Sally James Read Online Free PDF Page A

voices and occasional laughter came to her, for the library was below her room, and she guessed the men were gambling. She hoped Julian would be capable of making his own way to bed at the end of the evening, but ruefully accepted it was highly probable the three of them would spend the night on the library floor. She shrugged, and was trying to convince herself the effort of undressing was not too great when Julian’s voice, upraised, came to her.
    ‘Carter! Where the devil are you, man? Bring more brandy!’
    There was a short silence, but apparently Carter had not heard the command, for after a while Julian began shouting again.
    Wearily Susannah dragged herself to her feet, knowing she would be unable to sleep unless she contrived to quieten him, and went downstairs in search of Carter. She discovered him in the butler’s pantry. After his loyal and unstinting efforts of the day, he had apparently succumbed to the prevailing hysteria and lay comatose in a deep armchair, the empty bottle beside him bearing witness to his final surrender. She frowned: she would have to take the brandy herself, and fortunately there was a full decanter there. Picking it up she made her way to the library.
    The men were sprawled around a small table, throwing dice, and had discarded their coats. Julian’s cravat was torn loose and his shirt points wilted lamentably. Percy Tempest was in little better condition, but Lord Chalford, apart from being in shirt sleeves, was as immaculate as before. They paid no attention to the opening door until Julian sprang up with an oath, upsetting his glass as he did so.
    ‘What are you doing here?’ he demanded furiously and Susannah frowned warningly at him.
    ‘Mr Carter was unable to come, my lord,’ she said quickly.
    ‘Fortunate for us,’ Lord Chalford said lazily, raising a quizzing glass that winked in the candlelight from the diamond-studded handle and looking her up and down through it in a manner that made her suddenly long to slap his face.
    She was horribly conscious of the too short skirts of her gown, but did not realize many tendrils of hair had escaped from their confinement and were enchantingly framing her exceedingly pretty face, flushed now with anger and embarrassment. She closed her lips firmly, but failed to hide their inviting shape, and trying to ignore the men went to put the brandy down on the table.
    To her astonishment, a surprise swiftly followed by fury, she felt Lord Chalford’s arm about her waist as he pulled her to stand beside him.
    ‘I congratulate you, Julian,’ he drawled. ‘I’ve not come across so delectable a wench for many a long day.’
    ‘Release me, sir!’ Susannah commanded, flashing him a darting glance from her large, vivid blue eyes, edged with thick, long lashes.
    He merely laughed and pulled her closer.
    ‘Coy, my pretty? Julian!’ he went on, turning towards his host, who was looking at him owlishly. ‘I’ll hazard my ring for this wench! Will you play?’
    Susannah gasped in fury and tore herself away from his embrace. She glared angrily at Julian, but he seemed scarcely aware of what Lord Chalford said and she realized she could expect no help from him. She suppressed the retort she would have liked to have made, being unwilling to reveal the deception, and went angrily from the room, coldly informing them they could fetch any more brandy they required for themselves. Her cheeks burned as Lord Chalford’s deep laughter came after her.
    She ran upstairs, briefly regretting she had refused Mrs Skinner’s company, then reassured herself that Julian would not permit so notorious a bet. Further, she told herself, even if he was too drunk to realize what he was doing and Lord Chalford later came in search of her, he would hardly expect to find her in one of the best bedrooms. That made her think of the maids and she sped up the stairs to warn them to lock their doors, saying the party was growing too wild for her liking. Then she retreated