Savage Deception (Liberty's Ladies) Read Online Free Page B

concern.”
    “But Kingsley might harm her.”
    “No. Kingsley loves Diana and would never hurt her. Besides, Anne and I are with her. I don’t know what happened here tonight, or what almost happened. Either way I hope you act the gentleman and leave my sister-in-law alone. You have no claim upon her and no future with her.”
    “Oh, but my brother does because he’ll be master of Briarhaven. Yet I run Briarhaven. Doesn’t that count for something?”
    “Yes,” David reluctantly agreed and was relieved when Tanner backed away to lean against a tree trunk. “But my wife and I want Diana’s future assured.”
    “Ah, so it comes down to money and position. It always does with people like you.” Tanner tilted his head to glance up at the night sky. “I’d be willing to bet that if I went after Diana she’d run away with me.”
    “I doubt it, Mr. Sheridan. Diana is very young and impressionable but she isn’t stupid. She knows perfectly well that she’d be unable to survive on love alone. She is gently bred,” David reminded Tanner.
    Gently bred. It was a term that made Tanner wince. In the opinion of David Richmond and those of his kind he was a barbarian, uncouth and dirty. No lady of quality would ever deign to glance in such a person’s direction. At least that’s what men like Richmond and Kingsley wanted to believe. They were wrong. If the truth be known, Tanner had made love to quite a few “gently bred” young ladies who’d visited Briarhaven in the past. Tanner smirked at the memories, knowing Richmond would be soundly shocked if he had any idea of the number of proper petticoated girls who had sneaked away from their rooms at night, all eager to lie in the arms of Harlan Sheridan’s bastard son. But he wouldn’t tell Richmond any of this, because none of it mattered.
    All that mattered to Tanner was Diana.
    “I’m in love with Diana,” Tanner admitted.
    David sighed. “I do wish you hadn’t told me that, sir. Knowing such a thing makes you more of a danger to her future happiness. If you only wanted to despoil her because of your hatred for the Sheridans, I could dismiss you. But a serious admission of love is sad and frightening to me. For all concerned, it would be best for you to leave Briarhaven.”
    Tanner reared upward, black fury on his face. “I’m not going anywhere!”
    David backed away, not saying anything. He gave Tanner a probing look before turning his back and returning to the house.
    ~ ~ ~
     
    “I don’t know why you keep saying that Tanner would hurt me,” Diana protested to Anne. “He told me that he loved me … and … and I love him too, I think.”
    “Heavens, this is worse than I thought. Come sit beside me, Diana.” Anne patted the spot next to her on the large, comfortable sofa in the library. Diana moved from the window, where she’d been watching for some sign of Tanner, but only David returned to stand solemnly beside Kingsley on the veranda.
    Harp music and the sound of merry voices floated from the ballroom. Diana felt less than merry as she took her seat by her sister. The golden candlelight emphasized the worry in her blue eyes. “Nothing bad will happen to Tanner, will it?”
    “I don’t understand how you can care about the beastly man. Kingsley told me he tried to have his way with you. Anything done to him will be only what he deserves.”
    “Kingsley is lying!” Diana stormed. “Tanner never tried to do that to me.” In fact she wasn’t even certain what “having his way with her” meant. “Anne, don’t you understand? I thought you of all people would. I liked Tanner touching me. I liked it. I’ve never felt that way before… .”
    “Please,” Anne interrupted and stood up. “I don’t want to hear about it. How can you say such a thing or even imagine you liked that disgusting man touching you? Diana, I’m shocked at you.”
    Never in her entire life had Anne said something like that to her or been so disapproving either.