Mischief Read Online Free PDF

reappeared in the doorway. No offense, madam, but I have never encountered a female quite like Miss Waterstone. She leaves a man feeling as if he had just been trampled by the hunt."
    I know what you mean, sir, but you must do something or we shall all find ourselves enmeshed in this grand scheme of revenge that she has concocted."
    We?" Matthias plucked a leather-bound volume off the nearest shelf.
    I assure you, Imogen will not give up her scheme if you refuse to cooperate. She will merely find another means to implement it."
    Strictly speaking, that is not my problem."
    How can you say that?" Horatia looked desperate. You did make that promise to my brother, sir. It was in Selwyn's will. It is said that you always keep your promises. Even your worst enemies, and I understand that there are any number of them, do not deny that."
    It's true, madam, I always keep my promises. But I do so in my own fashion. In any event, my debt was to Selwyn Waterstone, not to his niece."
    Sir, if you would repay that debt to my dear, departed brother, you must keep Imogen from coming to grief."
    Imogen expects another sort of assistance entirely from me, madam. She seems hell-bent on coming to grief and, given her fortitude and determination, I expect she will achieve her goal."

    She is amazingly strong-minded," Horatia admitted.
    She puts both Napoleon and Wellington to shame." He inclined his head toward the shelves full of books. Take my present occu pation, for example. I have no clear notion of precisely how I come to find myself assisting Miss Waterstone with the inventory of her uncle's collection."
    That sort of thing happens frequently around my niece,"
    Horatia said ruefully. She has a tendency to take charge of a situ ation."
    I see." Matthias glanced at the title of the book in his hand. An Account of the Strange and Unusual Objects Found in Tombs Discovered in Certain South Seas Islands. I believe this goes on your list."
    Books on tomb artifacts, do you mean?" Horatia bustled over to the desk and frowned at a page in the open journal. She dipped a quill into the ink and made a note of the book. Very well, you may put it with the others."
    Matthias set the volume down on top of a growing pile of similar titles. He surveyed the remaining volumes absently, his brain busy with the more important problem of Imogen Waterstone. He told himself that he needed information before he could decide upon a course of action.
    How did Vanneck compromise your niece, madam?"
    Horatia's mouth tightened. It is a very unpleasant story."
    If I am to take any sort of action, I must know the facts of the matter."

    Horatia eyed him with some hope. I suppose you may as well hear the details from me rather than one of the London gossips.
    And it is not as though you were not saddled with a somewhat nasty reputation yourself, is it, my lord?"
    Matthias met her eyes. That is very true, misses Elibank. Your niece and I have that much in common."
    Horatia suddenly became keenly interested in an ancient Etruscan death mask. Yes, well, three years ago Lucy asked Imogen to come to see her in London. Lady Vanneck had been married for over a year at that point, but that was the first time she had bothered to invite Imogen to visit."
    Did Imogen stay with Lord and Lady Vanneck?"
    No. Lucy claimed that she could not invite her to stay in the mansion because Lord Vanneck would not tolerate guests in the household. She suggested that Imogen take a small house for a few weeks. Lucy made all the arrangements."
    Matthias frowned. Imogen went off to London by herself?"
    Yes. I was unable to join her because my husband was extremely ill at the time. Not that Imogen considered that she needed a companion, of course. She has a very independent nature."
    I noticed."
    I lay the blame squarely at the feet of her parents, God rest their souls." Horatia sighed. They loved her dearly and meant to do their best, but I fear that they gave her an extremely uncon ventional