The Viscount's Kiss Read Online Free PDF Page A

sooner. And you are?”
    â€œEleanor Springford, my lord,” she lied, hoping he would mistake her blush for bashfulness and not shame.
    The driver’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “We were talking about yer tattoo, too.”
    â€œIt’s a common practice among the South Sea islanders,” Lord Bromwell gravely replied, as if it was the polite thing to do, like taking tea. “Ah, here comes Jenkins’s carriage.”
    With that, he strode off to meet it, leaving Nell to wonder what such a man would make of her if he ever learned the truth.

Chapter Three
    I believe it is an intense curiosity and an unwillingness to simply accept the world without further explanation that separates the scientist from the general population. It is not enough to see a thing; the scientist seeks to find out the how and why it works, or in the case of the natural world, how and why a creature does what it does.
    â€”from The Spider’s Web , by Lord Bromwell
    â€œ T he supper will be served in half an hour, my lord,” Jenkins announced from the door of the slightly smaller, more cramped room Bromwell had taken when they returned from the scene of the accident so that Miss Springford could have the better one. “The wife’s glad she killed that chicken this afternoon, or she’d be in some state now, I can tell you, what with you here and all.”
    â€œI’ve been here plenty of times before,” Bromwell replied as he reached for his brush, determined not to look a complete mess when he went below. “She should know I like everything she makes, especially her tarts. When Iwas stranded on that strip of sand, I would have sold my soul for one.”
    â€œTush, now, my lord, that’s almost blasphemy, that is!” Jenkins cried, although he beamed as proudly as if he made the tarts. “I’ll be telling the wife, though. She’ll be pleased.”
    â€œAs I am by her tarts,” Bromwell said, bringing his hair into some semblance of order, although it occurred to him that it was in need of a trim.
    â€œAh, here’s Johnny now with your baggage, my lord.”
    â€œThank you,” Bromwell said as the boy carried in his small valise.
    With another nod, Jenkins left him to change, followed by the gaping Johnny, who paused on the threshold to look back and whisper, eyes wide. “Was you really nearly et by cannibals, my lord?”
    â€œI might have been, if they had caught us,” Bromwell replied gravely, and quite truthfully.
    The lad’s eyes grew even wider.
    â€œIf you’ll excuse me,” Bromwell said, starting to close the door.
    The lad nodded and disappeared.
    Bromwell shut the door with a sigh. He was seriously beginning to wish he’d left that part of his voyage out of his book. Everybody asked about it, to the exclusion of many other fascinating events and observations.
    Well, in mixed company, at any rate, he thought as he took off his soiled shirt, trousers and stockings. When he was with men after suppers or in the clubs, they wanted to know about the women and sexual practices, waiting with avid and salacious curiosity.
    They were inevitably disappointed when he began describing the flora and fauna of the islands, including spiders,instead. Sometimes, if they listened and were patient, he would describe a heiva , a celebration involving dancing, the otea done by men, the upa upa by couples, and the hura , called hula in Hawaii, danced exclusively by women.
    Recalling some of those dances and the dancers who’d performed them, he donned a clean white shirt, woollen trousers and stockings. What would Eleanor Springford think of those dances?
    What would she think if she knew he’d participated?
    Between that, and his insolent kiss, she’d certainly think he was no gentleman, although her response hadn’t been exactly ladylike, either.
    He suddenly remembered that he’d heard her name before, and his heart