True Love's Deception (book 3) (The Fielding Brothers Saga) Read Online Free Page B

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed her gaze roaming over him. Somehow he’d captured her interest, and he rather liked it.
    “Suppose I was tae go along with this little scheme of yers .” He glanced at her over his shoulder. “What would I get out of it?”
    She jumped to her feet. Her stare focused directly on him. “You will be paid a tidy sum.” Her slender neck constricted as if she swallowed hard. “I will pay you three times your wages now, and you will be outfitted to look like a gentleman before we leave. You will also be given a small allowance when we arrive, but that will be all. I’ll pay you half before we go, and the rest once we return. What better offer can be given to a man of your station?”
    He gnashed his teeth. He could have done without that last comment. But she was correct. He’d never get a better offer. And the bargain did sound good. He’d never made that much money, and even if he scraped and saved for the next ten years, he probably wouldn’t earn that amount.
    His heart raced at the mere thought of owning something for the first time in his life. Having his own horse would be good, or he could buy himself his own little parcel of land and start his own stud farm, which had been a dream of his for a while.
    Thinking over the pros and cons, he kept silent. Right now, the only disadvantage was that she would be his pretend wife and he’d have to put up with her vicious mouth. But what about his goal of obtaining a real family? A real wife and being married in a church? If he went along with her scheme, it would ruin everything he’d ever wanted. Then again, having that much money may find him the life he thought he’d never have.
    The bargain sounded good, but Andrew couldn’t give in so easily. He needed to barter just a little more. And he really wanted to see her squirm.
    “I might consider doin ’ it if ye pay me four times me wages—”
    “Done.” She smiled and her face beamed.
    “And, I might consider doin ’ it if ye promise me somethin ’ in return for the favor I’m doin ’ ye.”
    The blush he’d seen earlier returned and spread across her face. “And what might that be?” Her voice quivered.
    Should he tease? Although it’d be enjoyable, he’d do it at a later date, and especially, not in front of her maid.
    “Ye have tae promise tae treat me as yer equal. I won’t be made tae look like the Scottish bumpkin who kisses the ground ye walk on. I’ll be yer husband and ye’ll treat me with respect.”
    She lifted her chin a little higher. “And how will you treat me, Mr. Dean?”
    “I’ll treat you as kindly as ye do me. If ye regard me as a precious piece of glass, I’ll do the same, but if ye treat me like I’m kitchen scraps, then ye’ll be treated likewise. Is that reasonable?”
    Uncertainty flickered in her turquoise eyes, and she bit her bottom lip. After a few moments of silence, she took a deep breath walked to him.
    “Agreed.”
    “Then it’s settled...wife.” He grinned.
    She grimaced. “I give you permission to address me by my given name.”
    “Fine then, Juliana...Dean.”
    “No. That’s not right either. You shall use a different name. I think the name Lawrence sounds more believable for the gentleman I’m going to turn you into. From now on your name will be Andrew Dean Lawrence.”
    “Lawrence?” He cocked his head, a strange feeling washed over him. He didn’t like the idea of taking on another man’s name. “Where did that name come from?”
    “There are a lot of Lawrence’s in England, and so nobody would think twice and wonder which family you came from.” She laughed. “You know, for some reason, that name sounds good on you.”
    For the first time since they met, he agreed with her.
    * * * *
    Andrew stood inside the church in the next town over, waiting for Miss Juliana to arrive.
    It took some talking, and he feared the Lord would strike him speechless. Andrew really didn’t want to lie to his employer,