"Sharon Green - [ebel 01 - Rebel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

taking the dukeтАЩs into account. Upsetting one of his fatherтАЩs loyal supporters for no real reason was not a
good ideaтАж тАЬIтАЩm not at all disturbed at the idea of taking Adair for my wife, so if it makes you easier in
your mind for us to sign the contracts now thereтАЩs no reason not to do it. And I also think she needs to
be punished for what she did, so if youтАЩd like me to IтАЩll take care of the matter. After all, the girl is my
problem now.тАЭ
тАЬIs that really the way you want to start your life with her?тАЭ Duke Elden asked, finally taking his hands
away from his face. тАЬGiving her a punishment she insists she doesnтАЩt deserve?тАЭ
тАЬIf she were any other female IтАЩd talk to her instead, letting her know that what she did was
unacceptable,тАЭ Mayne responded without the sigh he felt on the inside. тАЬFrom what I hear about Adair,
though, almost everyone in this house has tried to talk to her at one time or another and sheтАЩs paid
absolutely no attention to them. ItтАЩs going to take more than words to get her attention, and once I have it
IтАЩll find a different way to keep it.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre attracted to her,тАЭ Duke Elden said as he stared at Mayne. тАЬI had no idea this was anything but a
political arrangement for you, but this actually makes matters worse rather than better. Adair told me she
has no intention of ever marrying, and hearing that she wasnтАЩt even told about it much less given a
choiceтАжтАЭ
тАЬSheтАЩs probably just frightened, the way a lot of young girls are,тАЭ Mayne soothed the duke when the
manтАЩs words simply trailed off in distress. тАЭSheтАЩll settle down once she finds out what marriage is all
about, and then weтАЩll be able to get on with our lives. And yes, I am glad IтАЩm the one sheтАЩll be married
to, and I hope you feel the same way.тАЭ
тАЬTruthfully, Your Highness, I donтАЩt know whether to be delighted or to pity you,тАЭ Duke Elden admitted,
his expression showing he wasnтАЩt joking. тАЬI love my daughter dearly, but I have no illusions about what
sheтАЩs like. She said herself that she never fit in here, and I seriously doubt if her being at court will be any
different. If I may ask, what do you intend to do to her as punishment?тАЭ
тАЬFor running off and risking her life, IтАЩm going to put her over my knee and spank her bottom hard every
night for a week,тАЭ Mayne answered, making no effort whatsoever to hide his intentions. тАЬThat should
take her through the week of тАШgetting to know one anotherтАЩ my father has decreed for the ladies and my
brothers and myself, and by then sheтАЩll have learned to listen when I speak. When I tell her sheтАЩs come to
mean something special to me, in no way a lie, she ought to be ready to settle down.тАЭ
Duke Elden parted his lips as if about to say something, then a headshake indicated that heтАЩd changed his
mind.
тАЬReally, Duke Elden, everything will work out just fine,тАЭ Mayne assured the older man with a smile.
тАЬWhy donтАЩt we see about signing those contracts now, and later you can tell your people that thereтАЩs
nothing improper going on when I visit Adair. You said you were keeping her guarded, so thereтАЩs no
reason not to start her punishment tonight.тАЭ
тАЬYou know, Your Highness, itтАЩs come to me that I might be a lot luckier than I realized,тАЭ Duke Elden
said with a sigh behind the words. тАЬIf the choice about any of this was mine to make, IтАЩd probably either
go crazy trying to decide which way to go or settle on the wrong option. But none of this is my choice, so
I donтАЩt have to worry about cowardice when I rejoice. LetтАЩs go to my study and take care of the
contracts there.тАЭ
Mayne felt the urge to stare at the other man, but instead simply stood up and followed him out of the
room. As soon as the marriage contracts were signed Adair would be his problem for certain, but that
was nothing to worry about. After all, how much trouble could one small girl possibly beтАж?

Chapter Two
Adair didnтАЩt spend much time at all being bored. Five minutes after she was put into the new apartment
she was at the door, demanding the books from her own apartment. Zinder was still out in the hall, and
he didnтАЩt like the idea.
тАЬA girl in your position has no right to demand anything,тАЭ the man stated, giving her the narrow-eyed look
that usually made the men around him nervous. тАЬIf you hadnтАЩt gone traipsing off youтАЩd still be in your own