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Chapter 16
The past four weeks had been much more pleasant for Craig. Despite Athena working him and his men hard, there had been opportunities to enjoy Fairfax Manor.
He found himself making excuses to visit the kitchen. Though their eyes frequently met, they were always amongst bustling strangers and unable to form any meaningful conversation. Her happy smile and bright eyes had started worming their way into his daily thoughts as he shifted earth and laid foundations.
The secluded bench near the stable block where Athena had cried the previous month had subsequently been discovered by Craig. He enjoyed its privacy from the windows of the main house as a peaceful place to take his lunch during the day.
Today he strolled up to the bench as usual with his satchel and
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The Baron's Cold Proposal Chapter 17
Baron Oliver headed to London well before dawn. Athena entered the main foyer and seeing no sign of Felix decided to head into the library and go over her designs. There was no need to hide away in the greenhouse now. She wore a delicate yellow linen dress tied under the bust with a pale green ribbon. Her brown hair was pinned up but already some stray tendrils were framing her oval face. Her expression was serious but content as the hours passed by at her drawing board. When a glum-looking Sophie fetched her lunch, forcing her to look up from her work she gasped at the change in weather. Huge black clouds were rolling over the horizon. "Look Sophie, there will be a storm tonight. Can you see it approaching?"
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Silently, deftly he peeled away the ruby silken robe leaving her standing in her white nightdress. Her hands replaced against the windows she let out a fresh pant of pleasure as his hands felt the outline of her body. The bumps in the fabric where her buttons rose caused his fingers to judder as they caressed up and down. Pushing herself more firmly against his rigid body she felt the teasing stubble on his chin and the increasing firmness in his trousers. Still kissing her neck, teasing her with rough and smooth embraces, his strong hands roamed her stomach, waist and rib cage until he reached her breasts. Lightning continued to crack across the sky and the pelting raindrops down the windows drowned out her heavy breathing. As he gently embraced their roundness,
The Baron's Cold Proposal Chapter 19
The Gilded Falcons' reputation was increasingly notorious across the gossip pages of London. It required a landed title for entry, one had to be sponsored by an existing member and there were absolutely no limits to what could be gambled.Oliver had found himself here over the previous summer multiple times with Henry Lupton. It appeared to be a regular gentlemen’s club from the street and indeed the front half was purely a cigar lounge.Beyond the leather-seated main bar was a guarded second entrance. To pass through to the gambling hall there was a severely polite bald gentleman. He would check your name, and credit against the approved members list and only upon his silent nod if approval would you gain access.The d
The Baron's Cold Proposal Chapter 20
The morning after the thunderstorm saw a hive of activity in the gardens of Fairfax Manor. An immaculately clear blue sky had emerged from the storm, the spring flowers were in full bloom as they hugged the wide gravel driveway. Muttering servants milled around the edges of the lightning strikes impact mark which had burnt dozens of deep vein-like marks into the grass for several metres. "It looks like a bloodshot eyeball," the grizzled Jackson offered to a nodding group. "It's beautiful," murmured Lily to Sophie, "I wonder if it's still hot in the middle?" Craig appeared behind the girls and spoke up, "the centre should be like glass now if it is similar to what I have seen before. It's the heat of the lightning. Like turning sand into glass, same thing." Jackson wandered towards and announced to the group, "Mr Thornfiel
The Baron's Cold Proposal Chapter 21
Athena looked at the gathered crowd from her room, wrapping her arms around her waist. Practically she wondered whether the extracted lightning impact should somehow be displayed in the pagoda at the centre of the lake. Emotionally her mind was completely stuck in the depths of last night. She could not believe how brazen she had been. Of course, if he was as familiar with the whorehouses of Europe as rumours suggested, her actions were probably routine, perhaps even boring. To her, every interaction with him was an awakening of another locked piece of her soul. Looking out onto the gardens she felt like one of her bulbs bursting into bloom. Her skin was brighter, smile wider and eyes sparkling and he was the source. She had matched his supposed indifference by i
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Realising he had been quietly lost in his own thoughts for several minutes, Felix coughed, causing her to turn around. He softened his face to give her a gentle grin, allowing the pleasure of her company to show on her face. “Anything you wish to learn about me Athena, it seems only fair…I hear I come with quite the reputation these days?” Her solemn face yielded into a soft smile “I do not know whether I wish those rumours to be true or not Sir, some are so deviant as to be impossible.” “Well this is an opportunity, I shall tell the truth. You may decide if I am truly deviant” “Hmmm, I think I might already know you are less than virtuous Sir” she muttered as he pulled Achilles up alongside her. Their
The Baron's Cold Proposal Chapter 23
Down in London, the past twenty-four hours for Oliver had been a roller coaster. He had spiralled between despair and elation multiple times as Fate had toyed with him. Now as he sat eating a quiet lunch in his hotel room he tried to go over the turn of events and rationalise his situation. Upon arriving at the Gilded Falcon from Lady Daphne's gathering, he was surprised to be denied entrance for the first time. Despite his title and connections it appeared his name had a red creditor mark against it. The odious bald gatekeeper had politely and in a quiet voice reminded him that his previous visit was still unpaid. Sulking angrily at the bar he watched the other gentlemen gamblers come and go. Sipping a claret, his mind was a torrent of self-pity and unfairness.
The Baron's Cold Proposal Chapter 24
The room erupted into a braying circus, all decorum and breeding seemed to have vanished along with the evening. It was approaching morning and the amounts of claret and brandy consumed had reduced the audience to that of a prize fight mob. I would like to wager ten thousand on this hand – he says so casually! “Have you ever seen the like?” “Looks like the Fairfax family have another clever rogue amongst them!” “I never…Cedric are you taking bets on top for this one?” Cedric, the slim man with slightly bulging eyes who had patiently dealt throughout the night looked over to his concerned bosses, they gave him a subtle sign. &n
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