Knaves Read Online Free PDF Page A

companion to take a seat. “It was quite a drubbing, wasn’t it. Bit of a glutton for punishment, though, if you know what I mean.”
    As she sat almost directly across from him, Jeanne ’s eyes were cool and collected. Interestingly, she ignored everyone at the table other than Valmont—and, the Marquis noted, Eloise. There was something a little too cool, a little too hard about her stare. Was she here because of the recklessness of Sebastian the night before? It was plain that whatever her attractions to the Englishman, physical looks and money obviously among them, she wasn’t with him because of his brains.
    “ I do know what you mean, Monsieur Rider. Punishment, administered in the proper way, can be the sweetest of pleasures.”
    Valmont himself was pleased to see Jeanne Duval ’s own nostrils flare, though whether through recognition of the truth of his statement or through anger he couldn’t tell. It would take a little longer than normal to read this woman, but Valmont was sure that winning her affections from the coarse Englishman beside her would be easier than he expected.
    “ Oh, Marquis,” interrupted Sebastian, as though only just remembering the social niceties. “Please allow me to introduce Madame Jeanne Duval. Jeanne, the Marquis. Marquis, Jeanne…”
    To everyone but Valmont ’s surprise, the German banker stood, his corpulent body swaying slightly as he stood and his face sweating slightly as he stared at the two new arrivals. Offering some hasty excuses, he left the table, leaving everyone but Valmont, Jeanne—and Eloise, of course—frowning.
    “ I believe our friend heard of your excesses last night,” Valmont offered sardonically by way of explanation. “I do not believe his prudence will allow him to be quite as effusive as us, Monsieur Rider.” As Sebastian’s face spread into another slow grin, Valmont ignored him and turned his full gaze on his companion. “Madame Duval,” he said, his voice expressing some of the warmth he felt in his body, “je suis enchantée de faire votre connaissance.”
    With a slight, graceful inclination of her head, Jeanne responded: “ Monsieur le Marquis, j’ai bien l’honneur.”Her voice was fluid, golden.
    Frowning at this, Sebastian took a seat next to her. “Quite!” he muttered audibly then clapped his hands together, looking around the table gleefully. “So, what is it? Baccarat? Trente et Quarante?” He paused to beam as a man, smartly dressed, brought across a pile of chips which were deposited at the table. Valmont couldn’t be entirely sure, but he thought that for a second Jeanne’s face blanched slightly. Interesting.
    As though catching herself, the beautiful brunette raised her eyes to his and smiled before looking more pointedly at Eloise. “I’ve heard a great deal about you, Marquis,” she said, returning to English (no doubt for the benefit of her ignorant friend who mangled every word of French he spoke with his stiff, plummy accent). Her eyes flickered towards Eloise before returning to him. “Yet I know nothing about your companion.”
    “ Isn’t that the truth?” said Rider with a loud guffaw. “You’re a dark horse, Valmont, and that’s no mistake!”
    Valmont ’s smile was a little more strained than he intended. “Allow me to introduce Eloise Bissette.” Beside him Eloise said nothing, though he saw her bend her head slightly from the corner of his eye.
    “ Can’t help but feel I’ve seen you somewhere before,” mused Sebastian, rubbing his chin. “Bad of me to forget a face like yours, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
    “ I don’t mind at all.” Eloise almost purred and Valmont glanced at her sharply. She merely smiled at him, enigmatically. He looked back at Sebastian and Eloise.
    “ Eloise and I met at Cannes, she was an actress of some, ah, repute in those days.”
    Jeanne frowned slightly at this, a delicious gesture that wrinkled her pretty nose slightly. “I don’t recall the