One Night With A Prince Read Online Free PDF Page B

she could load a rifle as well as any guardsman, fashion a field dressing out of an old petticoat and some twine, and tell a naughty joke about a harem in Turkey, she knew nothing about entertaining guests of the lofty sort. Then again, perhaps that wasn’t so important for a mistress. And the naughty joke might even be Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html acceptable. She sighed. The trouble was, she didn’t knowwhat was acceptable. As they entered the refined drawing room that well suited the fashionable Lady Draker and Lady Iversley, Christabel searched for something appropriately refined to say. She didn’t get the chance. As soon as they sat down, Lady Draker turned to her, eyes alight. “Lady Haversham, you simply must tell us what’s going on. My husband is being surprisingly close-mouthed.”
    “So is mine,” Lady Iversley put in. “What in the dickens were you and Byrne discussing so privately earlier this evening?”
    “I can’t tell you,” Christabel said bluntly, taken off guard by the sudden feminine assault. “It’s a matter of strictest secrecy.”
    “Involving you and Byrne,” Lady Draker prodded.
    “Yes.” She smoothed her features, straightened her spine, and folded her hands in her lap as she’d seen haughty ladies do. “That’s all I have to say.”
    “He’s helping you with an estate matter?” Lady Iversley probed. “Or is this about the debt your husband owed to him?”
    Dear Lord, they weren’t the least put off by her attempt at a marchioness’s manner. And they seemed very inquisitive ladies. Perhaps if she told themsomething, they’d let her be. “My husband paid his debt to Mr. Byrne before he died. All I can tell you is that Mr. Byrne and I are engaged in a rather delicate…business transaction. But I really can’t say one word more about it.”
    “Business transaction?” Lady Draker looked skeptical. “When he’s undressing you with his eyes, taking you for drives, and discussing aphrodisiacs?”
    “Aphrodisiacs?”
    “Foods to increase one’s appetite for lovemaking,” Lady Iversley explained.
    “Oh,” Christabel muttered, hot color suffusing her cheeks.
    “All of which is rather more intimate than one usually gets with business associates,” Lady Draker continued.
    Christabel scowled. “I still can’t discuss my connection with Mr. Byrne.”
    Lady Iversley leaned over to take her hand. “I’m sorry, I know we must seem rather…er…”
    “Nosy?” As soon as the tactless word left her mouth, she groaned. Lady Iversley merely laughed. “Yes, nosy. But we’re only concerned. Don’t misunderstand us—Byrne is a dear friend to both our families, and we adore him for that, but he isn’t the marrying sort.”
    Lady Draker nodded. “Believe me, we’ve tried and tried to marry him off.”
    “He pokes fun at the very idea of marriage,” Lady Iversley said with a sigh. “Though that doesn’t stop Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html women from falling in love with him, even when he states outright that he has no interest in a respectable connection.”
    Christabel withdrew her hand from Lady Iversley’s. “Thank you for your concern, but I assure you I’m no more interested in marriage than Mr. Byrne. And I’m perfectly capable of handling myself around him. Unlike some women, I’m not the least bit impressed by rumors that he has a royal connection—”
    “Impressed?” Lady Iversley shook her head. “Trust me, he succeeds with women despite, not because of, his ‘royal connection.’ His Highness’s public refusal to acknowledge Byrne as his son and those nasty rumors he spread about Byrne’s poor mother practically ensured that the man would never gain any advantage fromthat. ”
    “Now, Katherine—” Lady Draker began.
    “It’s true, Regina, and you know it,” Lady Iversley said. “The prince may be a friend of your family’s, but he treated