Reese quirked an eyebrow. “Not as sorry as I am.” He walked to the armoire, removed her black dress, and handed it to her, then turned his back while she slipped it on.

“You can turn around now,” Faith told him, when she had her dress in place and had fastened the numerous jet buttons on the bodice. “Thank you,” she said, her voice wavering.

“Don’t thank me! Hell, I doubt very much if I’m doing you a favor by offering you this job.” He paced the confines of the bedroom, impatiently raking his fingers through his hair. “I know for a fact, I’m not doing myself one.”

“I’m a grown woman, Mr. Jordan, and I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“I’m not so sure,” Reese mused aloud.

“Of course, I understand,” Faith said. “You explained the position to me last night.”

“I lied.”

“You what?”

“I lied,” Reese repeated. “I lied to you by omitting a few pertinent facts.”

“I don’t believe it.” Faith shook her head. “You wouldn’t.”

“I did,” he affirmed. “Faith, exactly what do you think you’ll be expected to do if you decide to take the job?”

“I’m to do as the ad in the paper says. I’m to be a sort of governess to your baby. I’m to provide for your child.” Faith walked to her where her cloak lay across a chair and removed a battered newspaper. It was folded to the page containing Reese’s advertisement. She looked him in the eye as she placed it in his hand. “See for yourself.”

Reese shook his head in disbelief as he read the ad in the Richmond newspaper. The irony of the situation struck him like a blow. He smiled, grimly. The best laid plans…

“Faith,” he said, “I’m not looking for a governess. I’m looking for a mother. I don’t want you to provide for my child. I want you to provide the child. To conceive him, carry him, deliver him, give him to me, and walk away. Forever.”

Faith’s knees weakened again. She sat down abruptly on the edge of the bed. “I don’t believe it.”

Reese crossed to the desk in the corner of the bedroom and removed a copy of the original Washington newspaper ad from the top drawer. He looked her in the eye as he placed it in her hand.

She quickly scanned the ad. “Oh, my!”

“‘Oh, my’? Is that all you’ve got to say?” Reese asked.

“You lied to me,” she accused.

“I didn’t exactly lie to you.”

“You just said you did.”

“I said I omitted a few pertinent facts,” Reese corrected.

“It’s the same as lying. You admitted it!”

“So? I just told you the truth,” Reese reminded her. “I could have left you in ignorance. Let you take the position, and simply…” Reese stopped, mid-sentence, suddenly realizing what he was about to reveal and to whom.

“What?” Faith goaded. “What could you simply have done?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Nothing? It must have been something. You started to say something. Go ahead, Mr. Jordan, finish it. Tell me. What could you have done so simply?” Faith stood up and faced him, daring him to answer her.

“Seduced you,” Reese said softly.

“What?”

“Seduced you, Mrs. Collins. I was going to say I could have simply seduced you into having my baby without telling you the truth. Believe me, that probably would have been easier than this,” Reese said bluntly.

Tags: Rebecca Hagan Lee Borrowed Brides Historical
Source: readsnovelonline.net