《To tame an Earl (four hoydens #2)》Chapter 5
Advertisement
"Why are you still abed?"
Alice pried her eyes open, squinting against the bright light.
Her friends stood around her bed, staring at her as though she was a new peculiar species.
Oh lord.
"Who let you in? I specifically told Maria that I'd kill her if anyone entered my chamber before noon," Alice said groggily.
"Your mother let us in," Rosalyn smirked.
"And I thought we'd be rid of you after you married," Alice muttered under her breath.
"I heard that," Rosa said.
"You were meant to."
"Seriously though, why is she here?" she turned to look at Sarah.
"Lord Fortescue is a busy man. Rosalyn on the other hand is the opposite of busy," Sarah smiled sweetly.
"Hey," Rosalyn objected. "And here I thought you'd be happy to see me. Besides, Theo had to go to Derbyshire today," she added pertly.
Alice decided to ignore them. It was too early for this anyway.
She didn't generally sleep so late into the morning, but she'd stayed up last night reading.
"Leave that bed this instant."
"Why?" Alice groaned.
"We're going shopping," Vanessa said excitedly.
"Again?"
"Yes. We have to attend the first opera of this season two days from now and none of us have anything appropriate to wear."
That caught Alice's attention. She loved the theatre. But that didn't mean she was willing to leave her soft, perfectly comfortable bed just now...
While the prospect of shopping was indeed tempting, it certainly didn't triumph peaceful slumber.
"I can wear my cranberry silk," she said dismissively.
"You already wore that last year," Vanessa said in a no nonsense tone.
"No one will remember what I wore last year," Alice said, appalled.
"So you think," Rosalyn snorted.
Advertisement
Sarah nodded her agreement.
"Fine," Alice said, giving up.
There was no point arguing with her friends.
Besides, she loved shopping.
Maybe she could wear something Ralph would approve of. He was always commenting on the low cuts of her gowns.
Wait, where did that thought come from? Alice set her jaw. She wasn't going to change her preferences for a man. And she didn't even like him.
She left her bed grumpily, troubled by her traitorous thoughts.
That afternoon.
Ralph was on his way back home from the war office. As it turned out, Bates had some pretty dirty records. But he'd used several people and escaped. His friends in the higher positions had helped him in exchange for the services he provided. Ralph was positive he was involved in the drug trafficking case they'd handled last year.
He needed more proof though.
Ralph was driving his curricle through the busy regent street when saw Alice leaving a shop. Alone.
He recognised the fancy building, it was were Rosalyn would shop since her first season.
Ralph parked his curricle in the side and got down. He'd already lost her by the time he turned.
And then he saw the figure in yellow and quickly made his way to her, deciding to stay a few paces behind her.
He was surprised to see her enter a book store. Ralph followed her in, curious beyond reason.
He entered the store and quickly hid behind one of the bookshelves, pretending to choose a book. Even the shopkeeper ignored Ralph.
"Did you find those books sufficiently informative, my lady?" the middle aged man asked Alice for there was no one other than them there.
"Oh yes, Waldo. Well, except for the one on statistics," Alice called out distractedly from somewhere within.
Advertisement
Statistics?
"No amount of books are enough to quench your thirst for answers, my lady," the man chuckled.
It seemed like they'd known each other for a while now, Ralph thought with some interest.
And then he saw Alice walk toward the counter with a heap of books.
"Let me help you," Waldo said, coming forward.
But it was too late.
Ralph had already rushed forward and banged against her in an altogether fake fashion. Luckily, she was too annoyed to speak.
She bent down to pick up the books and Waldo rushed to her, squatting down next to her.
She looked up at him and he saw her eyes widen with panic. She quickly bent down her head.
"Alice! What are you doing here?" He knelt down and asked, trying to sound surprised. He knew his idiotic question would anger her. Lady Alice Woodbury had little patience for stupidity.
"In a bookstore? Hunting lions, of course," she said in such a dry voice that Ralph couldn't help the snort that escaped him.
He waited while she paid for the books. He'd of course insisted to pay, but she'd put her foot down.
"So Lady Alice is a blue stocking, who would've thought," he grinned as they exited the shop.
"Don't start it," she grunted.
"All this time when I used to see you talking to Lady Greta and Lady Burns, I thought you were merely being nice to them," he commented.
Alice looked at him then. No one had ever noticed her speaking with them. How had Ralph noticed? His keen sense of observation was really quite intimidating.
