The Rake Read Online Free Page A

to be horrified or
intrigued by the suggestion that Lord Wyndham might have dark
designs upon her. It had not occurred to her previously that he
might. He’d indicated that he’d asked her to dance out of empathy
for her reluctance to dance with the Rev. Flemming. She had not
thought to question it. As for their encounter earlier, she’d
considered it merely a coincidence that he had happened upon her in
the meadow.
    She frowned, but try as she might she could
not think of anything that he’d said or done to indicate he had
designs upon her person. Very likely, she decided with some
disappointment, it was only her aunt’s evil mind that had invented
lasciviousness where none existed.
    “ That said--and I know you
are, in general, a modest young woman ,” Alma Moreland continued,
“I have very good news for you.”
    Demi’s belly clenched reflexively. Good news
to Alma Moreland didn’t necessarily mean anyone else would think it
so. In general it meant that she expected to profit somehow from
it, regardless of whom the news pertained to and anyone who did not
share her opinion of the news was either a fool or they had set
themselves up against her. “Good news?” she echoed cautiously.
    “ Do sit down, Demitria!
From the look of you I can’t imagine your stroll was particularly
efficacious. You’re as pale as a ghost.”
    Demi looked around and finally perched on
the edge of the nearest chair, waiting expectantly for the ax to
fall.
    Alma Moreland smiled at her
and if possible, Demi’s stomach clenched even harder. “Our dear
Reverend Flemming had a word with me last evening before he left.
Such a gentleman! And such a fine figure of a man. He is considered
quite a catch, you must know. You have played your cards very well,
very well indeed--although I must say I’m not particularly fond of
that vulgarism--But it never does to allow a man to feel as if he
has an open field. It was very clever of you to finagle a dance out
of Lord Wyndham--just the impetus needed to push Mr. Flemming into
declaring himself. We have all but settled it between us. I must
say I was most pleasantly surprised by him, for he readily agreed
with the sum I offered to settle upon you. In fact, he made it
clear that he had not expected that you would be dowered at all and
had set aside a sum himself for that purpose.” She stopped,
frowning. “I was that put out about it, I must tell you, for I might have saved …
but no matter. I shall not count the cost in seeing you properly
settled. It’s the least I can do for my poor, departed sister to
see her girl comfortably settled.”
    If her aunt had announced that she was to be
executed the following morning, Demi did not think she could have
been more stunned. Bereft of speech, her thoughts shattered into
chaos by shock, Demi found she was incapable for some moments of
even putting two thoughts together and making any sense of them. At
first she could not think beyond her revulsion at the idea of being
Jonathan Flemming’s wife. Outrage began to sink in as she managed
to add to that the fact that he and her aunt between them had
settled all very neatly without any consideration for her wishes,
without consulting her, without even apprising her of their plans
until after the fact.
    Alma Moreland smirked. “I see I have
rendered you speechless with delight. I confess I was not at all
pleased to see you dangling after Lord Wyndham, particularly since
I could only consider it a betrayal of trust when you know very
well he is Phoebe’s beau and we expect almost daily that he will
declare himself. Now that I have been brought to see that it was
merely a clever ruse on your part to coax the elusive Mr. Flemming
into taking the plunge, I am only sorry I did not think of it
myself. Men are such territorial creatures when all is said and
done, and it is only human nature to want what is difficult to
obtain and despise what is easily gotten.
    “ I must confess I’m a bit
put out to see you