Captured by a Gentleman (Regency Unlaced 6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

vacillating as to whether or not he should believe this young woman. After months of making decisive, even ruthless decisions, he did not like the feeling any more than Darcy did. “I did not say I do not believe you.”
    “Your desire to send me back to my uncle implies it.” She looked at him with unblinking brown eyes. “Tell me, how will you be able to sleep in your bed at night, once you are back in Scotland, knowing that hundreds of miles away, I am being subjected to unspeakable intimacies I have neither encouraged nor want?”
    Ranulf had been asking himself the same question…
    “Unspeakable intimacies?” he repeated dryly. “I do not believe you had any problem speaking of them a few minutes ago. Quite graphically, as I recall.”
    A blush colored her cheeks. “I have to admit, I did not understand all the words my uncle spoke to me yesterday, but I believe I caught his meaning well enough.”
    Oh, more than well enough, if Sugdon had used such crude terms to describe his lascivious intentions. And had obviously been physically excited by doing so.
    Ranulf huffed out a breath. “I am a widower. My household is that of a single gentleman. There is no other woman in my life to act as chaperone, nor will there ever be.”
    “If you will not take me to Scotland with you, then could you at least help me to get farther away from London?” That imploring look had returned to her dark gaze. “I am sure I will then be able to find a cottage to rent somewhere obscure, where my uncle will not be able to find me.”
    “And what would you use for money?”
    “I have money.” She held up her reticule. “Enough to last me for a few months, at least.”
    “It is a preposterous idea.”
    Her shoulders slumped. “It is the only one I have.”
    “Damn it, I cannot take you with me without a chaperone. I do not even have the presence of my valet any longer, since he gave notice this morning and remained in London—”
    “I could do that!” Darcy interrupted eagerly.
    “Do what?” Ranulf was too agitated by this situation to be able to keep up with this woman’s lightning-quick change of subjects.
    “Be your valet until we part ways,” she announced brightly. “Do you not see, it is the perfect solution? You are in need of a valet, and I am in need of safe passage away from London. It would be a fair exchange of labor and convenience.”
    He grimaced his exasperation. “A woman cannot be a gentleman’s valet.”
    “Why not?”
    “It simply is not done for a single woman to…to help a gentleman with his morning toilet or organize his clothes.”
    “Oh, poof to that,” she scoffed. “I often helped my papa to shave in the morning. He more than once complimented me on my steadiness of hand. See?” She held her hand up proudly, showing not a tremble in sight.
    “I am not your papa,” Ranulf said dryly.
    “But you are in need of a shave,” she observed unabashedly. “Oh please, Cousin Ranulf?” She looked at him imploringly. “Please say you will take me at least part of the way with you?”
    Nothing, it seemed, succeeded in quelling for long this young woman’s determination.

Chapter 3
    “Arranging a bedchamber for you at this inn does not mean I have decided to take you with me tomorrow,” Ranulf warned sharply in the face of Darcy’s beaming expression.
    “It does not mean you have not either.” She crossed the bedchamber to sit on the side of the bed and bounce up and down on the mattress. “Hmm, surprisingly comfortable considering the other…more rustic amenities.” She smiled across the room at Ranulf as he remained near the open doorway. “This will do nicely, thank you.” She gave a sudden giggle. “Did you see the way the landlord and his wife looked at you when you requested this second bedchamber for your ward?”
    Yes, Ranulf had seen. And he had not liked being on the receiving end of that knowing glance one little bit.
    If—and it was still a very big if—he agreed to