An Invitation to Scandal Read Online Free

daughter, the only member of his family he considered deserving of his love.
    “Father, please.” Rebecca shot Nicholas an apologetic look. The dove gray of her gown brought out the silvery hue of her eyes, the only hint they had at least some of the same blood running through their veins. Beyond that, she resembled their mother while he…
    Well, he did not exactly resemble anyone, did he?
    “The thought of you returning to your old ways disgusts me,” Blackbourne said. He delivered his harsh words to the window, rather than address Nicholas directly. An intended slight. A reminder he was beneath the earl’s contempt.
    “I have no intentions of returning to my old ways.”
    “Good.” Rebecca issued the word with a relieved sigh. “See, Father, there is nothing to be concerned about.”
    Nicholas remembered a time when his little sister had worshipped the ground he walked on. How she had tagged along behind him like a shadow he could not shake. Now she was a woman in her own right, and the brother she’d once adored had become less of a hero and more of a hindrance as she developed aspirations of her own. Aspirations that included snagging Lord Selward as a husband.
    What she saw in that fop he would never understand, but she had her heart and mind set on him and only now that Nicholas had begun to turn his life around had Lord Selward bothered to look in his sister’s direction.
    Not a point in the man’s favor.
    His mother reached out and placed a hand over his. “I would hate to see you lose your chance at happiness.”
    Happiness. Nicholas twisted his mouth to one side. At one time, he thought he’d had it within his grasp, but it had been taken away. Now, the concept was completely foreign to him. He had not turned his life around to find happiness.
    He did not deserve it.
    It was redemption he sought, though even that seemed far beyond his reach at the moment.
    “I will be on my best behavior.” He displayed a confidence he did not feel. He had suppressed his natural desires for eight very long months. Surely he could do it a while longer until he married the very proper Miss Caldwell. Though seeing Miss Laytham with her dress plastered to her body, revealing a surprising amount of curves for one so slight, had stoked a fire inside of him Miss Caldwell’s cool perfection never could. How tenuous his hold on his desires truly was. “Please do not trouble yourself.”
    He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and forced thoughts of Miss Laytham out of his mind. Perhaps it would be best if he spent the night at his parents’ house rather than returning to his own lodgings, with its clear view of Miss Laytham’s bedroom window.

 
    Chapter Two
     
    Abigail leafed through the letters on the silver salver in the main hall. Her arm felt much improved today, though her pride still stung over having allowed Lord Roxton to convey her and Caelie home like errant children.
    The conversation during the carriage ride had been stilted and awkward, a situation she did nothing to alleviate. She did not care if the always virtuous Miss Caldwell suggested to others her behavior was rude and peevish. What did it matter? Society had already made up their minds about her family and seemed disinclined to change them.
    She picked up a letter addressed to her, recognizing Lord Tarrington’s shaky penmanship.
    Lovely. Yet another lengthy missive describing the progress of his gardens, no doubt. Heavens how she dreaded a life with this man. The age gap between them was so staggering, they shared no common ground. He rambled on about botany while she responded with descriptions of her latest watercolors. A bold-faced lie if she’d ever told one. Her watercolors were abysmal and in truth she had given up the pursuit years ago. But she had to write something, and she doubted the true thoughts and feelings of a young woman just one and twenty would be of any interest to a man well into his sixtieth year.
    Besides, they both knew he