SCANDALOUSLY MINE (FATED FOR A ROGUE #5) BY AMANDA MARIEL – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Amanda Mariel
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
The drawing room was a stage upon which Mr. Harold Brooks performed
his most charming role. His laughter, rich and infectious, filled the
space as he regaled his daughter Emmeline with tales of high society’s
recent escapades. A casual observer would be none the wiser to the
duplicity that lurked beneath his polished exterior, but Emmeline knew
better. His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, missed not a single detail, always
searching for opportunities to advance his precarious position within the
ton.
“Emmeline, my dear,” he said, his tone light but laced with an
undercurrent of urgency, “I have been giving considerable thought to your
future.” He clasped his hands behind his back and paced slowly before the
fireplace, the flickering flames casting alternating warmth and shadow upon
his face.
“Indeed, Father.” Emmeline said, her voice steady though trepidation
filled her chest. “And what, pray tell, have you concluded from these
reflections?”
“That you are of an age where marriage should be more than a distant
notion,” he answered, turning to face her with a practiced smile. “A suitable
match could secure not only your happiness, but our family’s financial
stability.”
“Suitable in terms of affection or wealth, Father?” Emmeline’s lips
curved in a polite smile, but her tone held a slight edge that betrayed her
resistance to the idea of a loveless union.
“Both, if fortune smiles upon us,” Father said smoothly, approaching
her and taking her hand in his—a gesture meant to convey paternal care, yet
it felt like a shackle tightening around her wrist. “But we must be
pragmatic. Love is a luxury that can follow. Security, however, cannot
wait.”
“Is it not possible to have both, Father?” Her eyes, wide and earnest,
searched his, seeking a glimmer of understanding.
“Emmeline, you are a jewel, but even the brightest gem requires the
right setting to truly shine.” His grip on her hand tightened. “Consider Mr.
Edmund Wycliffe, a man of vast means and influence. Rumor has it he is
looking for a wife capable of elevating his status. He would ensure you
want for nothing.”
“Mr. Wycliffe is a gentleman of… questionable associations,” Emmeline
countered, her mind drifting to whispered rumors of gambling dens and
debts collected under moonless nights. There would be no love between
them, and to add insult, marrying such a man would tarnish her reputation.
“Speculations and gossip,” Mr. Brooks dismissed with a wave of his
other hand. “What matters is the weight of his purse and the power of his
connections. That is the reality we live in, my child.”
“Reality,” Emmeline echoed softly, withdrawing her hand from his
grasp and stepping back, the fabric of her gown whispering against the
floor. She turned her gaze to the window, where the world outside seemed
untouched by the gravity of her predicament. “And what of dreams, Father?
Do they hold no weight in this reality of yours?”
“Ah, Emmeline,” he sighed, a subtle shift in his stance revealing
impatience. “Dreams are for those who can afford them. It is time you woke
from yours.”
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