Ann Carr Read Online Free

bad. Could it?
    “Hey! Elizabeth! Why’re you hiding on the stairs?” Jumping in fright Elizabeth spun around to see her brother grinning down at her from where he was standing two steps above her.
    “Oh! I’m doing nothing of the sort!” she stated, annoyed that he’d discovered her hiding! “I was merely taking a rest before entering the hall!”
    Richard quickly stepped passed her with the grin widening on his face, “whatever you say Elizabeth!”  Stopping at the bottom of the stairs he turned to look up at her, cocking his eyebrow as he asked, “Are you coming or are you going to stay up there all night?”
    Smiling, grudgingly, at her brother, Elizabeth slowly began to move, “I was rather hoping that I could stay up here all night! Do you think I’d be missed?”
    “Come on Elizabeth”, laughing, Richard took her hand and gently dragged her towards their family who’d already gathered at the table for their evening meal, “you know you want to hear what father has to say just as much as I do”, he whispered to her so that his words couldn’t be overheard.
    Wishing that she could disagree with him Elizabeth knew her sense of curiosity wouldn’t allow her to remain hided away on the stairs. She did want to find out what all of the intrigue was about even though she had an awful feeling she wasn’t going to like it.
    “What do you think he wants to tell us?” she whispered as they neared the table, hoping to distract herself from her growing unease.
    “Perhaps that he’s going to invade Scotland again!” he suggested, feeling the tension in his sister, “or maybe, he wants to introduce us to one of his bastards that he thinks we’ve been too blind to notice?” This produced a weak smile from Elizabeth, because it was true that their father had a number of children born on the wrong side of the blanket which he didn’t acknowledge.
    Lowering his voice, he leaned into Elizabeth, “Or maybe he wants to let us know that he’s found someone blind enough to actually offer marriage to one of the she devils!” he shuddered at the thought, bringing a full blown laugh to Elizabeth’s lips. Not just because of the nickname he used to describe their sisters, but also at his naivety in believing that any of their sisters would allow a potential wealthy husband to see the cold ruthlessness that lay beneath their beauty. In the past, many a fine knight had already been blinded by the beauty of them, making complete fools of themselves in the process.
    “And what are you laughing at Elizabeth?” Isabelle broke into her amusement with the thoroughness of an icy bucket of water dousing her head. Her mother always seemed to have that effect!
    “Nothing Mamma”, she mumbled taking her place beside Richard at the table, Isabelle already in conversation with her other daughters.
    Surrounded by her family and engulfed in the chattering conversation taking place around her, Elizabeth took the opportunity to study everyone seated around the table. She was slightly surprised as she noticed that the majority of her family appeared to be in high spirits, which was not a common occurrence at this table! Indeed, her three sisters Mary, Rebecca and Rachel all had their heads together giggling, with their mother joining in their laughter. That alone made her brow knit, as she could hardly recall a single occasion when she had heard her mother laugh, or look in the slightest bit happy.
    Further up the table Henry, her oldest brother, was sitting with an expression that she could only describe as being a smug sneer on his face. His wife was seated next to him looking as miserably as ever, which was no surprise to Elizabeth, since she’d worn that expression ever since the day she’d arrived here after their wedding. What did surprise her though was seeing Edward and James engaged in animated conversation, excitement in their eyes, there was definitely big news in the air!
    This general light-heartedness that her