Bridal Favors - Engaged in Wickedness Read Online Free Page A

her mouth in horror. "Oh, I do beg your pardon. That is not funny at all. But the way you said it... I... well, it struck me as... I mean it seemed... Oh, I am so sorry."
    He smiled at her, charmed as always. "No need to apologize. It was some years ago and yes, I have come to see the humor of it. He did love that goat, ornery beast that it was."
    "And do you still have it? This ornery creature?"
    "No. But it did live for a few cantankerous years afterwards."
    They by-stepped another couple walking in the opposite direction, exchanging brief nods. Edward held his breath for a moment, fearing that she would stop to chat as was the normal course of things. But she did not, and soon they were moving on toward the doors that let onto the gardens.
    "So you have had the running of the baronetcy for years?"
    "Six."
    "Oh my! That must have been very hard."
    He shrugged. "It is a small estate, so not that very difficult. What I missed most was having another man in my very female household."
    She giggled. "Are you buried in ribbons and bows?"
    "And dresses and fashion plates and kittens. My sister has a great fondness for the blasted creatures and would overrun the house with them if I allowed it."
    "You don't like kittens?"
    "They are fuzzy and adorable, but they relieve themselves everywhere, snag the furniture, and I feel just awful when I accidentally sit on one of them."
    "Yes," she said with mock seriousness. "Quite the mortifying situation."
    "Quite," he agreed. "So I banned them from the house. It is my only decree as Baronet. No more than two cats in the house ever."
    She nodded sagely. "That sounds very fair." Then she slanted a coy glance at him. "But are you able to keep track of which two are allowed in the house and which are not? If I were your sister, I should just make pains to keep the bulk of them out of your sight. And if I failed, well then, I would make a great fuss about shooing them out, apologize to pieces, and then go blithely about my own way doing—"
    "Exactly as you wish? Yes, you have my sister to a tee."
    She paused just before stepping out onto the terrace, her expression surprisingly serious. "That must be very difficult for you."
    He frowned. "Having kittens underfoot all the time?"
    She shook her head. "Having a sister who does exactly as she pleases, no matter what you say."
    He stilled, his eyes narrowing as he studied her expression. Clearly there was special meaning here, but he was loathe to guess what it was. "It does have its challenges," he said slowly.
    She nodded, shifting her body to continue out the door. Her step was light and her movements easy, so he assumed she had dropped whatever it was that had made her so serious. But a moment later, she continued their conversation revealing a depth that he had not expected to see so soon.
    "I know I am a great trial to my brother, Robert. He just wants what is best for everyone, myself included. But I cannot bring myself to submit to his every autocratic decree just because he thinks it is the right thing for me to do."
    Edward joined her at the railing, standing by her side as they stared out into the illuminated pathways. It was a charming view, but he was more interested in looking at her. So he turned enough to look directly at her profile. "Your brother is heir to an Earldom. I suppose issuing decrees was part of his education."
    She released an unladylike snort. "He needed no education in that, I assure you. Robert began giving orders when he was still in his crib."
    "That must be very trying for you," he said, only half meaning it.
    "Not nearly as trying as I am on him when I disobey absolutely everything he says." She sounded positively gleeful about it, and he couldn't help but smile into her eyes. She was so beautiful, and he was already besotted.
    Good God, what was wrong with him? He had to gather his wits! This was a campaign!
    "Do you know what my brother's latest decree is?" she asked, fully disrupting his attempts to keep his