Lady Rogue Read Online Free PDF Page A

her expression. The chit was definitely up to something, though whether it was being compromised, followed by a quick marriage, or something else entirely, he had no idea. Well, if it was a wedding she was after, she was in for a disappointment. And whatever her game was, it took two to begin it. Still, with an opponent like the one seated at his breakfast table, he looked forward to playing. And compromising her was fairly close to what he had in mind, anyway.
    “If you’re unfaithful, why does she see you?” Kit asked, either admirably naive or pretending to be.
    Alex smiled cynically. “Because I’m rich as Croesus.” He poured himself a mug of ale and took a swallow, deciding he might as well begin the first round. “But you know that, don’t you?”
    She tilted her head at him. “I’d never even heard of the Earl of Everton until four days ago, and I thought he was the man in the painting.”
    Chin still in hand, Alex tapped his fingers on his cheekbone while he studied her face. For the moment, she seemed to be telling the truth. “So your father truly abandoned you here.”
    She jabbed her fork in his direction. “He did not abandon me. He left me in your care, for a fortnight. He’ll be back. He promised.”
    “Has he ever done this before?”
    “Sometimes. Usually he just leaves me in our roomsin Saint-Marcel when he has business out of the city.” She favored Alex with a wolfish grin. “Not that I ever stay put. It’s far too dull.”
    For the first time he was shocked. “You live in Saint-Marcel?” he repeated.
    “Right now we do,” she answered, then looked over at the liquor decanters on the sideboard. “Do you have any brandy?”
    “Not at nine in the morning, I don’t.” He leaned forward. “Your father is brother to the Duke of Furth. What in God’s name is he doing living in the worst part of Paris?”
    “It’s not so bad,” she protested. “Besides, I can take care of myself. I can fool anyone into thinking I’m a boy.”
    “You didn’t fool me,” Alex reminded her, grinning at her boast.
    She scowled. “You weren’t supposed to have found out. Papa said it would make less trouble if I were a boy.”
    Alex regarded her for a moment. In one sense, her father was correct. “It nearly didn’t matter what you were. I almost threw you two out from pure annoyance, last night.”
    “Why didn’t you, then?” she asked.
    “Because you intrigued me.”
    “You thought I was a boy.”
    He nodded. “I did.”
    She gave a nasty grin. “Do you like boys, Everton?”
    Evidently Kit Brantley was not plagued with a delicate nature. Alex scowled. “No. And that was rather the difficulty. I found myself quite relieved to discover your true gender.”
    Kit chuckled, then reached out to run one finger around the rim of her teacup in an odd, dainty gesture that looked studied, as though she had seen some female do it at one time and was imitating it. “What about now?” she asked, looking at him from beneath long lashes. “Are you still relieved?”
    Alex pursed his lips. Intrigued and extremely curious would have been much more accurate. “I believe so,” he answered. “It’s been a dull Season.”
    She smiled. “I will make it more interesting.”
    He raised his mug of ale, and she lifted her teacup in turn. “I trust you will, cousin.”
     
    The Earl of Everton set a splendid breakfast table, and even an hour after eating, Kit felt positively bloated as she wallowed in the fine brass bathtub that had been carried into her bedchamber for her. After the journey from Paris and the rain, and then wrestling with Everton’s groom in the stable, she felt worse than filthy. And a hot bath, in the middle of the morning yet, with Alexander Cale and his lovely blue eyes just downstairs…
    “Don’t fall asleep in there, miss, or you’ll drown,” the housekeeper said sternly from behind her.
    “Thank you, Mrs. Hodges,” she answered, twisting to look at the plump, gray-haired