Tempting a Gentleman by Smith, Ann (bearly read books .txt) 📕

Emma ignored the strange reaction and said, “He used oils that smelt like roses and rubbed…” She pounded on her mum’s back as she sputtered and coughed. “Mum, are ye all right?”

“Aye, ye need not tell me more. Ye shall marry Mr. Neale.”

“Ye approve then?” Emma turned to hug her mum.

“If ye want him, I’ll give him me blessin’.”

Emma didn’t understand what had caused her mum’s cheeks to turn ruby red, but she nodded and said, “Thank ye, Mum. I fink Christopher will make a fine husband.”

After a moment, her mum’s coloring returned to normal, and in all seriousness, she pinched Emma’s chin and said, “I’ll not call him son until he receives the mark. Oh, luv, yer gonna be a PORF.”

The truth of her mum’s words sunk in. She was to marry a bloomin’ PORF and, in turn, become one herself. Blimey.

Emma said, “I’ll git the mark, but naught else will change. I’ll still be yer daughter, and I’ll remain…”

“Child. Wot are ye thinkin’.” Her mum gave her a solid shake by the shoulders. “Everythin’ must change.”

Emma’s body shuddered from excitement or from fear; she wasn’t sure which. A mere two weeks ago, she would have welcomed a change, but she hadn’t imagined a difference in her life of this magnitude. “Everythin’? Why?”

Her mum looked at her like she was addled. “Wot do ye mean why?”

“I don’t see how becomin’ a PORF changes anythin’. I can still run me shop. Christopher ain’t no lord.”

“The Hadfield PORF duties are to seek and provide information to ensure the safety of the Crown; ye know this. Hadfields for generations have borne this responsibility. Once yer husband and ye receive the mark, Lord Hadfield is at liberty to send the two of ye on assignments. Ye can’t be sittin’ on the floor of yer shop sewing. Ye’ll have other responsibilities. Not to mention ye’re expected to produce a babe or two.”

Emma saw stars. Her independence, her desires, her goals, all gone with a single night in the arms of a charming man. She loved him, yes, but she also loved her life, and the thought of choosing one over the other tore her very heart in two. Swallowing hard and blinking back tears, she whispered, “What have I done?”

Her mum withdrew a hankie from her pockets and handed it to Emma. “When I heard of Lord Hadfield’s order for Mr. Neale to begin seeing ye, I told yer dad I was sure ye would fall for the handsome devil upon sight.” Her mum smiled with a hint of pride. “But ye didn’t. And by the reports from his staff and guards, ye have caused Mr. Neale to skip a few meals and nights of sleep. He’s not had an easy time staying away from ye.”

This was all new information to Emma. She took little comfort he had suffered during their time apart. The Network’s methods of protection were, at times, wayward. Someone should have told her. She gave the unused hankie back to her mum.

Returning the clean material to her pocket, her mum said, “If me instincts are right, he’s more aware than the Network gives him credit for.”

Emma suspected the same. “What makes ye say that?”

“Hadfields are notorious for being able to charm the most jaded of souls. It is by no fair coincidence their lot are bred to be attractive to the eye and of a keen mind, and Mr. Neale is a Hadfield through and through.”

Christopher was indeed enchanting—the man scattered her thoughts as soon as he appeared. “Do ye fink I made a mistake?”

“Matters naught wot I think. Does he know he must apply to the Council for yer hand?”

Emma groaned. “I forgot to mention it to him.”

“Not to worry, yer dad will inform him.” Her mum grinned, no doubt looking forward to questioning Christopher herself later. Ushering Emma to the door, her mum said, “Come along. Let’s break our fast with the family before ye hole yerself back up in that shop of yers.”

Emma followed her mum below stairs to the kitchens. She slowed at the patter of small feet behind her. Her siblings still had yet to master the art of moving about silently.

“Em, are ye goin’ to invite us to the weddin’?”

She turned and knelt to face her youngest sibling, Thomas. The bloomin’ walls of her family home were extremely thin, and her brother had mastered the skill of eavesdropping. “Ye will have to dress up fancy. Have a clean face, and ye’d have to be on yer best behavior.”

Bouncing on his toes, Thomas said, “I promise to be good. I won’t make a noise. I’ve been practicin’.”

“Have ye now?” Emma asked.

Thomas gave a solemn nod and revealed his missing front teeth with a wide smile.

She had left the house to live at the shop when Thomas was born eight years ago, yet he remained the sibling she was closest to. “I see ye lost another tooth.”

“Aye. Last week. Ye missed it.” The small frown was a stab to her heart. Her brother was rarely ever cross with her, but her missing this milestone had obviously upset him. “If ye marry, will ye not come round no more?”

“Don’t be silly. Of course I’ll still come visit.” The promise slipped from her lips before she thought better of it.

“Are ye sure?” Thomas had learned another talent, arching a single eyebrow. “Coz since Mr. Neale started a-courtin’ ye, we ain’t seen much of ye.”

“I’m sorry, Tom. Nothing will change. I’ll still come have supper once a week.”

Dubious, he stuck out his pinky finger. She wrapped hers about his little finger and nodded solemnly.

Smiling once more, he wrapped his arms around her neck. “Em, I’ve missed ye. Everyone else always treats me like a babe. Yer the only one who tells me the truth.”

Emma’s heart cinched. She shouldn’t have said nothing would change, for that had been a lie. She would simply have to figure a way to make it the truth.

Chapter Eighteen

Bounding out of his