No Groom at the Inn: A Dukes Behaving Badly Novella Read Online Free

himself of that, he thought—not to get too close. She wasn’t at all like any of the women he’d found intriguing before, but for some reason, she intrigued him.
    “Ah, Mr. James,” his mother’s butler said, a welcoming smile on his face. Taylor had been with his mother for years and treated Jamie as someone to be tolerated for her sake. Jamie knew the warmth of Taylor’s smile was in direct correlation to how many times his mother must have sent Taylor outside to see if her son had returned yet.
    He was surprised there wasn’t a path on the carpet in the hallway indicating the poor man’s footsteps.
    “Yes, we are back. If you could inform my mother—”
    “You’re back!”
    “Never mind, Taylor, I see she is here.” Jamie took a deep breath before turning to face his mother. This was it. He had to persuade her that not only was he betrothed, but that he was deeply in love with his bride-to-be. He knew Sophronia’s favorite color was green, she preferred novels to poetry, she liked ale, and she had a way of pausing before she spoke that made him think she was truly considering her words.
    He hoped his mother would keep her questions to those important topics so they wouldn’t be found out.
    “Allow me to introduce my betrothed,” he said, drawing Sophronia forward. Her hand trembled. “Mother, this is Lady Sophronia Bettesford. Sophronia, this is my mother, Mrs. Archer.”
    She withdrew her hand from his arm and held it out to his mother, who gaped at it, then stepped forward and gathered Sophronia into a hug, which meant the much taller woman had to stoop to be embraced. “I am so delighted to meet you, my dear. Jamie kept you such a secret, I didn’t even know he was acquainted with any lady who might be worthy of him, much less you!” She released Sophronia but kept hold of her arms, gazing up at her with an expression something close to rapture. “You are so lovely, I am certain we will be as close as though I was your own mother,” she said, her words coming out in a sob.
    Sophronia darted a startled look at Jamie, but her expression was serene when she looked back at his mother. “I am delighted to meet you as well, Mrs. Archer. This was all rather unexpected,” she said, in such a dry tone Jamie nearly choked on his laugh, “so it is not surprising to hear this is the first time you have heard of me.”
    “Come into the sitting room, dear, and let me hear all about you.”
    His mother took Sophronia’s arm and led her into the room, chattering nonstop about her general delight at Jamie having brought her home. “Even though an indication that this was happening would have been nice,” she said, with a sharp look directed at Jamie. He followed them, feeling some of the knot of tension in his chest untie, just a bit, that the first encounter seemed to be going well.
    Now they just had to get through the next two, perhaps three, weeks without anyone realizing they’d met only earlier in the day, and that neither one of them had any intention of marrying the other.
    Jamie had once successfully negotiated the purchase of artifacts that were reportedly the only things keeping the town from being destroyed by angry gods, so he thought he could handle the relatively minor endeavor of persuading his mother and the guests at a house party that he was, indeed, engaged to be married.
    Even though he rather wished he were back facing those superstitious villagers rather than attempting this subterfuge.

 
    Vecordy:
    1. Senseless, foolish.
    2. A harmonious sound.
    3. The change of seasons.

 
    C HAPTER F OUR
    “M y lady!” Maria shrieked as she was shown into Sophronia’s bedroom. She’d been given the best bedroom, according to her new not-yet mother-in-law, and Sophronia had to admit it was substantially better than the place she’d lived in most recently, when she’d still held out hope that something could keep her from her cousin, and his chickens.
    And now, just when she had given up