I Loved a Rogue The Prince Catchers Read Online Free PDF

. As though she would be a hindrance to her own family’s interests?
    “I cannot allow you to burden yourself with the concerns of my family,” she said tightly.
    “I would not consider it a burden.” He almost purred the words. Rather, he growled them, like some feral beast. A warning growl. “As I said, you needn’t come.” Again he looked to Arabella. “Write out what I must know, and give me all correspondence from the man you hired. As soon as you’ve done so, I will depart.”
    Arabella nodded. “I will gather what you need and have it sent to the inn in the village. I wish you would accept my invitation to stay here tonight.”
    “I have business to attend to and should be a poor guest,” he said with comfortable nonchalance, as though Gypsy horse traders received invitations to stay at duchesses’ homes every day.
    Arabella glanced swiftly, uncertainly at Eleanor. “Then it’s all settled.”
    “No.” Her damp palms slid against her skirts. “It isn’t settled. I . . .” She battened down on the panic and moved toward her sister. She could not allow him to win. Never again . “If you wish it, Bella, I will agree to this. I will go on this quest. With him.”
    Arabella grasped both of her hands. She kissed her on the cheek and said quietly, “You won’t regret it.”
    “She already regrets it.” Languid laughter rumbled in his voice.
    Eleanor swiveled around. “You are generous to offer your assistance in this endeavor. But do keep in mind that you do so upon my sufferance.”
    “I will keep it in mind. For I certainly shouldn’t like to see you suffer,” he said, without a hint of teasing now. Then he bowed, without a trace of mockery.
    Eleanor could only stare and hope that he saw the dragon in her eyes and not the helpless maiden.

 
    Chapter 3
The Vow

    S he pivoted to face Arabella, presenting him with the graceful line of her back and her hair like spun gold. God’s blood, how could she be lovelier now than she’d been as a girl? The merest tilt of her chin stirred hard hunger in him.
    But he recognized lust well enough. He’d learned it with her. The contours of her lips, the swell of her breasts, the curve of her hips had driven him mad for years.
    Apparently they still did.
    Over her shoulder her gilded eyes cast a javelin at him. She said to her sister, “We shouldn’t tell Papa.”
    Of course .
    “No?” Arabella said.
    “He could be hurt, imagining I was betraying him to go in search of our real father.”
    “You know him best. Let’s go now and speak with my butler so that he can make arrangements. The sooner you set off, the better.” She offered Taliesin another grateful smile.
    Eleanor left the room without looking at him again, the same crease in her brow that he knew well. At one time, he’d known every detail of her face. And her hands, her wrists and arms and hair, her voice and laughter and quick, unguarded smile that turned his world upside down.
    He had loved her. With every breath in him, every sinew and bone and feeling and deed. Even after he’d left St. Petroc. For more than a year after that spring morning, miles and worlds away from the vicarage, he’d lain awake at night aching with longing. And anger.
    Hard labor and near starvation had buried the anger beneath screaming muscles and a howling belly. After a time, he’d put aside the longing. He had cast off the past. And he’d made a vow: never again would he allow himself to fall into that darkness.
    She didn’t want his assistance with this mission. That was clear enough. But he was no one’s servant now, and he’d made a promise he would fulfill.
    Ravenna grabbed up a biscuit and chewed around a smile.
    “Well, I suspect you’ll find nothing, but it should give Bella some satisfaction.” Trailed by her dogs, she went to the door. “I’ll leave you two to drink brandy or whatever you must do to feel unassailably masculine. I’m going to look in on your horse, Tali.” He watched