A Dangerous Liaison With Detective Lewis Read Online Free PDF Page A

up and down. “In all the right places.” He moved up behind her. “I see Nigel is still sniffing about—he’s always been the bumptious sort.”
    “I’d rather you left Nigel out of any discussion between us.” She brushed a wisp of curl off her face. “And he is not pompous. He’s perfectly—”
    “You aren’t seeing him, are you?”
    “And what if I am?”
    He read her expression flawlessly. “None of my business.” He snorted a chuckle. “But really, Fan—Nigel? You can’t be serious.”
    She whirled around. “No, Rafe, it is you who can never be serious.” She bit down on a raw lower lip. “Why are you here?”
    “You will soon find I can be downright humorless when it comes to your safety.” Dark green eyes glittered in the dim corner of the room as his gaze narrowed ever so slightly. “Unfortunately, the reason I am here may increase your trepidation, not ease it.”
    Her throat constricted. She didn’t like the sound of that at all. Still, she was curious. “Go on.”
    “No matter what you or my family choose to believe of me, I did not arrive in Edinburgh—today of all days—to torture Francine Greyville-Nugent. I’m here to protect you.”
    “Protect me?” Her brow furrowed. “I believe I need protection from you, not by you.”
    He didn’t crack a smile at her jibe. “I work for Special Branch, Scotland Yard.”
    “Yes. I’ve heard as much.”
    “At this point, I am here as a precaution—until we complete our investigation.” Hesitantly, he searched for the right words. “Two men have died recently, both prominent industrialists. Yesterday, the severed head and feet of an MP were found in London. The gentleman apparently made his fortune in railroads. We have sent investigators up to Kent in search of a torso. Sorry to put it so grotesquely, but there it is.”
    She made a wide-eyed search of his face. “And you therefore believe my father to be the other casualty. Even if that were so, I’m in no jeopardy.”
    “You intend to carry on your father’s various manufacturing enterprises, do you not? You have recently made public statements to that effect.” She paled a bit and he moved closer.
    “B-but it was an accident.” She knotted her brows. “I read the reports, interviews with citizenry who witnessed the whole—”
    “My assignment is to guard you with my life.”
    She was in agony. Her cheeks burned as her heart bled once again for her father. “This isn’t fair. I’ve earned a bloody rant, a good scream at you.” She wanted to rage—at him—Raphael Lewis, debaucher and forsaker of Fanny Greyville-Nugent, now returned as her protector? She turned away, then whirled around to face him.“No, I shall have a good shout and finally get some answers. Why did you abandon me the night of the ball?”
    “What did your father say? Did he explain anything?”
    “I asked often enough—for a while.” Fanny swallowed. “I can no longer badger a dead man—the answers are up to you now.”
    “Christ, Fan, there was only one course to pursue—allow you to cry off the engagement.”
    “Indeed. You did your gentleman’s duty. But why, Rafe? I thought we had an understanding. I thought you cared for me—a great deal, actually.”
    His eyes never left her, even when she gritted her teeth and fisted her hands. “I do care, Fanny. I always have and I always will—beyond measure.”
    Once again, the room filled with ghosts from the past. The faint scent of Father’s humidor, an argument barely recalled, the slam of the door as Rafe exited the study. She had always suspected the two men colluded together—to protect her from some hard-to-imagine, horrible truth.
    Father had paced the floor of his study, and delivered the news. There would be no betrothal. The marriage was off. She remembered little else of the particulars, just Father blustering about while tears welled in her eyes. He had the appearance of trying not to bark orders, but couldn’t help the