Seductive Wager Read Online Free Page B

consideration. To drag her half naked about a castle and then offer her as a stake in a card game is behavior that would reflect poorly on us all.”
    “Westbrook’s not afraid of what people might say about him,” Martin exploded. “He’s rich enough to thumb his nose at your whole bloody class.”
    “I’m nearly unmanned by your tribute, Martin,” Brett snapped, “but I wish you wouldn’t try to explain me to my friends.” Martin flushed, but he held his gaze.
    “You’re nearly correct,” Brett continued. “I’ll accept almost any wager, but I’m not drunk enough, or heedless enough of society’s customs, to toss the dice for your sister. Marry her off if you don’t want her. With that face, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding someone to take her off your hands. How about young Feathers here?”
    Kate bit her lip to keep from speaking. How dare he talk about her like she was property to be disposed of at will. He was just as bad as Martin, a ruthless man used to having his own way and willing to walk over anybody to get it. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had seduced half the women in London.
    “You’re so rich you can probably find half a dozen properties you didn’t know you owned,” Martin grumbled impatiently, “but Kate is all I have left. It’s her against the whole estate. You can’t refuse me.”
    Barnaby Rudge had sat quietly for the last while, but at those words, he turned and stared at Martin, his piglike eyes wide with the light of intense interest. “Estate?” he questioned.
    “Shut up, Barnaby,” Martin barked in warning. “This is none of your business.” He glared so threateningly that the others thought he might attack his corpulent friend.
    Unfazed by Martin’s menace, Barnaby looked as though he was about to say something, but he apparently changed his mind and settled back in his chair. “Suit yourself,” he muttered. “It’s not my money.”
    “That’s right,” Martin snarled. “And Kate’s not your sister. If anybody else has a mouthful of high-flown words and mawkish sentiment, you can keep it to yourself. For the last time,” he said, whirling about to face Brett once more, “are you going to accept my wager, or are you going to let these spineless ditch rats talk you into backing down?” Brett was silent.
    “No doubt he’s overcome by the eloquence with which you state your case,” Edward purred, but Martin continued to watch Brett like a cat at a mousehole.
    “Come on, don’t keep me waiting all night,” Martin erupted. “Dammit, you can’t leave me like this. I demand satisfaction.”
    Brett turned his eyes from Kate; he was afraid if he continued to look at her, he would be willing to take any risk to get her in his possession. He told himself that one didn’t gamble for human beings, that one person couldn’t own another person, but after one glance at Kate, the primitive instinct to take what he wanted threatened to bury his carefully acquired veneer of refined behavior.
    “Has it occurred to you that I might win this time as well?” Brett asked, hoping he could persuade Martin to withdraw his offer.
    “I’m going to win,” Martin screamed furiously. “I’ve got to win.”
    “Have you considered your sister’s feelings?” Brett held up his hand to forestall Martin’s explosive outburst. “I won’t have it said I abducted anyone. I’d rather travel with fighting cocks than a female suffering from the vapors or fainting spells.”
    “She’s my ward and she’ll do as I say,” Martin shouted, but Brett cut short his objection.
    “How do you feel about being a wager in a game of high stakes, Miss Vareyan?” he asked in a voice not entirely free of mockery.
    “Women have always been wagers in games of ‘high stakes,’ as you so carefully put it,” she said, regarding him with scornful eyes. “Whenever a man takes a wife, her looks, breeding, dowry, family, and ability to breed heirs are all he considers. If the