Wickeds Scandal (The Wickeds) Read Online Free PDF Page B

most
glorious color she had ever seen, green with flecks of gold.  Only one
other creature in her acquaintance also possessed eyes of that color,  her
calico tabby cat, Marmalade.  Thinking of Marmalade, who was likely
sitting by the fire in Helmsby Abbey’s kitchen, brought Alexandra back to
reality.  She was just a girl from Hampshire, who had never been kissed,
desperate to outsmart her uncle to save her home.  Were she not so muddled
by the man standing before her, Alexandra would have laughed out loud. 
Her situation sounded very much like a plot of a Lord Thurston
novel.   The knob of the door ground into her back.  She reached
for it.
    “What is
your name?”  The dark rasp ran over her like molten chocolate. 
     Her
hand froze on the knob.  “Alexandra Dunforth.”  She looked into those
cat-like eyes, truly frightened for the first time.  She wondered if this
was what the gypsy cursed him with, a magical allure that women could not
resist.
    “I’ll be
seeing you again, Alex .”  He smiled wickedly at her. 
    Alexandra
cautiously opened the door, never taking her eyes off Lord Reynolds.  She
nodded a polite goodbye to him, as if they merely met for tea.  She tried
to pivot gracefully, but stumbled a bit in her haste to exit.  She cursed
her clumsiness and forced her shaky legs to take her back to the ballroom.  The
side of her mouth tingled from the imprint of his tongue on her lips.
    ***
    Lord Sutton
Reynolds, known to his friends as Cam and amongst the gossips of the ton as Satan Reynolds, felt his heart thump loudly in his chest as the delectable
Miss Dunforth attempted a regal exit.  She tripped over her gown, caught
herself, and stumbled in a most ungraceful manner away from him. He thought to
assist her, but feared touching her would unleash all sorts of behavior best
left for another time.  Besides, her awkwardness charmed him.  
And he did desire her.  That was quite apparent from the hardened
arousal in his breeches, meaning he couldn’t follow her immediately.   
He lit another cheroot.
    One of his
mistresses in Macao had given Sutton a puzzle box as a gift.   The
box was intricately inlaid with two different types of wood in a delicate
pattern made to look like fish in a sea.  He couldn’t open it.  He
spent weeks looking at it, trying to discern where the secret latch could be
hidden, how to push the button just so to reveal the mysteries hidden within,
    Sutton
flicked his wrist and the remainder of the cheroot fell into the fireplace,
sparking briefly.  He adjusted his breeches as he walked out of the
library.  Patience was one of Sutton’s strong suits. After nearly a year,
he had finally opened the box to his immense satisfaction.   He
didn’t think it would take quite that long with Miss Alexandra Dunforth.

FOUR
     
    Donata
Reynolds, Dowager Marchioness of Cambourne, grabbed the head of her cane and
watched with interest as a small slight girl slid to a halt next to the couch
where the Dowager sat.  The girl was dressed plainly, although still
fashionably, in a watered blue gray silk gown trimmed in dark lace. She took
several deep breaths and patted her hair.  The girl was either running
from a lover or to a lover.   Intrigued, Donata leaned
forward.
    The girl’s
hand flew to her coiffure, or rather what was left of it. She took one curl and
pinned it back up, only to have another fall down and take its place. 
Donata heard an unladylike curse erupt from her lips. 
    Damnation!  
    The girl
proceeded to stab another pin viciously at the back of her head, as if attempting
to kill something hidden there.    The Dowager coughed politely
to announce her presence.
    Wide gray
eyes locked with hers in horror.  No, not gray.  The girl’s eyes
caught the shimmer of the candlelight, reminding Donata of opals.  Her
face flushed red and her mouth gaped open.   Her brow wrinkled in
concentration as she worked on a plausible excuse for her