AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t think you should wed, but she’d be a fool not to take your offer. Why wouldn’t she take your offer? She’s a—”
“Mind your words,” Ken warned, already frayed from his conversation with Mirabelle.
Somersworth swiped a hand down his face. “You’ve never threatened me before. Ever.”
“Love does strange things to men,” Upton said with such seriousness that Boxby stared at him, his mouth open.
Love. He swallowed down his protest. Not because the man was wrong, but because he might very well be made a fool before this was all done. How had Upton realized Ken’s feelings? For a man who didn’t speak much, apparently, he did a fair bit of observing.
“I was going to say ‘unseasoned debutante.’ Doesn’t she know the whole point is to receive an offer from a man like Boxby?”
Did she? She must.
Still, he slashed a hand through his hair. “Do me a favor and don’t discuss any of this in front of Ace. I need to decide how to proceed first.”
Both his friends gave a jerk of their chin to show their agreement.
“Do you know why we’re here?” Upton asked.
Ken gave a quick nod. “A mysterious buyer has purchased the Den of Sins. And it’s believed that he’s also bought Palmers, though that can’t be confirmed.”
“What does that have to do with us?” Somersworth asked.
“Whoever he is has expressed interest in our club.”
“Hell’s Corner?” Somersworth scowled. “We’ve only just started the business and it’s a bloody good time.”
That made Ken smile. “Right. Well, that will answer one of Ace’s questions, anyhow.”
“Thanks for the information,” Upton said as he looked down the hall. “We’d best be going or we’ll be late.”
Ken said farewell, but he didn’t continue toward the door. Should he find Mirabelle and apologize for his abrupt departure? Try and explain? Attempt a different strategy?
He shook his head, attempting to decide, when a crash from the foyer made his head snap up. What was that?
Were the brothers tussling again?
He started toward the stairs to find out.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Mirabelle leftthe sitting room the moment she thought Ken had cleared the hall, and stumbled down the back stairs toward the kitchen.
She had a goal. One that would help this family. So why did it feel as though she’d just lost something far more important?
She stepped into the kitchen, hoping to make her way out to the garden unseen, but with her head down and tears filling her eyes, she missed Emily’s presence on the left side of the room. “Mira?”
She stopped, brushing at her eyes as she tried to hide the evidence that she’d shed a few tears. “Emily. You’re not…”
“In my room?” Emily let out a small laugh. “No. Real life is creeping into our little bubble.” Emily came walking over.
“That’s too bad,” Mirabelle murmured, hoping to escape. She needed to think and to try and figure out where she’d gone wrong.
“It’s fine. At this very moment, I’m more concerned about you.”
Drat. She wasn’t going to escape this one. Perhaps Emily could help. Then again, they were discussing Emily’s brother. “I think I just made a terrible mistake.”
Emily crossed the space between them, taking Mirabelle’s hands in her own. “Tell me what’s happened?”
