The Rake's Redemption Read Online Free

Lord Hampton kept a fine stable. No bone setters there.” Judith had frightened him to death. Foolhardy didn’t begin to describe her. There had been no fence she wouldn’t try, no hedge too wide for her. Her brother couldn’t begin to compete with his sister’s daring. Anything Thomas could jump on a stallion over a hand higher than her mount, Judith would tackle too.
    “Wouldn’t surprise me if the girl didn’t still carry a torch for you, Thomas.” Amara Guilmor had no sense of restraint, and no shame.
    “I think it unlikely.” To his left Thomas could see Lord Guilmor’s amused smirk. “I shall however diligently obey your injunction to visit Lord Hampton. Which will no doubt bring me into contact with his daughter.”
    “It’s of little import to me, Thomas. I just want to be sure that you observe the proprieties.” Amara Guilmor passed the decanter to her godson with a pronounced flourish as if to emphasise her disinterest.
    Thomas found it difficult to believe that propriety would be well served by his call upon Judith Hampton. If she would receive him at all. Like a young fool he had been overjoyed when Jeremy had passed her note to him. Except that the note contained only anger and disappointment. Its bitterness had forced him to understand that a door he’d thought would always be open to him had been closed for ever. “The conventions will be observed, godmother. I give you my word.”
    “Very well, Thomas. Judith is a remarkable girl you know. Highly competent.” Lord Guilmor’s smile had changed to the long suffering, sympathetic kind.
    “I shall be diligence itself, I assure you. Though we hardly began to know each other before Lord Hampton took her abroad. And that was four years ago.”
    “Cornwall, Thomas. They went to Cornwall. To his sister. I doubt that even then Jonathon Hampton could have run to the tour. Besides time’s immaterial. Isn’t it Guilmor?” Lord Guilmor had been sipping his port quietly, but his riposte didn’t miss a beat.
    “And the value of a good woman is decidedly above rubies. The trick is finding one, Thomas. Dashed difficult. Isn’t it Amara?”
    His wife rewarded him with a glare before she returned to her point. “Guilmor is right, though the Lord knows how. You should be grateful if she still favours you, Thomas.”
    “Thank you, godmother. I doubt the lady will do that. So your advice may be a trifle optimistic.” He could see her irritation in his godmother’s lowered lids and pursed lips, but it would be foolish to encourage her. Just as it would be a foolish indulgence to dwell on old memories of calf love and girlish affection. Weak and foolish to reminisce on a beautiful girl who had told him she loved him.

Chapter2
     
     
    Judith smoothed the curled leather flat with her fingertips. The intricate gilding round the border of the desk was faded with years, but it still caught the eye and admiration of every visitor. Till they realised just how frayed the edges of the inlay were. It should have been renewed long before, but Judith knew better than to ask. Father reacted poorly to such requests. Or indeed anything that disturbed his routine. Except this morning when Brewson interrupted them as they were working, and he ignored her protests to go off with their steward. Sometimes it seemed that her lot was to give way to the convenience of everyone at Oakenhill.
    She turned expectantly when the library door opened, but it was John Hampton and not their father who came in, and despite a half hearted attempt at a smile Judith could feel apprehension corrode her mood even further.
    “Morning, sister. Father not with you?” Her brother’s words were polite enough, but his smile was less convincing, and the speed with which he turned to go was testimony to their strained relations.
    “Just, John. It is only just morning. Nuncheon will be in an hour when father and I have finished here. He’s with Brewson at present.” She never could stop