"Why would I be nice to them?" she finally asked with a sniff.
"Because they are blue stockings..." he said and stopped when she turned to stare at him.
"Intellectuals," he amended and then continued, "and no one wishes to speak with them."
"They're wonderful."
"And you discuss your academic learnings with them," he smiled knowingly.
"You can't tell anyone," she murmured.
"I won't, you have my word. But you've piqued my curiosity, why keep it a secret?"
"Curiosity killed the cat," she smiled but replied anyway, "No one understands. They don't know what it's like for people who are different," she said frustrated.
He nodded, as if he understood. And Alice rather thought he did.
But why?
Advertisement
DDLG Academy: Double Life
Forced upon her to attend Ravenwood Academy, a special school for Ddlg/Mdlb, Carmen Aguilar is more than unhappy when she finds out that she has to attend there and be a little for someone else. Coming from a background where her parents married over a Ddlg relationship, both her parents thought it was a good idea to enroll her so she can find the "one". She's mad but still goes to attends so she can make both her parents happy and proud.Zane Black the son of the headmistress of the school and soon to be the heir of the Black fortune. His parents too got together through a DDLG academy and got together. Zane is known to be serious but with his little, he's always a bundle of joy. But now there's something no one knows about Carmen, she's living a double life. In the daytime, she's a little, but when nighttime hits she's one of the most popular faceless gaming streamers there is. What happens when Zane chooses Carmen to be his little? Will he be able to tame her and make her enjoy being his little? Or will she dismiss him and just play this whole thing off as if it was another game to her.
8 196Appetite! [BL]
***BL/YAOI WARNING*** Ein Schmidt was disowned from his family due to his orientation 22 years ago. Today he leads a successful life, he's now the assistant manager and corporate secretary for Hotel Citron, a 1st class, international hotel based in London. Although his career was flourishing, Ein had lived a solitary life for two decades. But then, a day before his 40th birthday, spring came knocking on Ein's door, and slowly Ein started to open his heart. Henry's golden irises radiated in the dark night, the cool wind blew gently and Ein watched his blond hair gracefully sway along. He then slowly reached for Ein's left hand, held it delicately and pressed it to his lips to give a kiss. "I don't care what you are, or how old you are... You're you, Ein. And... I loved you for who you are." ~~~~~ Updates on MWF before 5:00PM EST ~~~~~
8 119Corrupt
Highest Rank: #1 in Dark Romance It's hard to remember what life was like before the green-eyed devil waltzed into my life and set my soul on fire...He's good with his hands, even better with his mouth, and the best at making me forget my own name. He's everything I want, all rolled into a glorious body of a greek god, and strength. He was off limits to me for obvious reasons but there was never a question of wether or not I would be his. I am a woman who had sinned. I am a woman who knows they come at a cost. And one day, I will have to pay for my sins.I am his to use. His to corrupt.He's my savior and my downfall.This is our story. ~Corrupt is a steamy dark romance. It contains highly intense sex scenes. Reader discretion is advised.
8 138Neighbors With The Joestars (JJBA x Reader ( Parts 1-5 ))
Y/n was living a normal life when she had to move. Her best friend called asking for help and of course, Y/n agrees and moves into her friend's house for a couple of months. As Y/n does work from her computer she can see her neighbors acting weird, and when she investigates she finds five men living together. And they were quite bizarre.*I do not own the characters**All credit goes to Hirohiko Araki *
8 83How Did I Go To the Beast World in My Pajamas?
Samantha is traumatized, fat, and chronically ill. She's given up hope on a world that she feels gave up on her. But one morning, after awakening from yet another painful slumber, she wakes up outside and in strange surroundings with only the pajamas on her back. However, the people she meets in this so-called Beast World are even stranger; multitudes of hunky beastmen are desperate to find a rare female mate. Who can Samantha trust in this world? Will she find safety? Friends? Lovers? Follow her story to find out!This work contains mature scenes that are not appropriate for younger readers. 18+ warning now, because we've officially got smut!---Hi y'all! This is a project I've just started, and I'd like to gauge interest for it on here. I'm putting some of my OCs into the "Beast World" setting of some of my favorite novels like Beauty and the Beasts, Beast World, Memeda!, and Beast Hubby, XOXO to name a few!My cover was made for me by the amazing plankset of spacenoodlesoup! She's soup-er amazing!
8 229Obliviate (Dramione)
Dramione fanfic and my first fanfic ever
8 130