A Taste of Seduction Read Online Free PDF

to let the women become so involved, while Arend argued that it made perfect sense.
    Hadley understood both sides. After everything that had happened, these men would lay down their lives to protect their women. It was instinctive to guard them from harm, much more than simple male pride. He had always felt a need to protect those weaker than himself. He hated bullying of any form, as he himself had once been its victim, and he had the scars on his buttocks to prove it. He’d been his father’s whipping boy, always taking the punishment for his older brother, who was both weaker and smaller in size.
    However, Arend’s argument that catching the villain quickly would thereby protect everyone was valid.
    He remained silent, waiting for a chance to offer his opinion, or to be asked for it.
    His chance came after a heated barb from Sebastian. Hadley cleared his throat and spoke rather loudly. “I understand you wish to protect your wives, but there are others who need protection too.” He glanced across the room. “Helen, for one. And what about the children?” The men quieted and looked at him. “We are spread too thin to be sure everyone is safe all the time. We have no idea what she plans to do next. I for one don’t want to wait to find out.” He nodded at Arend. “I believe Arend is correct when he says we are running out of time and that we need to unmask her sooner rather than later. We may find that it is more expedient to let the women—” He held up his hand at the growls already sounding in the men’s throats. “To let the well-guarded women do a little investigating of their own.”
    Portia clapped her hands. “Exactly, Hadley—well said. You know how skilled each of us can be at uncovering secrets. We uncovered all of yours.” The twinkle in her eye was all for her husband, Viscount Blackwood.
    “And it will be safe if we conduct the inquisitions, so to speak, in one place, with all of the men around us,” Marisa added.
    Hadley let a smile of appreciation escape. “You have a plan, Duchess?”
    “As it happens, I believe I do. We have twelve earls on our list. I propose that we hold four different house parties, one at a time, at each of our country estates, and invite three of the earls on the list, along with other guests, to each one. Then we can observe and question the wives, with the men round us.”
    Beatrice nodded. “If you look at the list, we can form groups of guests that would not raise any eyebrows when we extend an invitation.”
    Before anyone could reply, there was a knock on the door and the additional guests were announced.
    “Excuse me, my lord,” said the butler. “Lady Isobel Thompson, and Lady Evangeline Stuart.”
    Hadley’s head whipped round in the direction of the door as if an invisible rope had tugged it. He barely noticed Isobel’s entrance, for his gaze was riveted on the tumble of auburn curls piled in an elegant array on top of her head—a head he thought he would never want to see again. His mouth dried and his heart pounded in his chest.
    If he were not under a spell, he would have looked away, but his eyes traveled down, soaking in the beauty of features so fine, so perfect, they made a man think of angels. Eyes the color of a clear summer sky searched the room until they found him. A stranger’s smile hovered over her succulent lips, and a look of such longing entered those traitorous eyes that he almost believed the message they tried to convey:
I’m here for you, my love.
    However, he could not bring himself to believe anything those eyes or lips said. He’d believed once before, and it had left a hole where his heart once rested in his chest.
    Summoning the anger that was churning deep in his innards, he broke the spell and turned away, but as he did so, his grip on the edge of the little chair must have been too tight, for in the next second the chair splintered to pieces under him, and he fell with a thud to the floor, landing on his