The Masterful Mr. Montague (42 page)
Read The Masterful Mr. Montague Online
Authors: Stephanie Laurens
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Romance
As for the children, as he’d all but invited their questions, she was content to let them pose them—so she, too, could learn the answers.
She was as curious, if not more so, than they.
When she’d first opened the door to him, she’d instinctively catalogued his clothes, his hairstyle, his deportment, his manners, his diction, and all the rest—all the telltale signs of class—and had pegged him as upper-range gentry, perhaps with a knighthood or a baronetcy in the family. That also fitted what she’d gathered about Thomas Glendower. Now, however, as the conversation between him and the children continued, steady and unforced, and she had time to study the clothes he’d donned for the evening and his more polished appearance, had time to note his precise diction delivered in that faintly raspy voice, and the manners and assurance that seemed an intrinsic part of him, she had to wonder if his origins weren’t a rung or two higher.
Somewhat to her surprise, the meal passed in unexpectedly and uniformly pleasant fashion.
And at the end of it, he set the seal on her approval by offering, and then insisting, albeit with consummate grace, on helping her and the children to clear the table, and to wash the dishes and put them away.
“It’s only fair if I’m to share your meals.” He made the comment to the children, but then looked up, questioningly, at her.
When she didn’t look convinced, he added, with a suggestion of a grin, as if he understood her position perfectly, “Put it down to my years in the priory—there, everyone helps with the chores.”
With the children looking on, it was impossible to refuse him, so the four of them worked together to clear, clean, and tidy the kitchen.
When all was done, the children went up to their rooms to read. She fetched her sewing basket and set it down beside her chair. When she looked up, Glendower was watching her. In response to her questioning look, he inclined his head.
“I’ll be in the library should you need me.”
She nodded, then asked, “Would you like me to bring you some tea?”
“Later.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Perhaps sometime after nine?”
She nodded again. “I’ll bring it in to you.”
He turned away and, using his cane, gimped toward the archway, but then he paused and glanced back at her. “I daresay it will take a little time for me to adjust to life outside the priory. I would appreciate it if you could see your way to humoring what might occasionally seem my rather eccentric ways.”
She met his gaze, held it, and equally directly replied, “As long as those ways hold no harm for the children or myself, I see no reason we won’t be able to reach an accommodation.”
His lips curved in that peculiarly engaging smile he had. Inclining his head, he turned and left her.
Unwillingly intrigued, Rose watched him go and wondered at the conundrum that was Mr. Thomas Glendower.
#1
New York Times
bestselling author STEPHANIE LAURENS began writing as an escape from the dry world of professional science, a hobby that quickly became a career. Her novels set in Regency England have captivated readers around the globe, making her one of the romance world’s most beloved and popular authors.
The Masterful Mr. Montague
is her fifty-third work. All of her previous works remain in print and readily available.
Readers can contact Stephanie via e-mail at [email protected]. For information on all of Stephanie’s books, including updates on novels yet to come, visit Stephanie’s website at www.stephanielaurens.com. For e-mail alerts as books go on sale, exclusive sneak peeks into upcoming works, exclusive sweepstakes, and more, join Stephanie’s Private E-mail Newsletter List at http://eepurl.com/gLgPj.
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This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Excerpt from
Loving Rose
copyright © 2014 by Savdek Management Proprietary Ltd.
THE MASTERFUL MR. MONTAGUE
. Copyright © 2014 by Savdek Management Proprietary Ltd. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition MAY 2014 ISBN: 9780062066299
Print Edition ISBN: 9780062068668
FIRST EDITION
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