Wicked Wager Read Online Free PDF Page A

gliding up to grip his wrist as he returned to her orbit, whispering in his ear, ‘She is smitten, if ever I’ve seen a woman lusting after a man, Perry. Ah, but you were lucky. She will be a nice, easy fish to reel in. Watch her closely, for I believe she’ll look for any opportunity to elude her gaolers and you must be waiting.’
    ***
    Celeste hadn’t realised she was staring into the darkness like a moon-eyed green girl until Raphael reclaimed her attention with a tug at the lace at her wrists.
    â€˜Worshipping the stars, my dear, or have you seen a vision?’
    Somehow he managed to imbue everything with an irony that implied she was lacking in some way. As a child they’d played and tumbled together, but when Raphael had come down from university he had developed a worldly air that suggested his cleverness was not easily matched. And certainly not by Celeste, whom he treated with condescending fondness, as if she must be cared for, and by him, like any of the other vacuous females of his closer acquaintance he loved to ridicule.
    â€˜Perhaps I have seen a vision, Raphael.’ She smiled as she brought her attention back to him. ‘Perhaps it was a shining vision with a golden wand, dispensing words of wisdom.’
    â€˜Well, tell me? What words of wisdom did it dispense, then?’
    â€˜It said I must follow my heart.’
    â€˜You have a perfectly sound head, my dear. I think the sensible thing would be to follow the voice of reason. Hearts have a habit of behaving erratically. They are not to be trusted. Not like common sense.’
    Celeste sighed and declined to pursue the topic. He would not sanction her desire to end their betrothal and besides, what choice did she have? She was to be married within three weeks to the man she’d happily accepted as her husband-to-be before she was old enough to understand.
    What foolishness was it that she should imagine an alternative future?
    ***
    The night was warm and still with a heaven of twinkling stars overhead. Celeste took comfort in their constancy as she told herself Raphael would be a good husband, regardless of whether he pledged his heart to another. That was the tragedy of it. She believed she could train her heart to take her marriage in good part, if she’d not learned the truth of exactly what a sham this marriage would be from the start.
    Murmuring her intention to return shortly, as Raphael was caught up in conversation with a lively group of gentlemen, she took a couple of steps away, intending to greet an acquaintance she’d met at a number of her aunt’s salons . A glance at her chaperone reassured her that the old woman was thoroughly engrossed in gossiping with a stout matron by a tree.
    â€˜Miss Leddings,’ Celeste began, only to find the young lady she’d intended to address gone. Unexpectedly alone, she turned on her heel as she prepared to resume her position at Raphael’s side.
    â€˜You appear lost, Miss Rosington? No chaperone? Perhaps you’d allow me to return you to your friends, though being alone in my company for even those few seconds might be dangerous. I would strongly warn you against it.’
    A hanging lantern revealed the now familiar face of the gentleman she’d met earlier, cast in shadows and planes, his admiration apparent. It thrilled her, forbidden though it was. Of course she should smile politely, to soften her rebuttal, then take a few steps into the light towards Raphael.
    Instead she said softly, ‘Sometimes a dangerous offer is too tempting to resist—if it were but for a moment.’ Such words had never issued from her mouth and she trembled violently as she observed the surprise with which he offered her his arm.
    â€˜Ten steps to the left would have you amidst the milling crowd and is where I strongly suggest I lead you.’ He paused, his voice suddenly husky. ‘However, I can recommend a pleasant detour with little more