The Marriage Contract PDF
Preview The Marriage Contract
CATHY MAXWELL The Marriage Contract To Kevin Maxwell, with love NLFL MFML Contents PROLOGUE Anne Burnett held her breath as Lady Waldo signed her… 1 Chapter 1 It rained almost every day of the trip from London… 11 Chapter 2 Hugh and Deacon gathered around for a look. Hugh made… 27 Chapter 3 Anne couldn’t relax. Her husband’s body surrounded hers. The horse… 45 Chapter 4 In the ensuing dead silence, Anne reflected that perhaps her… 56 Chapter 5 Aidan marched downstairs, followed by Deacon, straight for the ale… 74 Chapter 6 Anne searched for what few hair pins she’d owned but… 94 Chapter 7 The trip to McKenzie’s to buy sheep was a hard… 111 Chapter 8 Anne stood in her yellow Kashmir shawl and fine periwinkle… 134 Chapter 9 Anne spent the afternoon detailing to Cora what would be… 151 Chapter 10 Anne stared into his intent eyes and closed her mouth. 174 Chapter 11 Anne heard the door shut. 198 Chapter 12 Hugh, Deacon, and Mrs. MacEwan waited for Aidan in the… 217 Chapter 13 Anne knew Aidan would be right behind her. He caught… 230 Chapter 14 “We are surrounded by British soldiers,” Anne reminded Aidan as… 251 Chapter 15 Aidan didn’t dare tell Anne the details of his plan. 268 Chapter 16 “The devil you say,” the colonel snapped. Aidan pulled Anne… 287 Chapter 17 Aidan’s laughter enraged Major Lambert. He charged again. Aidan neatly… 307 Chapter 18 Anne’s ears rang with the force of the explosion. The… 323 Epilogue Being a politician’s wife was not easy for someone who… 341 Afterword About the Author Other Books by Cathy Maxwell Cover Copyright About the Publisher Prologue London, 1815 Anne Burnett held her breath as Lady Waldo signed her brother’s bold, singular title “Tiebauld” to the proxy marriage contract. The scratch of the sharp quill across parchment resounded in the sudden quiet of the law- yer’s office. Finished, Lady Waldo handed the pen to Sir Rupert, who officiously sanded the signature before turning the document on his desk toward Anne. “Your turn, Miss Burnett.” He dipped the pen in ink and offered it to her with a slight flourish. Anne stared at the writing instrument as if she’d never seen one before. A bead of ink formed on the nub’s tip. If she didn’t take it quickly, the ink would fall onto the desk and make a splatter. But she couldn’t breathe, let alone move. “It is your turn to sign, Miss Burnett,” Sir Rupert prompted again. 1 2 / Cathy Maxwell “Yes, Anne,” Aunt Maeve said, sitting in the hardback chair beside her niece’s. She gave Anne’s elbow a little wake-up pinch. “This is no time for missish airs. It’s as good as you could ever hope for. Better, in fact.” Anne could only agree, but the minuscule writing of terms and agreements her aunt and uncle had spent hours negotiating leered up at her. No one had asked her opinion. Not once. After all, this marriage was considered the best an orphan with a disgraced past could achieve. Of course, in fairness, she’d had her chances. Uncle Robert and Aunt Maeve had sponsored her for two Seasons. However, the consensus was her looks, while pleasant—straight brown hair, serious gray eyes, and a mouth too generous for beauty—were not spectacular enough to overcome her lack of fortune or social con- nections. No man wanted her save one. Lord Tiebauld, Lady Waldo’s brother. The man whose very name made every eligible debutante shudder. Bitter disappointment replaced fear. Anne had dreamed of marriage, of being loved for herself, and of finally having a place where she was wanted and belonged… Instead, she was to be shipped off to the wilds of Scotland. Dismissed, was more like it. Her relatives couldn’t wait to be rid of her. She reached for the pen and angled the contract on the polished wood desk in front of her. Her fingers tightened on the stylus—and suddenly she couldn’t do it. THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT / 3 Not until she asked the question burning in her mind, “How mad is he?” For a heartbeat, everyone stared as if Anne had spoken in tongues. Politically powerful, socially adept, Lady Waldo appeared most disconcerted of all. Then chaos erupted. Uncle Robert rose to his feet with a soft oath while Aunt Maeve cried out, “Anne!” Sir Rupert leaned across the desk, frowning at her uncle. “I thought you said the girl was agreeable to the match?” “She is,” Uncle Robert answered. He placed a warning hand on Anne’s shoulder. “She will sign.” “It’s nerves,” Aunt Maeve assured everyone. “Her father was just as high-strung. She’ll calm down.” “Maeve, shut up,” Uncle Robert growled, but it was too late. Sir Rupert grasped at the possible implica- tions. “You told me she was healthy!” “She is,” Aunt Maeve shot back. “Didn’t your doctor tell you so? He even verified her virginity.” Hot color flooded Anne’s cheeks at the reminder of the invasive and too personal examination the doctor had given her. She started to rise, feeling an urge to run, to hide—but Uncle Robert’s hand shoved back down in the chair. Besides, where would she go? Sir Rupert turned to Lady Waldo. “I can’t let you continue with this endeavor, my lady. Not until we are completely sure of the girl’s mental soundness.”
Description:The list of books you might like
