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A few of the girls giggled into each other and Ryan grinned inwardly. Admittedly, he loved a good flirt. It boosted his male ego.
“My oldest, Victoria. She is to wed in a month’s time.” A stunning blonde-haired woman with brilliant blue eyes approached him and curtsied, leaving Ryan to think he had never seen a more beautiful lady before in his life. Until her mother introduced him to Caroline, the second oldest with the same blue eyes and pretty blonde ringlets. Then came Julianne, Gwendolyn, and Kathleen. Each as beautiful as the next. Ryan could hardly believe Clive was blessed with such good genes to produce so many lovely daughters.
He plastered his best smile on his face and thought his day couldn’t get any better. There was no greater way to start the day then being bestowed with the beauty and smile of a bonny female. Let alone five of them.
Behind him, he heard someone shuffle into the room but barely registered the sound, as his attention was firmly fixated on all the lovely faces smiling demurely at him.
“Aw, there you are,” Clive remarked, turning away.
“I came as fast as I could.” A female voice responded, though instead of sounding eager as her words may have implied, they sounded rather irritated instead.
Ryan turned to see who the new arrival was. Standing in the archway of the pocket doors, stood a tiny female in a simple pale pink dress. She was very tiny, far smaller than the other females in the room, barely standing at his shoulder in height. And, unlike the other ladies, she bore a striking head of strawberry blonde hair which appeared as if she attempted to secure it back in a severe bun. However, small curly tendrils had managed to escape at the base of her neck and along her temple where one strand hung freely across a cheek that was far too pale. The only hint of color in her frail complexion was a set of perfectly shaped ruby lips. He had an unexpected urge to reach out and tuck that strand behind her ear, while brushing his finger against that lovely soft skin. She unexpectedly glanced up and caught him staring at her. Arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow the same shade as her hair, Ryan shifted uncomfortably at being caught ogling.
He thought he had never seen a more beautiful woman in the form of her five stunning sisters, but that was before his eyes fell upon this remarkable creature before him.
“This is our youngest daughter,” Clive said, snapping Ryan out of his reverie.
“How do you do?” He took her hand and dipped his head in greeting, resisting the urge to place his lips against the back of her palm.
She glanced up then and he caught his breath. Her blue eyes were far more beautiful than any he had ever seen. Immediately, he found himself drawn to their warmth like nothing he had experienced before. She held his gaze and as she did, her eyes grew softer. It was as if she had cast out an invisible hook and reeled him in. He was completely mesmerized.
“This is my youngest daughter, my sweet little lady, Evelina.”
Through the bewitching trance he was under, Clive’s words reached Ryan’s conscious. He blinked and glanced at Clive who said, “Your new wife.”
Chapter 2
“My what?”
“Your wife,” he repeated. “Evelina.”
“I’m sorry?” It was taking him longer than it should to clear his head after being caught up in the woman’s hypnotic eyes for Clive’s words were not making any sense.
“Evelina. Who you promised to cherish and love for always.”
“I didn’t—I never—” It was then that he noticed the look of distress entering those deep eyes and that bubble which she had him so warmly embraced within suddenly turned ice-cold. Immediately he had an urge to remove the chill from their depths and return them to the warmth they were emitting just minutes before. However, at the moment, he had a more pressing matter to attend to.
Turning from her, he glared at Clive. “What the devil are you talking about, Hepworth? I’ve never seen this woman before in my life.”
Clive shifted his eyes uncomfortably toward his family before muttering, “Perhaps we should discuss this in private. Won’t you follow me to the other room?”
Ryan glanced back at the women and noticed a look of discomfort fall on the lot. He knew the rising of his voice most likely had something to do with that. Sighing, he turned away but not before shooting a glance at the petite woman in the doorway. To his surprise, she stood proud and met his gaze. It caused him to falter shortly before he recollected himself and stomped after Clive back into the parlor where he shut the door behind them.
“Please, try to lower your voice.”
Ryan ignored him. “What in blazes game are you trying to play?”
The stout man exhaled wearily and removed a cigar from his pocket. “Cigar?”
“No! That woman is not my wife!”
“Not yet.”
“Not ever!”
“You would be breaking the unspoken sailor code. We made an honest bet the other night, and it would be bad-mannered of you to forfeit your winnings.”
“That is not the Lady Evelina I won the other night, so don’t even try to sell me on some false pretense. You knew damn well I was playing for your boat.”
