The Return of Lord Conistone Read Online Free Page A

pretended—
interest
in our plight nothing short of humiliating!’
    She tossed back her head in defiance, just as she used to; the gesture afforded him yet another glimpse of those creamy-smooth breasts. His anger boiled. Damn it, had that fellow Bryant really been
kissing
her? The thought of it tipped him over the edge; desire lurched at his groin as she struggled to cover herself. That was the kind of trick used by whores in London.
    And she was daring to play high and mighty with
him?
    ‘Humiliating?’ he grated. ‘You speak of—
humiliation
, when, good God, the moment I arrived, you were outrageously flirting with that witless army boor?’
    Her eyes flew up to clash with his. ‘I was not flirting! And do not speak of him like that!’
    ‘I’ll speak of him exactly as I like! What is that man doing here? Why isn’t he with his regiment?’
    ‘You may as well ask the same of your friend Captain Stewart!’ Verena cried. ‘For his—
reputation
leaves a deal to be desired!’ It was true; she knew it was a long-standing joke that Alec Stewart, a year or so younger than Lucas, spent a good deal more effort on hunting heiresses than he did on hunting the French. ‘Besides,’ she went on furiously, ‘Captain Bryant is
not
a boor, he is our friend! He was injured at Talavera, and his wound is not yet completely healed. So he makes himself
useful
. He helps the Revenue men watch this part of the coast for smugglers and—French spies!’
    She saw him almost sneer. ‘French spies? Things
have
been busy at Wycherley’.
    ‘Meaning?’ she snapped.
    ‘I also heard that four weeks ago there was a burglary here’.
    She went very still. ‘How do you—?’
    ‘Gossip travels’.
    She seemed to sag. ‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I, of all people, should know that…’. Her voice faltered, then recovered again. ‘Indeed, there
was
evidence of an intruder. But—’ again, that toss of the head ‘—nothing at all was taken, my lord! And even if it had been, what business is it of yours? Besides, Captain Bryant himself has offered us his protection’.
    ‘Protection!’ Now his scorn was rampant. ‘That spineless fellow couldn’t fight off a damned flea’.
    Her eyes whipped up to his, flashing with defiance. The rain was starting to fall all around them in the courtyard, the thunder rumbling; she had to raise her voice to be heard.
    ‘You are wrong, quite wrong! Captain Bryant is not spineless! And—and he has asked me to marry him!’
    He found himself horrified. Furious. ‘My God. You will not do so?’
    ‘Why not?’ she declared bitterly. ‘Does anyone have a prior claim?’
    Damn it, me. I do
. He wanted to crush her in his arms, and feel those sweet, full breasts against his chest. Wanted to drown his aching arousal in the slender lushness of her body. He wanted.
    Look after her for me, will you, Lucas?
    The words that haunted him, every minute, every day. His mouth set grimly. Easier to let her continue to hate him. Though—utterly abominable for him.
    But Bryant—her
suitor?
‘Very well,’ he said in an iron-hard voice. ‘Very well. I can see, Miss Sheldon, that your troubles are overwhelming. I can see the lure of any port in a storm’.
    Her eyes blazed. She tilted her chin. ‘Lord Conistone. I would be obliged if you would leave our home this instant.
Now’.
    ‘Oh, I’m going,’ he said. ‘But before I leave, I thought you might want this back’. He reached into the inside deep pocket of his coat. And pulled out—the little silver music box.
    She gazed at him in utter disbelief.
    ‘I saw someone leaving with it’. He shrugged. ‘I gave him twice what he’d paid in the sale. Sell it again if you wish. But this time—’ and his lip curled ‘—ask more for it. You shouldn’t find it difficult. You’re on the way to becoming a mercenary creature, Miss Sheldon’.
    And Verena felt that her heart was breaking anew as she took the box in hands that were as numb as her heart.
    Her