Lord of Deceit (Heiress Games Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page A

very few officers in the intelligence corps who could gain entry to the highest parties and social clubs. Rafe kept an eye on foreign diplomats and French exiles in London, spreading disinformation and gathering secrets, without anyone being the wiser. He played the charming, idle aristocrat who had sold his commission to pursue a life of pleasure.
    And he chafed against it all. At least Somerville gave him a mission that felt more immediately useful. But it was the very nature of the group he worked with in Whitehall to know everything that happened in Britain and abroad. If he wanted to destroy Somerville without them finding out, he couldn’t be obvious about it.
    Octavia grinned as though she somehow knew that his comment about lying was the most truthful thing he had said so far. “Shall you give me a lie and a truth and have me guess which is which?”
    This was the kind of flirtation he needed to encourage — fun and meaningless now, but it would lead to gaining her trust. “Will you give me the same honor?”
    “If you would find it entertaining,” she said. “But I assure you, I am a terrible liar.”
    He let the brandy touch his lips again. “I shall be the judge of that. Do you care to start?”
    Octavia shook her head. “I proposed the game, so it is your turn.”
    “That doesn’t sound like any rule I’ve heard of.”
    “You may discover that I do not follow rules very well, my lord.”
    She said it with the right mix of insouciance — exactly how a courtesan would say such a thing. But for the first time that night, he detected a hint of misdirection.
    “A truth and a lie?” he asked. “Do you care to wager on it?”
    “Your money doesn’t interest me, my lord. Somerville sees to me well enough.”
    If she meant it as a warning, it was perfectly done — opaque enough that he couldn’t take offense, but direct enough to make the boundaries between them clear. “Good. I always feel like a cad after I outplay a woman.”
    She grinned. “I am not so easy to outwit.”
    Again, her directness was refreshing. Most women in her position would have flirted, or at least made herself seem less intelligent than the men around them. But Octavia had made it clear that she had no interest in taking him to bed and no reason to let him feel impressive.
    The fact that he found her refreshing might be a problem. But he would consider that problem later. “A truth and a lie, you say?”
    She sipped her champagne, watching him over the rim of her glass. “Unless you have changed your mind about sharing a secret.”
    He couldn’t tell her anything truly secret — not about his current mission against Somerville, nor about his efforts during the war. “Very well. One fact, which may be true or false, is that I wish to secure Somerville’s support to install me in one of his pocket boroughs during the next election for the House of Commons. And the other fact is that I am utterly enamored with you.”
    He hadn’t planned either statement. When he was in danger, he always found it better to trust his instincts rather than appearing to think things through — the longer he took to think, the more time his quarry had to wonder if he was lying.
    He probably shouldn’t have said anything about being enamored with her — it was a dicey ploy at best. Especially since the other “fact,” about pursuing a political career, was definitely a lie. But it would test whether she was susceptible to seduction, or whether he would have to try a different tactic.
    Octavia’s mouth dropped open a bit. But she was a consummate lady, despite her reputation, and she recovered immediately. “You would make me choose between whether you want me and whether you need Somerville?” Her voice was still light, but there was an edge to it. “That’s hardly a contest.”
    “Do men often come to you because of Somerville?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Of course. I already suspected that that is why you’re here. Somerville