A Dangerous Man Read Online Free PDF Page B

fact that he could not banish from his mind the
image of Leah's haunting eyes.
    Or the sweet, sultry taste of her lips.
    Not to mention her bold assault upon her enemy, which he
found himself admiring now that the whisky haze had dissipated, almost as much as he cringed when he remembered his
own base behavior and his coarse words.
    For Richard had no doubt she was a virgin. Even as he'd attacked her virtue, he had known she was a total innocent. He
only wished he knew if she were as innocent in her father's
despicable blackmail scheme as she was in the ways of the
flesh. Did it even matter?
    In two days, they would wed.
    "Heigh-ho, Richard. You look as if you have just buried your boon companion." Pierce Daimont flopped onto the
wing-back chair flanking the fire. He ran his hands through
his hair, pushing the sandy curls back from his brow. His
roguish smile matched the good-natured gleam in his eyes.
"Since I am your boon companion, I know that cannot be
true. At least, I think I'm still alive, but after last night's debauchery, I might be dead and have yet to realize it."

    Richard found himself smiling despite his foul mood.
    "Looks as if you've drained this one already," Pierce said,
grabbing the bottle from the table between them. He signaled
a passing servant for another, then flashed Richard a lopsided
grin. "Are you in for a night of drinking and gaming? Or
drowning your sorrows?"
    Richard raised his glass. "Drowning my sorrows. Care to
join me?"
    "Absolutely." Pierce took the decanter and glass from the
servant who had appeared at his side, then waved the man
away. "Truly, you look fit for the grave. What has happened?"
    Richard shrugged, strangely reluctant to give voice to the
tale, even to the one man he trusted with his life. They had
forged a deep and abiding friendship during their schooldays
at Eton. They'd shared personal triumphs and bitter tragedies,
both at home and during the war. Richard knew the man
buried beneath the reckless facade and was proud to call him
friend. "Your news first. When did you return to Town?"
    "Only just. I called at your house but Geoffrey did not
know where you were. As I had no other engagements, I
thought I'd make the rounds until I caught up with you"
    Richard leaned forward. "Do not keep me in suspense. Tell
me what happened at Greydon Hall. Why the urgent summons?"
    "You will never believe it." Pierce took a long swallow of
brandy. "Do you remember when Greydon's son drank himself to death? It was just before my father died? Well, last
week, his grandson and heir got himself killed in a duel over
some redheaded wench, or so I am told. The shock was too much for the old goat. When he heard the news, he closed his
eyes and never opened them again."

    Pierce stared into the glass he held cradled between his
palms. "It seems sad, you know. To outlive your children, and
your children's children. I never really thought about it before,
but it does not seem quite right ... anyhow," he said, swiping
one hand over his face before breaking into a grin. "As I am the
nearest male relation, you find yourself gazing upon the new
Viscount Greydon"
    "I suppose I must now address you as my lord," Richard
drawled.
    "Absolutely. And I shall expect a proper amount of respect
from you, as well, now that I am among the ranks of you
high-flyers. Who would ever have thought ... "
    Richard knew his friend was torturing himself with painful
memories and sought to drag him back to the present. He
raised his glass. "Here's to you, my lord."
    "Right-o. Here's to me," Pierce said with a laugh. "Now
you. What has happened?"
    "I am to marry, two days hence"
    Pierce choked on his drink. "You cannot be serious!"
    "Oh, but I am. Quite serious."
    "Forgive me, Richard, but you must admit, this is quite a
shock. Before I left for Greydon Hall, you never said a word"
    Richard clenched his jaw against the fury he held under
tight control, but he could not mask the