Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel Read Online Free PDF Page B

reticence for now.
    Sadness rolled off him in waves. Jake cared deeply for the young woman, more than Lana had guessed. And he obviously required assistance in his pursuit. Lucky for him, Lana was the perfect one to further his cause. After all, Jake had accused her of being an effective matchmaker. Why shouldn’t she use her talents to help someone dear to her?
    Lana tapped her finger to her chin as an idea formed in her mind. The visitors at Shafer Hall would spend most of their days engaged in activities at Irvine Castle, the Northumberland residence belonging to Phoebe’s father-in-law, the Duke of Foxhaven. Perhaps Lana’s friend could arrange an invitation to Irvine Castle for the beautiful widow.
    “Pay me no mind,” she said. “I see you harbor no fondness whatsoever for Lady Audley.”
    ***
    Drew’s routine had returned to normal after the Eldridge ball, the soiree proving to be nothing more than a tiny bump on the otherwise smooth road to debauchery. In fact, he’d almost succeeded in banishing the entire encounter with the fiery Miss Hillary from his mind. Almost. Nonetheless, her memory plagued him more than usual this evening, and he found himself wondering what event she attended tonight.
    He’d been loitering at Brook’s for the past three hours, bored with the same scene, the same faces. He considered, and dismissed, the idea of heading to the gaming hells or paying a visit to the lovely new wench under Madame Montgomery’s employ. Even those prospects sounded dull.
    Drew had always relished his decadent existence: imbibing, gambling, and a different woman to bed every night. It was his calling. His father expected it of him. While his older brother, Rich, was the responsible one, Drew’s exploits provided entertainment to his sire. But as of late, his usual pursuits brought him little excitement. When had everything in his life become so mundane?
    “Down on your luck, Forest?”
    Drew glanced up to find his childhood friend, Anthony Keaton, Earl of Ellis, meandering to where he sat nursing a drink. They had first made each other’s acquaintance as young boys barely out of leading strings, having grown up on neighboring estates. Later, they attended Eton followed by Oxford the same years.
    The prospect of challenging Ellis to a game of billiards and recalling old times cheered Drew a smidge. “My luck is improving with your arrival.”
    Ellis flopped into an adjacent chair with a grimace. “My gambling days are over.”
    “Since when?”
    “Since I lost nine hundred pounds the last time I played faro with you. What are you drinking?”
    Drew jiggled his near empty tumbler. “Scotch.”
    “Let me buy you another.” Ellis signaled for a footman. “Another scotch for my friend and I’ll have a brandy.”
    When the man returned with the drinks, Ellis sank back in his chair. “How’s your family?”
    Drew raised an eyebrow in bemusement. “The same.”
    “And your mother and father? How are they?”
    Egads. If he had hoped for sparkling conversation from Ellis, he was disappointed so far. “Both are in excellent health. Thank you for inquiring.”
    “I suppose your sisters are fit as well. Gabrielle and… um, the other girls.”
    “Indeed. I’ve received no notice of any dire illnesses afflicting any of my siblings.”
    “What are the other girls’ names?” he asked absently.
    Drew chuckled. “Damnation, Ellis. Are you drafting my biography?”
    His friend laughed as well. “I wouldn’t wish to put readers into a sleeping trance.”
    “Then explain your line of questioning before you place me in a sleeping trance.”
    “It’s nothing. I’ve simply been thinking how long it has been since I visited the Forest brood. Have they departed for the country?”
    “Good God, man. Spit it out. What is it you wish to know?”
    Ellis gulped his drink instead of answering. Then he pursed his lips, seeming to ponder his next words. He sat up straight before leaning forward to rest his