Pride and Retribution Read Online Free Page A

attention off Caroline when Baron Nairn had escorted Caroline onto the dance floor.
    ‘You seem very deep in thought, Wilfred. Is there anything wrong?’ Harriet asked softly.
    He sighed very deeply. ‘I think I’m in love.’ He said softly too.
    ‘In love!’ Harriet burst out laughing, making the Earl frown. ‘I’m sorry, My Lord, but that takes the cake!’ She laughed as if her sides would split. Wilfred sat almost stony faced, waiting for her to stop. Harriet regained control of herself when she saw that Wilfred wasn’t laughing. ‘It was a joke, Wilfred.’
    ‘I don’t feel like laughing. To feel like I do is no laughing matter and I don’t know what to do about it yet.’
    ‘You don’t know what to do?’ Harriet asked almost shrilly, her voice rising by the octave, she was so surprised. ‘My Lord, you have the reputation of a rakehell. I’m sure you know exactly what to do!’ She spluttered with more laughter.
    ‘I shall have to explain everything for you to understand.’ Wilfred said calmly, trying not to let Harriet’s raucous laughter upset his pride as he poured tea for them both. ‘Now stop laughing or you will spill your tea.’ He admonished softly, making Harriet quieten down.
    ‘So who is it that you have fallen in love with?’ Harriet asked, amusement still making her lips twitch.
    ‘Miss Lucille Hastings.’
    ‘Hastings?’ Harriet frowned. ‘I know Evelyn Hastings. We are second cousins on our mother’s sides.’ She looked at him with a frown. ‘Is that who you m ean, little Lucy?’ she demanded, all humour gone now.
    ‘Yes, little Lucy, who is not so very little anymore.’ Wilfred said calmly still. ‘She was in attendance at Fotheringay’s and I know I shouldn’t have gone, but I did.’ He shook his head as a slight flush crept into his cheeks as he sipped his tea.
    ‘What did you do to poor Lucy?’ Harriet whispered in horror.
    Wilfred sighed deeply again. ‘I got thoroughly drunk and propositioned her.’ Harriet raised her eyebrow quizzically as he drank more tea to stall for time. ‘I asked her to suck my cock!’ Wilfred gabbled out, trying to get it over with quickly. Harriet sucked in a huge breath in shock, slapping her fingers over her mouth.
    ‘What did she do?’ Harriet asked and he could see the smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
    ‘She shrieked at me and slapped my face, before she stomped away.’ He sighed again. ‘Unfortunately, my foot had captured the lace at the bottom of her gown and when she stormed off, it unravelled.’ He shrugged his shoulders eloquently. ‘I still have the lace.’ He finished in a whisper as he stared into his empty cup.
    ‘You have indeed got a problem. Lucy will not forgive easily.’ She sniggered. ‘I’m surprised she didn’t call you out! She’s an exceptional shot for a woman. Pistols or muskets. It wouldn’t make any difference to her and what about Robert? Didn’t he call you out?’
    ‘If he did, I don’t remember it. I only remember Howard hustling me out of the ballroom. I understand from Connors that he found me on the floor of my study in the morning with an almost empty decanter of “Blood and thunder”, so I was well in my cups.’
    ‘Did you see Ernest, that night?’ Harriet asked quietly. She knew it was the night of the attack.
    ‘I did. The bastard was laughing and flirting with the debutantes and I just got excessively drunk!’
    ‘Then you need to explain that to Lucy. Otherwise she will think you are just a drunken rake!’
    ‘I shall be lucky to see her now that the season is winding down.’ He sighed deeply, ‘and anyway, she is hardly of a high enough status for an Earl who will become a Duke!’
    ‘I shall amend my opinion of you.’ Harriet said with a frown. ‘You’re not just a rake, but an arrogant fool too!’ She smiled softly to take the offence out of her indignation. ‘Do you not realise just who she is?’ He shook his head. ‘She is the daughter of