Edith Layton Read Online Free PDF

spoil things?”
    She laughed again. “Little fear of that. I intend to get leg-shackled one day. But not that soon. And the men I’m considering won’t be any the worse for a few weeks of worry about my availability. Might raise their interest in me, at that.”
    He looked at her curiously. There was much he didn’t know about his pretend fiancée. Why would such a lovely young woman put such a low value on herself? How had she learned to defend herself so successfully? Had Sinclair taught her? It was useful, but even so, few females showed such gusto for the art ofself-defense. And while she wasn’t vulgar or brash, why—charming though it was—did she lapse every so often and speak as a young man might, and not like any well-born maid he’d ever met, here or abroad?
    The Viscount Sinclair was pacing when they entered the hall. His lady’s worried expression vanished when she saw them.
    “Oh! I’m so sorry,” Gilly said. “Did I keep you waiting? Are you tired?” She hurriedly wrapped herself into the coat a footman held out for her and went to the viscountess’s side. “I told you not to go out so soon,” she said fretfully, “but you wouldn’t listen to me, would you? A woman who had a babe not three months past ought not to be out to all hours. Let’s go home right now! Oh, bother! I told you this ball meant nothing to me!”
    Damon watched with interest. Were all wards so familiar with their benefactors?
    “It meant nothing to you ?” Sinclair asked silkily, glancing at Damon. “Odd. I wonder how that can be when your long-lost love was here waiting for you?”
    “Don’t tease the girl,” the viscountess told her husband. She dropped her voice. “I’m not ill, Gilly. I just wanted to get you out of here.”
    “Oh. Well, thank you for that,” Gilly said. “Wait until you hear the whole!”
    “I can hardly contain my curiosity,” Sinclair said dryly. He offered one arm to his wife, another to his ward. He turned his head to Damon. “Her version tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow—at ten.”
    “Ten,” Damon agreed, and watched the trio walk out to their waiting carriage.
     
    Damon wanted to leave the ball the moment Gilly Giles and the Sinclairs did. Not only had all his interest in the affair left with them, but the townhouse itself was hot and crowded. The ballroom smelled of melting tallow, perspiration, and too many warring perfumes. But there were things he had to know before morning, and this was the best place to learn them. He turned back to the ball.
    “Sly dog!” his friend said, appearing at his side before he could take another step. “You let me blather on about her, and didn’t breathe a word to me. No, no, I’m not offended in the least. I understand, you’re a gentleman and couldn’t speak until you knew her mind. But it’s a lucky thing I didn’t say a word against the lady, isn’t it? Um, I didn’t, did I?”
    “You’d have known if you had, Charles, that I promise you,” Damon said good-naturedly.
    Charles turned pale. Damon wondered if his old friend was appalled at the thought of having said anything rude. But watching him more narrowly, Damon realized Charles might actually be worried that he’d made a remark that could result in a challenge. With good reason. They’d been old school chums, but time had changed them both.
    Like many of his London cronies, Charles avoided any play that involved much more than his wrists. Holding cards, throwing dice, hefting glasses of wine, and placing bets were his only recreations since he’d left school. Sporting with wenches involved more muscles, but was acceptable because there was all that bed rest afterward. Damon had done much more.He looked as rudely healthy as a savage from the land he’d just returned from.
    Damon had been glad to see his old school friend at the ball, because though his figure had certainly changed, he was at least a familiar face. They hadn’t exchanged three words in as many years