Foundation of Love: The Gypsy Blessing 2 Read Online Free Page B

computer. The clatter of letters dropping through the mail slot at Pemberley Manor in Derbyshire County, England, always reminded him of the happy summer vacations he had spent there while growing up. Answering several business messages first, he clicked on one from Anne. The preview of the photo she sent was too large to fit on the screen, but what—or who— was visible chased all other thoughts from his mind.
    Those eyes!
    The bells of a nearby church chimed the hour and broke William’s trance. Opening the attachment to view the entire photograph, he didn’t recognize two of the girls pictured. While he had to admit the blonde was beautiful, the girl with the emerald green eyes and the long, silky, brown hair was perfection itself. He prayed this was not the seventeen-year-old.
    Before he realized what he was doing, William had dialed Anne’s cell phone, and he heard a very sleepy, “Hello?”
    “Anne? Did I wake you?”
    “William? Is something wrong?” When he told her that all was well, she grumbled, “Of course you woke me up! When you dropped me off, I told you I was going straight to bed.”
    “I’m sorry. Everything’s fine; I just didn’t realize it was so late. Why don’t you call me when you get up. It isn’t important.”
    “Don’t you dare hang up on me! I’ll be up all night wondering why you called. Tell me.”
    He hesitated a few moments before blurting out, “I received your email... which is which?”
    “Which is which what , William?”
    “In the photo. Who is who… which girl is which…?”
    “Oh!” At least Anne tried to cover her giggle by clearing her throat. “The girl with the blonde highlights is Jane. Elizabeth has dark hair.”
    William didn’t answer right away; he was too busy swearing silently. “But you said… how old are these girls? Neither of them looks seventeen. They don’t even look like sisters.”
    “I know Lizzy doesn’t look that young, and she certainly doesn’t act it either, but she’s seventeen. Jane just turned twenty.”
    “How’d you become suitemates with these girls anyway?”
    “They grew up in Charlotte’s home town, and she thought we’d get along well. After having the ‘party animals’ as suitemates last year, we wanted roommates that took their studies as seriously as we do and requested Jane and Lizzy. You know the university won’t deny me anything within reason.” She laughed. “They fear that if I’m not kept completely happy, I’ll put a stop to the de Bourgh family’s donations!”
    William sighed deeply.
    “You still there, Will?”
    “Yeah. Sorry I bothered you, Anne. Sleep well.”
    “Good night.”
    He hit the “end” button on his phone and returned his attention to the photo that was still on the screen. The formal “Elizabeth” fit her much better than “Lizzy” though his opinion might change once he met her.
    Charlotte’s neighbors, eh? They probably couldn’t afford to go to university any other way than scholarships, William thought with another sigh.
    Even before he had been old enough to consider girls as anything more than annoying pests, Anne’s mother, Catherine de Bourgh, had already begun to badger him about what she named as his “duty to connect their ancient, noble, and superior families” with a marriage between Anne and him. The two were such good friends, it really was too bad they had never felt that way about each other. However, it could never have worked. Anne had always been like a sister to him, and she had been in love with his cousin Richard for as long as he could remember.
    Because William was the heir to the business empire that the Darcy family had built over many generations, even as far back as high school, he had been chased by quite a few girls.
    At first, innocent and ignorant of the motive behind their interest, he’d thought himself lucky. After several disappointments, William saw a pattern developing—their pursuit of him had nothing to do with him. Their