A Gentleman's Promise Read Online Free

not control the disease in side of him that made him cruel and rotten to the core.
    “Amelia will ask questions if I’m not there. Perhaps you should have thought of that before you struck me.”
    He cast a dis missing glance and walked to the door. “She will not or I’ll smack that bitch across the face as well. Or threaten to tell her husband of our affair.”
    Charlotte gasped. “You lie. Amelia would never betray Lord Furrow.”
    James grinned. “ Of course she would n’t , but he’s a jealous and doting husband. Weak when it comes to his beautiful wife. It would not take much for me to plant the seed of disloyalty and f or it to fester under his skin. No matter if it were true or false.”
    Charlotte watched him go , then walked over to her toilette and dampened a cloth to hold against her face. A dull ache ran through her jaw and a headache began to thump at her temples.
    She caught her reflection in the mirror across the room and what she saw left her ashamed. How could her life have turned out so wrong? From the first night of her marriage to James , she’d noticed his personality change.
    No longer was he attentive and loving, but indifferent and dismissive . He’d cancelled their wedding trip to the continent , stating he’d no t felt up to such a lengthy journey . Instead they’d travelled to London where Charlotte was dropped off at the ir Grosvenor Square townhouse , while her husband took himself off elsewhere.
    After that, endless nights of his drunkenness had occurred. And when she’d chastised him over his behavior and conduct he’d hit her for the very first time.
    Her life had continued down that same vein. Of course , Charlotte had learnt not to say anything anymore, for fear that one day he’d strike her so hard she wouldn’t wake up.
    Som e times she wished she would not .
    Tears streamed down her cheeks and she swiped them away, anger replacing helplessness and shame.
    “ My lady, do you wish me to help you undress for bed?”
    Charlotte looked up and nodded for her maid to enter . The servants had long ago learnt to live with their quick-tempered master. Like Charlotte , they stayed away from his lordship and went about their jobs, making sure they were thorough with their duties les t his lordship was dis pleased.
    “ Can you have a tisane made up for me ? And bring up a cup of tea before you retire for the night.”
    “Yes m’lady.”
    Stripping down to her chemise, Charlotte crawled into bed and wondered what she could do to change her circumstances. Divorce wasn’t an option , but she supposed she could always just leave. But then James would win. Would in fact have everything she had brought to the marriage. All her money.
    Charlotte thumped the quilt, frustration boiling in her blood. If only he would die. Then all her problems would be solved. But no matter what type of debauchery he lived in the bowels of London, he hadn’t yet angered the wrong type of people. Probably because, she mused, he was the wrong type of people.
    Charlotte thanked her maid as she placed the tisane and tea on the side table. There was nothing she could do besides try and make the best of a terrible situation and hope one day James would change. She drank down the tisane then picked up her tea, taking a sip to remove the unpleasant taste.
    She sighed as the sweet brew soothed her a little. Tomorrow was a new day and in three days time she was to attend Lord and Lady Venning’s soiree , an event she’d been looking forward to for quite some time.
    Not because she was overly close with her ladyship but because Charlotte had found out about one particular guest who was to attend.
    It was n one other than her childhood friend Lord Helsing. Just the thought of seeing him after such a long time sent excitement through her veins. Would he speak to her or dismiss her ? Not since their meeting at her family lake had she seen him. She c ould have written and kept in contact she supposed, yet whenever she