Twice the Temptation Read Online Free PDF Page B

just to concur and be done with it, but he’d given his word. “It’s fine quality,” he said, “but it’ll cost you a pretty penny, Francis.” He looked down the list of items up for auction. “You might hold off until this one.” He pointed at a name.
    â€œWilliam Etty. Is he famous?”
    â€œNot yet. He’s still quite young, but I think you’ll find his work affordable, and a good investment. He has a remarkable eye for color.”
    â€œSplendid, Rawley. You’ll have to make me some notes so I’ll know what to say about it.”
    â€œYes, well, I can do that tomorrow. May I leave now?” He still had half a chance of arriving in time to take a spot on the chit’s dance card.
    â€œNo, you can’t go,” Henning squawked, his soft features paling. “I won’t know how much to bid, or when to drop out—if I should drop out. Or whether—”
    â€œBreathe, Francis,” he interrupted, stifling another frown as he put his watch away.
    â€œFor God’s sake, don’t abandon me now, Conn. I’ll have an apoplexy and drop dead, and then I’ll never inherit Grandmama’s money.”
    Connoll sank back into his uncomfortable chair. “Very well. But you will owe me a very large favor.”
    His friend smiled happily. “I already owe you so many I’ve lost count.”
    â€œI haven’t.”
    â€œOh.”
    Â 
    The butler had the bad manners to look annoyed when Connoll arrived at Munroe House shortly after nine o’clock the next morning. “I shall have to inquire whether Miss Munroe has risen yet, my lord,” he intoned.
    Connoll nodded. “I’ll wait. A cup of tea would be welcome, though.”
    â€œVery good, my lord.”
    The butler showed him to the same room where he’d waited for her yesterday. Yes, it was early, but considering Evangeline’s view of him, he wanted to make it perfectly clear that he did not as a rule stay out all night drinking.
    Evangeline Munroe. Good God, she had a mouth onher, which made her the type of woman he generally avoided like the plague. His life had enough twists and turns without making every conversation into a battle. On the other hand, if she’d wept and fainted after their carriage accident yesterday, he doubted he would have bothered to make an appearance this morning—or at all, for that matter.
    It was a conundrum, and clearly Miss Munroe had the answers he required. He didn’t know the questions, and yet here he was again, for the second time in twenty-four hours. Perhaps he’d been traveling too much lately and the overabundance of bad roads had rattled his brains.
    â€œI don’t know whether to say good morning or good evening to you, Lord Rawley,” an enticing female voice said from behind him.
    He turned around, smiling as he noted that not only was she attired to perfection in a trim green walking dress, but she even wore a bonnet. “Today it’s good morning,” he returned, sketching a shallow bow. “I came to apologize.”
    â€œWe’ve already established that you were drunk, my lord. Please don’t trouble yourself.”
    That again . “I’m apologizing for not dancing with you last evening. I made plans to attend, but a friend unexpectedly called on me to request my help with a pressing matter.” Of course, for Francis Henning nearly everything was pressing, but he recognized true desperation when he saw it.
    Something briefly passed through her hazel eyes. Surprise? “Oh,” she muttered, taking a half step backward. “There’s no need to apologize for that, either. I hadn’t expected you to remember, much less to attend.”
    He followed her retreat, ignoring the cluck of her lurking maid. “I did remember, and I did mean to attend. So I apologize.”
    â€œI…then I accept.” She cleared her throat. “Now,