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with a cream underskirt and laid it across her bed.  The cuirass bodice
goes over the hips so it s quite tight but shows the women s figure
marvellously. This is one of two of a kind. He won t be able to resist
you.
Ellie stared at it in awe and ran her fingers over the cloth.
Never in her life had she felt something so fine.  There has to be yards
and yards of material. She said in awe,  It s so beautiful.
Then she pulled out a pale pink,  I m wearing this one. You can
wear the other, it ll suit your eyes.
 I couldn t&  she stammered still touching the fine material.
 Nonsense. You have the same build as me& 
Ellie scoffed,  You have a fuller bosom Kate. I couldn t fill this
out.
Kate tried not to blush at Ellie s bluntness,  You re wrong. You
just need the right gown and this is it.
After the initial surprise of Kate giving her the stunning gown
to wear, she hugged her furiously.  Oh Kate we ll be the belles of the
ball!
Later that evening, Jace waited beside his brother who had
looked at his pocket watch a dozen times in the last ten minutes.
Impatience was not common with Everett and from the way he was
acting, he was making up for all of the times in his life when he
should ve been. He had been waiting out front of the gate to the
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expansive villa for the last hour. The rain ended several hours ago and
things remained damp, but tolerable. People were still arriving and
they politely greeted them as they walked by. The celebration was in
the back of the house in the large courtyard their father had built about
twelve years ago. Colored candle lanterns hung from the trees
surrounding the yard casting it a soft enchanting glow. There were
endless tables of food and beverages and Ed hired a bartender and extra
servants to delve out drinks steadily.
 I swear this thing has stopped. Tapping it a few times and
holding it to his ear. He looked at Jace,  Are you hiding from Cassie?
Cassie was the local judges daughter and as pleasant as an angry cobra
on a good day. However, she was also an easy woman if a man had to
satisfy his needs. She was eager for marriage to someone of stature and
thought the King boys were her ticket to freedom out from under her
father s strict rules. Everett wasn t dumb enough to fall for her advances
but he knew damn well that Jace was.
He feigned a look of innocence,  Me? No, do I need an excuse
to keep you company?
Everett gave him a wry smile,  That s what I thought.
Jace sighed heavily,  The woman clings like clay dust. She s not
even pleasant to be around, even if she s a piece.
Everett laughed.  Has her sights set on you now, does she?
Jace shrugged
 Serves you right for screwing her. Everett said,  You knew
what she was like.
 I didn t exactly screw her Everett. Jace admitted casting him
a sideways glance. She d gone down on him a few times, but that was it.
 Oh. Everett shot him a side glance understanding what he
meant,  Careful Jace, she has her sights set on marriage.
 Yeah. I know.
 It s safer messing with a hell bent bull than Cassie, you ll come
out less damaged.
 It was a moment of weakness. It won t happen again. He
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admitted.
 You d better watch yourself, if Ellie finds out, there ll be hell to
pay. You shouldn t have your dalliances so close to home.
 Yeah, poor Ellie. Sweet kid. He sighed and stared at his
brother for a moment who was watching the lane to their house,
 speaking of marriage. Did you manage to snag that pretty cousin of
Ellie s.
This time Everett allowed himself to smile,  Just wait and find
out.
Jace grinned,  I guess I ll wait to congratulate both of you. Did
you speak to Jeb?
Everett nodded,  He took it well. Don t know if I would have.
He said glancing back down the lane.
Jace just smiled. Any man would have backed down knowing
that Everett was going after what he wanted. He was distracted by his
brother tapping his watch again.
 Hell, I swear my watch has stopped. Do you have the time?
Everett said with growing impatience.
Jace saw Everett look at the time again and laughed,  No,
but&  He nodded toward the long lane to their house,  I see Tyler s
carriage.
Everett finally saw them,  Christ, I was beginning to wonder& 
 Women take a long time to get ready Everett. Jace said with a
humorous tone seeing his brother s eagerness.
 Half the town s here already, and our women aren t. he said
watching the slow approach of the wagon.
 Pa s playing a good host& the music s playing, people are
dancing. No one would even notice your not there until you walk in
with that& sweet Jesus is that Ellie? Jace stood railroad straight
catching sight of her in a stunning pale green gown.
Everett walked by him, tossing his smoke on the ground and
crushing it beneath his boot,  I reckon that is. He murmured with a sly
smile as he approached the carriage to help the women down while his
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The King s Lady
eyes were drinking up Kate in a pale pink silk gown. He took her hand
and raised it to his lips,  I said wear something pretty, not breathtaking.
I ll have to fight them off with a stick. She blushed at his compliment.
 Everett please, my cousin&  she cast a glance past his
shoulder to see Tyler still at Everett s words, turn around and set his
hard gaze on Everett s back.
He glanced over at Ellie. Jace had already taken her arm and
started leading her through the gate.  Is lovesick on my brother and
didn t hear a word.
 I did. Said Tyler standing behind him.
Everett didn t even turn around,  ah hell. Kate had him so
dazzled he d completely forgotten about Tyler. He never did get around
to speaking to him like his father said.
 Everett, I think you and I need to talk. The seriousness in his
voice was strained. He wanted to reach around and remove Everett s
hand from Kate s.
Everett didn t miss it when he tucked Kate s arm in the crook of
his elbow, turned and gave Tyler his attention.  Yeah, first I want to
show Kate off. We ll talk later if that s okay.
Tyler looked from one to the other. He knew Everett and he
knew his reputation. In fact, his own reputation wasn t far from the
King brothers, for he d been with them when they gained such
notoriety, but this was his cousin, his only cousin and she was his ward.
Against Everett she would have no defences.
 Tyler&  Kate began, but Tyler held his hand up to stop her.
His pale green eyes were set on Everett s.
 It s not what you think. Everett said.
He narrowed his gaze, and his voice was almost accusing,  You
don t know what I m thinking.
Everett remained unmoved, but his voice gave a tone that was
almost apologetic,  I reckon I do. Despite what you think, my intentions
are honourable. I was going to talk to you about it tonight before I
announced our engagement. Tyler could be menacing when he wanted
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to. He was a good friend, and meant as much to him as his brothers.
Like Jace, he seemed easy going until you crossed him,  I should have [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]