smells—the heady scent of spice and the earthy aroma of leather. The shackles opened, then he dangled them from his index finger. “Trust, Miss Winsome. I require it, and if you agree to our arrangement, you agree to give it.”
“I’m afraid to . . . to launch into this. I’m, well in truth, I’m terrified. Could we . . . could we do this slowly?”
“All right, Miss Winsome, I agree. We will go as slowly as you desire. Should I speak to my sister tonight?”
“That quickly?” Panic made her squeak. “How could I leave Lady Winterhaven now? She’s enceinte!” But she had to do this quickly. She had to get into his house at once—
Then she realized: If she were to become his mistress in truth, she didn’t need to spy anymore. If he gave her all those things, she could pay the debts and save her family.
“All right. I will wait until you have been introduced to my preferences. Until then, Jacinta does not need to know.”
She felt so guilty, for Lady Winterhaven was a kind employer. But she must either become his mistress or continue to be a spy to save her family.
“I promise I will do nothing that will hurt you,” he said gently.
She hated the idea of not knowing what she was walking into. But she said, “All right.” Then she thought of Will’s gaming, and suddenly she had a brilliant idea. The duke was notorious for his gambling, though he usually won, or at least never lost more than he could afford. “I agree to trust you—blindly—but I have a condition. My brother is addicted to gaming, and I must stop him.”
She had a different last name from her half siblings, so none of the ton families realized her brother had a newspaper. She could not tell Greybrooke who her brother really was. “He’s lost a fortune at these places. He promises me he’ll stop going, but he still does. Is there any way I could stop them letting him through the doors? He has no money anymore—surely, if they knew, they wouldn’t let him gamble.”
“If you wish, I can put the word around the hells. Give me his name and I will make sure he is not welcome at any of the tables.”
“You would do that? It would mean so much to my family.” But how could she do it, without giving her brother’s name?
“It would be a delight to rescue you, Miss Winsome.”
“Could I tell them myself? I don’t wish to put you to the trouble.”
“You want to go to gaming hells and ask them not to admit your brother.” He looked startled.
She swallowed hard. She needed a plausible lie! “I—I’ve been a dutiful governess for years. I’ve never had any adventures. I’ve seen so much passion and desire and excitement, but I’ve never had the chance of any myself. Not even a kiss. I’ve never been kissed. I’ve wondered what all these wicked things and wild places are like. . . .”
“So you want to see a gaming hell to see what lures your brother?”
That made sense! That gave the perfect excuse for her determination to go. “Yes.”
“Your wish is my command,” Greybrooke said easily. “Can you sneak out of the house at night?”
“Yes. I can get out through the kitchens and though the rear gate. I will meet you at the bottom of the mews, at the street.” It meant she could spend time with him, and not in a bed. Wearing shackles.
“At midnight.” Glinting, his emerald eyes met hers. “At midnight, your adventure begins.”
4
M idnight came with echoing rings from a distant clock but no sign of Miss Winsome in the mews. Grey checked his pocket watch while his harsh breathing filled the silence of his carriage. Even waiting for her, he was rock hard with arousal.
Normally, when he desired a woman, it was in an indifferent way. One bedmate was much like another. A momentary flare of excitement and interest, one quickly sated. Certainly, he had never sat with his forehead pressed to the window, cursing the passing minutes.
For a rake, this strange obsession should be a warning sign. Instead, it
“I’m afraid to . . . to launch into this. I’m, well in truth, I’m terrified. Could we . . . could we do this slowly?”
“All right, Miss Winsome, I agree. We will go as slowly as you desire. Should I speak to my sister tonight?”
“That quickly?” Panic made her squeak. “How could I leave Lady Winterhaven now? She’s enceinte!” But she had to do this quickly. She had to get into his house at once—
Then she realized: If she were to become his mistress in truth, she didn’t need to spy anymore. If he gave her all those things, she could pay the debts and save her family.
“All right. I will wait until you have been introduced to my preferences. Until then, Jacinta does not need to know.”
She felt so guilty, for Lady Winterhaven was a kind employer. But she must either become his mistress or continue to be a spy to save her family.
“I promise I will do nothing that will hurt you,” he said gently.
She hated the idea of not knowing what she was walking into. But she said, “All right.” Then she thought of Will’s gaming, and suddenly she had a brilliant idea. The duke was notorious for his gambling, though he usually won, or at least never lost more than he could afford. “I agree to trust you—blindly—but I have a condition. My brother is addicted to gaming, and I must stop him.”
She had a different last name from her half siblings, so none of the ton families realized her brother had a newspaper. She could not tell Greybrooke who her brother really was. “He’s lost a fortune at these places. He promises me he’ll stop going, but he still does. Is there any way I could stop them letting him through the doors? He has no money anymore—surely, if they knew, they wouldn’t let him gamble.”
“If you wish, I can put the word around the hells. Give me his name and I will make sure he is not welcome at any of the tables.”
“You would do that? It would mean so much to my family.” But how could she do it, without giving her brother’s name?
“It would be a delight to rescue you, Miss Winsome.”
“Could I tell them myself? I don’t wish to put you to the trouble.”
“You want to go to gaming hells and ask them not to admit your brother.” He looked startled.
She swallowed hard. She needed a plausible lie! “I—I’ve been a dutiful governess for years. I’ve never had any adventures. I’ve seen so much passion and desire and excitement, but I’ve never had the chance of any myself. Not even a kiss. I’ve never been kissed. I’ve wondered what all these wicked things and wild places are like. . . .”
“So you want to see a gaming hell to see what lures your brother?”
That made sense! That gave the perfect excuse for her determination to go. “Yes.”
“Your wish is my command,” Greybrooke said easily. “Can you sneak out of the house at night?”
“Yes. I can get out through the kitchens and though the rear gate. I will meet you at the bottom of the mews, at the street.” It meant she could spend time with him, and not in a bed. Wearing shackles.
“At midnight.” Glinting, his emerald eyes met hers. “At midnight, your adventure begins.”
4
M idnight came with echoing rings from a distant clock but no sign of Miss Winsome in the mews. Grey checked his pocket watch while his harsh breathing filled the silence of his carriage. Even waiting for her, he was rock hard with arousal.
Normally, when he desired a woman, it was in an indifferent way. One bedmate was much like another. A momentary flare of excitement and interest, one quickly sated. Certainly, he had never sat with his forehead pressed to the window, cursing the passing minutes.
For a rake, this strange obsession should be a warning sign. Instead, it
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