“No. I need to know what you’re going to do now. ”
“My dear Charles, are you enamored? I t
hought it was the silly chit of a sister you wanted,” Rohan said in his silken voice. His hand didn’t have a tremor, he noticed. He had moved past the debacle of the last twelve hours quite well, he thought.
“Don’t play games with me, Francis,” Charles said bitterly.
“In truth,” Rohan said, “I’m much more interested in what happened after I…decamped last night. Is the late Sir Christopher stinking up one of my rooms?”
Charles shook his head. “Of course not. Your cousin came and took him. He’ll see to it that the man gets a decent burial. ”
“Knowing Etienne, he’ll probably cut him apart and observe his organs first,” Rohan said in his light, airy voice. “So no unfortunate aftermath?”
“Only that your guests are at fever pitch. They seem to like the smell of blood. ”
“I’m so glad I could be of service,” he said smoothly.
“What are you going to do with her, Francis? She’s a gentlewoman. You can’t treat her like one of your whores. ”
“Oh, my dear Charles, that’s exactly what I did, and I assure you she liked it enormously. ” He gave Charles his most angelic smile. “There are two choices, I suppose. Send her on her way with enough money to support her for a reasonable amount of time. After all, one night’s tup shouldn’t equal a lifetime of support. But perhaps enough to get her to England. ”
“And the other choice?”
“Well,” he said thoughtfully, “I had considered introducing her to some of the Host’s more moderate behaviors. Veronique was extremely interested in her, and you know how she likes an audience. And I’d be more than happy to see her drifting around here in scanty clothes, enjoying herself with some of our young bucks. ”
Charles looked at him, long and hard. “I don’t believe you,” he said flatly. “You’re lying to me. ”
“My dear Charles, why should I lie? Miss Harriman means absolutely nothing to me. Since I’m a charitable man I have no problem with seeing her safely settled elsewhere if she’s not interested in our revels. ”
“Last night she was Elinor. ”
Author: Anne Stuart
“Well, today she is Miss Harriman. ”
“And her sister?” Charles demanded, barely containing his temper.
Some good could come of all this, Rohan thought wearily. He smiled at Charles. “I think I might have her after all. Miss Harriman makes the most delicious noises when she comes, and it would be interesting if Miss Lydia did the same. ”
He barely got to finish the sentence before Charles flew across the desk, crashing onto the floor with him.
It was what he needed. A violent outlet, to hit and be hit. The battle was short and immediate, punctuated by grunts and curses seldom heard outside a stable. They were too-well matched, and eventually they both lay on their backs, bloody and bruised and struggling to catch their breath.
“Hardly a fair fight,” Rohan wheezed. “I’m still recovering from a duel. ”
“You bastard,” Reading said, his chest going up and down. “You touch Miss Lydia and I’ll kill you. ”
“Perhaps, dear Charles, I wouldn’t mind,” he said, and then laughed at himself. “My, how maudlin I’m being. ” He managed to sit up, groaning. “There’s only one way to keep her safe from me, Charles. Marry the chit. If you’re worried about money I suggest that is a mere trifle in the face of nauseating true love. I expect you will find a way to manage things. ”
Charles stared at him. “Never in all my life have I ever heard you advocate marriage. ”
“Of course you have! I thought Etienne should marry Miss Harriman. He thought he should marry Miss Lydia. If he does, I get her. And I don’t think you want that, do you?”
Charles sprung to his feet with an agility Rohan could envy. “I won’t let you touch her. ”
“So you said. Well, do something about it. ”
Charles slammed out of the office. With luck he wouldn’t realize he’d been manipulated until he arrived at the château. Any earlier and he might turn around and come back. He expected one look at Lydia Harriman’s exquisite face and tear-filled blue eyes and the last amount of his reserve would leave.