The Reluctant Duchess Read Online Free

memory was so pleasant that she was unwilling to distract herself. Then, unbidden, the memory of his kiss came to the forefront of her mind. She had enjoyed it and a part of her felt awful for slapping him, but she couldn’t afford to lose her head now. Winter wasn’t far off and last year, she had needed to pawn a necklace to cover the additional heating costs for the house. She didn’t have much jewellery of any value left now.
    Her hand went to her throat and she clasped the sapphire pendant that sat there. This was the only piece of re al value now but she was loathe to part with it. It had been a present from her parents on her 14 th birthday, although she knew that her mother had chosen it. ‘It reminded me of your eyes,’ her mother had said with pride as she placed it around her neck.
    Not long after that, the mother that she knew was gone forever, and in her place was the deranged shrew that lived upstairs.
    She was surprised to find herself voluntarily thinking of Richard Armstrong in an attempt to clear her mind of such unpleasant thoughts. The first thing that came to her was his lips and how soft they had felt when pressed against her own. She had wanted to kiss him, she admitted, and her reaction afterwards had been overzealous and uncalled for. She would apologise the next time she saw him, she decided.
    Before she could indulge too much in that madness, Jones knocked on the door and came in.
    Annabelle didn’t think of Richard again until she got into bed that evening and by then, she told herself that she was far too tired to redirect her thoughts and allowed herself a momentary indulgence.

Chapter Two
    The next morning Annabelle rose at seven, as usual. Her morning routine was long established and she began by washing in the jug and basin that had been left in her room last night. Then she carefully washed her hair over the small basin, rinsing it with the rest of the water from the jug, before gently picking through the tangle of curls. She then towelled out all the water that she could and combed it into a centre parting.
    Most young ladies only washed their hair once or very occasionally, twice a week but Annabelle didn’t have that luxury. Most people loved her curly hair but then they didn’t have to live with it. She couldn’t brush it without it resembling a wild and thorny bush and if she didn’t brush it, she was left with terrible knots. The only solution was to at least wet the hair each morning, pick the tangles out and leave it to dry.
    When she was finished, Jones knocked and then helped her into her dress for the day.
    With that done she headed downstairs and out into the carriage, which was waiting outside; she rarely ate breakfast these days and if she did get hungry, she could find something at the coffee house. Since the carriage was enclosed, she didn’t bother with a bonnet.
    When he worked for her father, Frank had been a groom and now part of his job was to see to the horse at the local stables each morning an d night, as well as driving the staff to and from the coffee house. He was also charged with the horse’s care throughout the day, although it remained in the yard behind the coffee house and wasn’t stabled in the daytime. 
    Minnie was already in the carriage but as usual, Ethel was running late and she flew out of the house and into the carriage, holding her untied bonnet to her head. As soon as she was in, Frank urged the horse forward.
    When they arrived at the coffee house, Annabelle put on her apron to protect her gown as she cooked, whilst Frank and Minnie saw to the fire the main room and Ethel began to clear and light the large kitchen stove.
    This was Annabelle’s favourite part of the day, creating the coffee house’s baked treats. The front of house would open soon to serve those who needed a coffee on their way to work, or who perhaps wanted to hold an informal business meeting. Food wasn’t served until at least 10 o’clock and savoury food