The Diabolical Baron Read Online Free PDF Page A

been one regrettable young man with rabbity front teeth who had been disposed to admire her, but she had discour aged him with references to her father’s violent tem per and his oft-expressed wish to keep his eldest daughter as a Comfort in his Old Age, a view that would have much surprised that gentleman, since he barely troubled to tell his daughters apart and fre quently said he looked forward to getting them off his hands.
    The evening was well advanced when she noticed purposeful movement in her direction. She recognized George Fitzwilliam, who had partnered her on several occasions when hostesses prevailed on him to help with the wallflowers. George was pleasant, unthreate ning company, but she frowned slightly at the sight of his companion, a tall, darkly impressive man who ra diated arrogance and power.
    Mr. Fitzwilliam arrived and swept his most graceful bow. “Lady Hanscombe, Miss Hanscombe, my friend Lord Radford has begged me for the pleasure of an in troduction to you.”
    Lady Hanscombe bridled happily. “The pleasure is ours, Lord Radford. My other daughter is about, and I’m sure she would also be delighted to make your ac quaintance.”
    While Lady Hanscombe and the Honorable George exchanged polite nothings, Caroline looked up at his lordship’s dark eyes and froze under his piercing gaze. This must be how a rabbit feels while it waits for a fer ret to strike, she thought wildly. She had no idea what he was looking for, but the dark stare under the fero cious brows was anything but casual.
    “Will you do me the honor of accepting this dance, Miss Hanscombe?” His deep voice was abrupt, projecting the same sense of power that his appearance did.
    Caroline nodded mutely; what else could she do? She rose and went onto the floor with him. Unfortu nately the orchestra was striking up the first notes of a waltz. “Have you been given permission to dance the waltz here, Miss Hanscombe? No? Then it’s time you did .”
    Looking across the room, Radford caught the roving eye of Lady Jersey. He gestured expressively at his partner, Lady Jersey nodded, and then Caroline was swept into his arms.
    he was startled at his speed of action. Her lack of permission to dance the waltz would have been a good excuse to cry off from the dance, but before she could even voice her thought, the ob jection had been overcome.
    Looking down at the fair curly head, Jason didn’t know whether to be amused or irritated at her shy ness. Certainly there was no lack of maidenly modesty. Pity she wasn’t taller; she seemed determined to spend the dance examining the buttons on his waistcoat rather than strain her neck to look in his face.
    The chit wasn’t at all bad-looking, he decided. Dress her prop erly, get her hair out of her face, and he would not be ashamed to have her by his side.
    For her part, Caroline felt like she was in a particu larly bad dream. She didn’t know that Radford’s appearance at Almack’s was so unusual as to be note worthy, but she felt instinctively that eyes all over the room were watching them.
    She concentrated on dancing presentably since her only previous waltz experi ence had been with her brothers and the dancing master. Being held so close by a man of rather over powering masculinity was quite a different matter.
    Why on earth had he asked her? There was no social connection between them, and there could be nothing in her appearance to attract a fashionable gentleman who could have his choice of partners anywhere he went.
    “What do you think of your first London Sea son, Miss Hanscombe?” Radford asked urbanely.
    “It is very ... interesting, my lord.” The words were muffled by the downturned head.
    “Has Almack’s lived up to your expectations? Some find the reality a letdown from its reputation,” he con tinued.
    “I had no expectations, my lord.”
    Fitzwilliam certainly hadn’t exaggerated about her lack of conversation. Still, Jason persevered with polite commonplaces. It was