The Sweetest Love (Sons of Worthington Series) Read Online Free

to the widow Fairbourne . Even the men you were drinking with at the tavern knew you really didn’t want to get married. Because of that, no one will doubt that you fled your own wedding.”
    “What about my driver? Wouldn’t he be able to confirm that someone else took his place?”
    Tabitha shook her head. “Not when you were the one who climbed in the wrong vehicle.”
    Groaning, Tristan closed his eyes.
    Diana gasped and stared at her maid. “Lord Tristan was that drunk?”
    Laughing, Tabitha nodded. “Indeed he was, my lady. When I saw him stumble out of the tavern and go to the wrong coach, I knew fate was lending me a hand.” Her grin widened. “And, earlier before that happened, I snuck into his townhouse and left missives on his desk that will lead his family to discover the purpose for his absence.” She turned her focus back on Tristan whose glare was now aimed at Tabitha. “The missive is from a woman you’ve been meeting secretly for the past few months.” She shrugged. “What other conclusion could they come to except you ran out on your own wedding? The last I’d heard, a gentleman’s reputation becomes tarnished by doing this.”
    “Tabitha?” Diana asked in a harsh voice. “I thought you told me you were going into town for some supplies.”
    A blush stole across the maid’s face. “Well, to be honest, my main goal was to set up Lord Tristan and kidnap him.” She shrugged. “Can I help it if fate lent me a helping hand?”
    Diana blew out an agitated breath as doom began to close around her. She needed to think of a way out of this mess…and soon! “But it doesn’t hide the fact that what you did was wrong, and we could suffer greatly for this mistake.”
    “Forgive me, my lady. I was only trying to get back at him. I only had your best interests in mind.”
    Tristan’s face hardened and anger darkened his blue eyes. “I see you have thought long and hard about your revenge. And Lady Hollingsworth I commend you for finding such a loyal servant.”
    “Indeed, my lord. It wasn’t until now that I realized what a Godsend Tabitha is to me.” Diana stepped closer and dared to touch the lock of hair hanging on his forehead. Memories from the past engulfed her as if it was just yesterday they’d held each other so personally. She’d been so young back then. And certainly foolish. So then why did he still make her heart flutter? She hated him. Didn’t she?
    “I’ve spent three long and miserable years wishing things were different, and in all that time, I had such wicked thoughts of how I could humiliate you as you have humiliated me.”
    The longer she toyed with his hair, the color in his eyes began to lighten, and the creases around his mouth relaxed. Could he feel the spark that had always happened between them when they touched? She hoped not.
    “I heard you had left for Paris right after you and Ludlow were married,” he said in softer tones.
    She withdrew her hand and stepped back. “I did, but just as I’d gotten used to the routine of having a life once again, something always happened to ruin it. There was always someone who’d heard about the duel. Ludlow seemed to blossom because of what happened, but I wilted like a dead flower.”
    He glanced around the room. “So where are we now? Who lives here?”
    “This used to be my maternal grandmother’s house. She died three months past. A fortnight ago, I decided to come here and stay for a while. Ludlow’s murder was suffocating me, especially all the rumors.”
    “I heard you were a suspect,” he said matter-of-factly.
    She chuckled, but humor was the farthest thing from her mind. “And so are you. For that matter, half of the men he played cards with are suspects as well as most the women he had affairs with.”
    He shrugged. “So you live out here alone?”
    “Do not sound so surprised. I’ve been alone since you publically proclaimed to win my hand in marriage by dueling with Ludlow, and then ran away from