How the Scoundrel Seduces Read Online Free PDF

to it as an . . . an arse.
    The second they moved into a long hallway, she turned to give him a firm set-down. Then she froze at the sight of his smug expression. He was deliberately trying to provoke her, the sly devil, just as when he’d threatened to shoot her.
    This time he wouldn’t succeed. She cast him a pitying smile. “And here I’d heard that you were so witty and charming toward the fair sex, Mr. Bonnaud. How disappointing to discover you have only the coarsest notion of how to compliment a lady.”
    Though his mouth hardened a fraction, he still skimmed her with a blatantly impudent look. “The operative word is lady . And since you seem to be a lady in name only, given your penchant for sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong—”
    “Lady Zoe?” Mr. Manton appeared at the top of the stairs.
    Oh, thank goodness he was here, and she didn’t have to deal with his infuriating half brother anymore. She offered him her hand. “Mr. Manton. How good to see you again.”
    Sparing a veiled glance for Mr. Bonnaud, he shook her hand. “Under much better circumstances than last time, fortunately.”
    All too aware of Mr. Bonnaud’s gaze on her, she smiled brightly. “I was delighted to hear that you and your fellow investigators routed the true villains eventually.” There, that sounded perfectly cordial and ladylike and all the things Mr. Bonnaud said she wasn’t. “I was also pleased to learn that they received the justice they deserved.”
    “Indeed they did. We appreciate your discretion in that matter, I assure you.”
    Her pulse pounded. “So you remember your promise.”
    “Of course. What’s more, I’m pleased to honor it.” He gestured toward an open doorway. “Why don’t we discuss the matter in my study?”
    “Thank you.” As he led her into the room, she felt his brother fall into step behind her, no doubt staring at her “fine” arse again.
    Let him stare. Now that she knew he only did it to provoke her, she refused to let it annoy her. It wasn’t as if he meant anything by it. He did, after all, have a string of beauties trailing after him throughout London, and she wasn’t widely acclaimed a beauty herself.
    Oh, men flirted with her, but that was to be expected. She was rich, after all, with a substantial inheritance to come. She would much rather they flirted with her because they found her interesting, but barring that, she wouldn’t mind being admired for her feminine attributes.
    Unfortunately, English gentlemen weren’t generally attracted to olive-skinned women with foreign-looking features, no matter how much Mama had always praised her “exotic” appearance. And her aunt, Mama’s sister, despaired of her clothing choices, claiming that they had a bit too much dash for good society.
    Zoe sighed. Even if by some chance Mr. Bonnaud didn’t mind any of that and actually found her attractive, it made no difference. He hardly seemed the marrying sort. And she had too much at stake to be interested in the other sort—scoundrels and rakes and rogues. No matter how handsome and daring they were.
    “So,” Mr. Manton said as he gestured to a chair and took his own seat behind the desk, “what do you require of Manton’s Investigations?”
    Having circled around to lean against the wall nearest the desk, Mr. Bonnaud leveled an enigmatic stare on her.
    She looked at Mr. Manton, and the enormity of what she was about to reveal hit her. For half a second, she reconsidered her decision. If the Duke’s Men ever let slip even a tenth of what she was about to tell them, her future would be over, and her family’s estate, Winborough, would be lost forever.
    “My lady?” Mr. Manton prodded. “Why are you here?”
    Then again, it might be lost forever if she didn’t involve them. Truly, she had no choice.
    Gripping her reticule in her hands, she fought for calm. “I need you to find my real parents.”

2

    T RISTAN GAPED AT the woman, then burst into laughter. When Dom