The Trouble With Heroes....
Page 10
“Then I will shoot him.” It was the frisson speaking. “Show me how.”
“It’s not a skill learned in a day, dearie. This one isn’t loaded or primed or I’d not have let you take it.”
Claris sank her head in her hands. She’d threatened him with nothing, and perhaps he’d known that. She looked up to glare at the gun. “Where did that thing come from? Why do you have a pistol?”
“We’ve been in some unruly places, Athena and I.” Ellie put the pistol on the table and sat beside Claris to take one of her hands. “Now, dearie, what did he do to set you screeching?”
Claris clutched that hand. “I’d think I’d dreamed it if not for those two glasses. And the pistol. Ellie, he proposed marriage! No, he didn’t propose. He stated that he was going to marry me. As if I had no say in the matter at all!”
“Perhaps he thought you’d snatch at the chance.”
“That’s it! He did. Said how comfortable I would be, how amenable he would be. How dare he?”
“Like I said, he likely thought you’d be honored, a fine gentleman like him. Though that could be a sham. Many a fine man eats oats.”
“Eats oats?”
“Or any other poor food. If you’re thinking of it—”
“Of marrying him? Of course not!”
“I’m merely saying that if you were, you’d best confirm that he’s as prosperous as he seems. But then, why should he deceive you? That’s the line a scoundrel takes with an heiress.”
Claris shook her head. “I think you’re as mad as he is. I have no intention of marrying anyone, be he rich as Croesus, but certainly not a stranger claiming to be forced into it.”
“Forced? Now, that’s interesting. It’d take a bit to force a man like that.” Ellie pushed to her feet and picked up the pistol. “You tell us all about it when Athena’s home. But for now, I’ve the floors to finish and the stew to tend.”
“I’ll help.”
Ellie looked at her. “Perhaps that’s best. Keep busy, dearie. And keep an open mind.”
“On marriage to that wretch? Closed as a tomb. I’m mistress of my life, and so I shall remain.”
Seduction in Silk will be published in August 2013 in mass market paperback and e-edition. There are buy buttons here. http://www.jobev.com/buysilk.html
About Jo Beverley
Publishers Weekly declared Jo Beverley "Arguably today's most skillful writer of intelligent historical romance..." Her work has been described as "Sublime!" by Booklist, and Romantic Times described her as "one of the great names of the genre."
She is the NYT bestselling author of over thirty historical romance novels, all set in her native England in the medieval, Georgian, and Regency periods. Her novels have won the RITA, romance's top award, five times, and she is a member of Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame.
She also writes some romantic stories with a science fiction and fantasy twist, and The Marrying Maid was an honorable mention for Best SF 2011.
Her web site is http://www.jobev.com, and she regularly blogs at Word Wenches. http://www.wordwenches.com.
You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jo.beverley