The St Nicholas' Day Wager Read Online Free Page A

Nick was definitely not as scandalous as the poet. Of that she was sure.
    She did not see that she had much choice. If she did not marry him, then her family was financially ruined, even with his ten thousand pound wager. And she would still be unmarried, ugly and poor.
    Her brother was never going to change. He had always been rather feckless and while he was not evil, their father had never really been firm with him. Their mother had doted on him and then both their parents had died when Gabriella was just fourteen and Joseph sixteen. Just a boy really. Their drunkard of an uncle had done the absolute minimum necessary as their guardian until Joseph came of age. And just two years ago Joseph had married Edna.
    It seemed that Edna had taken a dislike to Gabriella from the start and Gabriella knew not why. Was it the easy camaraderie she had with the servants, most of whom she’d known from childhood, or was it something else? Did Edna think Joseph had spent too much money on Gabriella’s fruitless seasons in London trying in vain to find a suitor?
    Returning her mind to the question at hand, she thought about reasons not to marry Lord Eastden. Truth be told, she could think of few. There was hardly a queue of suitors outside her door. Marrying Lord Eastden may be her only escape from a life of doing her brother’s bidding. Perhaps it was time for Lady Gabriella Seymour to look after Lady Gabriella Seymour and damn the consequences.
     

Chapter Four
     
    “Did you have a nice walk last night?” Lady Gabriella said as she spread jam over her toast the next morning. Only Nick and Gabriella had so far come down to breakfast. It seemed the earl and countess still preferred London hours, even while in the country.
    “Last night?”
    “Yes, I saw you walking across the east lawn, sometime around two o’clock.”
    He raised an eyebrow and lifted his coffee. Had she been spying on him? Oh he liked the idea of that immensely.
    “Pray tell how you were aware of my movements at such an ungodly hour?”
    “My bedchamber overlooks the east lawn and I was watching out of the window. I could not sleep. You scared off a fox.”
    “Yes, I saw the fox,” he mused, storing away the snippet of information about where her bedchamber was in relation to the rest of the sprawling manor. “Why could you not sleep? Was it because of my proposition?”
    She lifted her gaze to his. Intense brown eyes surveyed him, her blonde brows furrowed and her luscious lips pursed.
    “We shall marry on Christmas Eve. I assume you will arrange a special licence from the Bishop?” she enquired after a moment or two.
    “Um, yes, yes of course.” He could not quite believe his ears. She was saying yes with nary a question. His chest was bursting with pride and hope. He actually felt—happy. “I will take good care of you, Gabby. I promise.”
    “Good.” She nodded. “And it’s Gabriella to you.” With that she stood and swept out of the room.
    ****
    Gabriella patted the nose of Snowy, her white mare. The horse nickered and munched on a piece of carrot that Gabriella had acquired from the kitchen. Snowy was Gabriella’s only companion other than Mrs McAllister, and the horse understood her moods and temperament as much as any human being could.
    “I know, my beauty. You want to gallop too but it is too icy to take such a risk. But we shall trot into the village to see the vicar and the ladies of the Christmas fete organising committee. No doubt the children shall pet you and feed you grass and thoroughly spoil you. So don’t feel too bad.”
    The horse snorted as Gabriella patted her neck.
    “Is this a private trip into the village or can anyone join?”
    Gabriella started but recovered almost instantly, turning around to meet the dark gaze of Lord Eastden.
    “My lord, you startled me,” she chastised, her gaze resting on his muscled thighs beneath the form-fitting pantaloons. She still could not quite believe she had agreed to wed such a