Falling in Love Again Read Online Free PDF Page B

attention to Peterson was making John jealous.
    John shook his head. He’d never be jealous of Peterson. He loved the man like a brother, and the could have Sarah and her expensive tastes with John’s best wishes.
    As if reading his thoughts, Sarah took a step back. The smile on her face turned brittle. “Major Peterson, I pray that you may convince him to relax and enjoy his good fortune. I fear I have little influence.”
    Sarah was apparently more astute than John had given her credit for being. Perhaps ending their affair wouldn’t be so difficult, after all.
    â€œDid you know we call him the Dark Prince?” she asked Peterson.
    â€œNo, I hadn’t heard,” Peterson said. “On thebattlefield, we had a host of other, more colorful names for him. How did you earn such a romantic sobriquet, John?”
    Sarah answered, “Because he is so different from his father. Richard Barron was the confidant of kings, a complete politician with unparalleled power. Our John prefers to entertain the court jesters.” She nodded toward Prinny, terribly fat and overstuffed in his tight clothes. At that moment another vase fell to the floor. The men drained their glasses in one gulp, laughing uproariously.
    â€œI didn’t know you paid attention to politics, Sarah,” John said softly.
    â€œI pay attention to everything that concerns you, my Lord Craige.” She titled her head up at Peterson. “John has held the title for six months. In that time he has established a reputation as a lion of society and a rake of the first order. Did you know, there are women who send him things, personal things like their gloves, ear bobs….” She paused before adding in a considering tone, “And perhaps even more intimate items?”
    â€œWhyever would they do that?” Peterson asked.
    â€œTo gain Lord Craige’s attention,” she answered matter-of-factly. “He has captured the imagination of the female populace. There are women who idolize him more than they do the current poets.” She leaned closer to John, the cloying scent of her heavy perfume stinging his nostrils, and added in a voice only the two ofthem could hear, “And not without good cause.” Her ungloved hand ran down his arm, feeling the muscle beneath the cloth.
    Peterson laughed. “It has ever been that way, Lady Ramsgate. In Spain, the other officers and I used John and his handsome face to shamelessly attract women. My wife was the only woman I’ve met who looked at me before John—and for that I dropped to one knee and proposed.”
    â€œOh, so you are married, Major Peterson?”
    The laughter in Peterson’s eyes vanished. “I was. She died.”
    John shared his friend’s sorrow. Liana Peterson had been his only female friend, the first woman he’d trusted. In fact, she’d died in childbirth in his arms. Peterson had been away on special duty at the time. It had fallen on John’s shoulders to sit beside her, praying for a miracle that had never come. One of the hardest task he’d ever performed had been breaking the news to Peterson. The man had been inconsolable for months.
    â€œHow sad,” Sarah said, in a voice that expressed no sympathy.
    John had had enough of Sarah. “Come, Victor, let us go and have a drink. I’m hungry for news from the war. Has Horton turned out to be as great an ass as we feared?” he asked, referring to the man who had taken over John’s command.
    â€œWorse,” Peterson answered, and he would have elaborated, except that at that moment a man’s voice bellowed John’s name from the hallway.
    John thought the was hearing things until theman shouted again. “Craige! Where are you? Come out and face me!”
    The music stopped abruptly and voices hushed. Conscious that all eyes in the room had turned to stare at him, John calmly nodded to Sarah and Peterson. “You’ll