the man, but not that Penelope showed any particular affinity for him.”
    “I think his bank account may be the draw.” Briefly, Jared explained what her sister had said.
    “It would be understandable for Penelope to think that way,” Winifred said thoughtfully. “She was quite young when our parents passed, and took it very hard. I can imagine she feels responsible for Eve, and for her own situation. I just didn’t realize it would color her choice of suitor.”
    “Then she isn’t in love with Sweeney?” Jared questioned, a determined glint coming into his eyes when Winifred shook her head.
    “Not at all. The very idea is absurd.”
    “That’s all I need to know.”
    “What do you mean?” Winifred frowned.
    He gave her a broad smile. “Come now, Winnie. As a lawyer, I have means to uncover information. I have a feeling the wealthy Mr. William Sweeney may have a skeleton or two hidden in his closet. I will just make certain your sister makes an informed decision.”

    At the Grand Union Hotel, Penelope sipped her tea, unaware of the gossip her presence generated. She’d doffed her coat and was wearing a crimson velvet gown befitting the season. The charming color highlighted