The spinster and the wastrel Read Online Free Page A

He was my client for many years, and I will not disobey his wishes."
    Sir Gerard heard the conviction in the man's voice and believed it. He could always spend the resources of time and money he did not possess, but the end result would still be his defeat. Although he enjoyed gambling, he knew better than to place his stake against a certain outcome.
    The next minutes passed in a blur. Somehow he managed to stand and say all the correct things as he took His farewell of the stiffly polite solicitor, but all he could envision was the social abyss that yawned before him. Nothing, it seemed, could save him.
    When Sir Gerard opened the door to exit the office, he met the solicitor's next client. The woman waiting there was now the bane of his existence. Although he glowered at her, Miss Annette Courtney's smile of greeting lit up her rather plain face, and he felt ashamed of his rudeness. It was definitely not proper ton to display one's emotions.

    In an effort to recover his manners, he bowed to her. "Good afternoon, Miss Courtney. I trust you are well."
    "Thank you, sir, I am." Her voice was crisp with each syllable clearly enunciated. There would be no misunderstanding in her speech.
    After the stuffy atmosphere of the office, her brisk manner cut through the fog surrounding him like a brilliant lantern. He peered more closely at her and caught a whiff of her perfume. It was a light scent, which seemed to be at odds with the serviceable dark dress she wore and the practical bonnet. No fashionable woman of his acquaintance would be caught dead in such a contraption. The contradiction between the sweetness of the violet perfume and the severe clothes puzzled him.
    To detain her from entering the office, he asked, "Are you here to consult with Mr. Keller?"
    "Yes. There are papers I need to sign and plans I wish to discuss."
    With his money, but he noticed she did not emphasize the fact. His smile became stiff. He did not begrudge her a new wardrobe, at a modest cost, of course. It was those unspoken "plans" that filled him with dread. Despite the solicitor's warning, Sir Gerard determined he would offer a settlement to this woman, before she wasted his inheritance.
    "I have a proposal to place before you," he said.
    Her eyes widened in shock. "A proposal?"
    Damn! An unfortunate choice of words. Now the adventuress probably anticipated acquiring his title along with his wealth.
    "No, not quite a proposal..." He started to clarify his meaning and then paused. Perhaps the title would lure her into listening to him. Once the actual negotiating over the

    settlement commenced, certainly her true nature would be revealed. The difficulty would be getting her to agree to only a portion of the money when she now possessed all of it.
    Sir Gerard swallowed and began again. "Let us say, an idea I think you will find to be of interest."
    "Indeed, sir, you intrigue me greatly."
    / will wager I do interest you, he thought cynically. In the dim lighting, he could not be certain, but he assumed there was a mercenary gleam of interest in her eyes. He stepped forward to look more closely and again caught a whiff of violets.
    "Why wait, then? Let me call on you now to discuss my idea." He extended his arm, prepared to escort her from this office.
    The solicitor cleared his throat. Sir Gerard had forgotten the man remained in the room.
    "Miss Courtney," Keller said, "acting as your representative, I would advise you not to listen to the baronet. He can be a charmingly persuasive man."
    She dropped the hand she had placed on Sir Gerard's arm. "Forgive me, I nearly forgot I have an appointment to see Mr. Keller."
    An oath struggled for expression within Sir Gerard, but he managed to maintain a polite smile. "Of course, you must keep your commitments." He understood commitments. They were something he was striving to fulfill with regard to his debts.
    "I endeavor to be punctual," she said in a prim tone.
    "Another time, then, I look forward to being