Johanna Lindsey Read Online Free PDF

the opportunity to take his place. He never dreamed that choice would lead to such adventure, but he didn’t regret it for a minute.
    He had enjoyed working at the Townshend estate, had been there for a little more than a year when Sebastian left England. He wasn’t asked to go into exile with him, he volunteered. He’d formed an attachment to the young lord, thought of him as family, and couldn’t bear for him to go off with no one to care for him properly.
    But truth be known, John thrived in his second line of work, derived immense satisfaction from it, and had fallen into it almost naturally. He simply had a way with people, of getting them to open up and reveal things that weren’t common knowledge. He wished he’d put that talent to work in Felburg before they’d been incarcerated in that dungeon. But they hadn’t planned to be there more than one night, so he’
    d taken the opportunity to rest instead. His mistake.
    They’d done some hard, fast riding, escaping from that area. “I really don’t think he’ll send anyone after us, but I don’t want to be tempted to go back to make sure of that,” had been Sebastian’s last words on the matter.
    John was more pragmatic. “We could have just saved ourselves the trouble of making a new enemy and losing a country of opportunity—we won’t be able to return to Austria now—by accepting the job. You probably could have gotten triple your normal fee from him.”
    “Go to England? No.”
    John had expected the curt reply. It had been worth a try. Not once, in all these years, had Sebastian been tempted to return to England, not even to find out how his father and younger brother fared, if they were even still alive. When his family had disowned him, Sebastian had disowned them.
    Timothy was late for luncheon today. The two men didn’t wait for him.
    “Shall we do a little refurbishing while we’re in residence this time?” John asked as soon as Mme.
    LeCarré left to return to her home.
    Sebastian raised a brow. “Why do you ask that every time we’re here?”
    “Well, sir, this is a large property, yet only the kitchen and bedrooms are up to scratch.”
    “Exactly. What more do we need than a place to sleep and eat while we’re here? We don’t stay here for very long.”
    “But this place has such potential!”
    “It’s a bloody ruins, John,” Sebastian said dryly. “Let’s leave it that way.” John sighed. He’d hoped to bring Sebastian out of the ennui he’d fallen into since leaving Austria by giving him something to do besides brood. Unfortunately, Sebastian fell into a dark mood whenever England came up in a conversation, which had occurred too frequently during their stay in Felburg. Word had been left with Maurice about three new job possibilities, but Sebastian had yet to inquire about them.
    John went back to work in his conservatory behind the ruins. It was midafternoon when Sebastian wandered out, a glass of brandy in hand. A bad sign, that brandy. The brooding was getting worse.
    “Tell me, John, is it luck that has followed me all these years, or merely coincidence?” Sebastian asked, his tone somewhat bored.
    “In what regard, sir?”
    “My career, of course. I can count on both hands the number of times I probably should have died, or at the very least been maimed for life, yet I’ve received no more than a nick or two, despite the numerous times weapons have been turned on me. And these jobs I take, no matter how bizarre or seemingly impossible, I always manage to accomplish, and usually with minimal effort. So your honest opinion, is it luck or amazing coincidence?”
    “You’ve neglected to include skill in the choices,” John pointed out.
    Sebastian snorted. “I’m no more skilled than the next man. I wield a pistol well enough—”
    “With exceptional aim,” John added.
    Sebastian waved that aside as inconsequential, continuing, “Hold my own in a fight—” John cut in again. “Have you ever looked at