Page 47 of The Seduction of an English Scoundrel

“I want to go to Nepal,” she said unexpectedly.

“What?” he said in astonishment.

“I want to find Brandon’s body.”

He vented a deep sigh. He wasn’t about to tell her that animal scavengers had probably left no remains to be brought home. That Brandon and his companions had died in a ravine after being ambushed by rebels. As far as he knew, no one had revealed the grim details to her. In fact, no one really knew for certain what had happened, despite Heath and Drake’s efforts to uncover the truth.

“It’s out of the question, Chloe,” he said, shaking his head for emphasis.

“It was Papa’s idea.”

“Perhaps for him to go.”

“Devon said he would take me.”

“Then I shall wring the young devil’s neck when he comes home,” he said, his deep voice rising at the very thought of the danger involved.

She stared at him, clearly fighting tears, of defiance, of grief. “One day I shall do exactly what I like.”

“Not if I have a say in it.” He put his hands firmly on her shoulders. She stiffened and refused to meet his gaze. “Don’t see that soldier again,” he said, sounding so much like their father that he winced.

“You’ve probably frightened him away forever anyway,” she muttered.

“I hope so.”

She lifted her gaze to his, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “You might have frightened Jane away, too.”

Grayson struggled against the urge to laugh as he remembered the setdown Jane had dealt him in his sister’s defense. Had everyone underestimated her? “She took your side, if you must know.”

“I like her, Grayson,” she admitted, expelling a deep sigh. “There’s something appealing about Jane. Please don’t do anything to make her situation worse.”

He looked surprised. “Chloe, it’s partly because of you that I have become her friend. You convinced me in the chapel that helping her was the right thing to do, and it made me think. And, you know, it’s really odd, I like her, too. It’s so easy to talk to her.”

“Just don’t take being her friend too far,” she said quietly.

He exhaled in relief, tempted to take her in his arms like the little sister she would always be to him. So Jane was to be their common ground, the link to reestablish their damaged relationship. Jane, his sensible peacemaker and unwitting seductress.

“I think Jane is able to take care of herself,” he said. “Especially if we remain loyal to her.”

“I hope so.” Chloe gave him a tentative smile. “Perhaps she will bring out the best in you.”

“Not the beast?”

She laughed reluctantly, unable to resist his charm. “For her sake, I hope not.”

Chapter 12

For the next five days Grayson played the part of an attentive suitor, escorting Jane to soirées, to lectures, and even to a late-night supper with a few close friends at the Clarendon. He introduced her to the sophisticated pleasures of his world, a glittering realm into which she had only peeped before. Instead of slipping into the peaceful obscurity she’d hoped for, she was toasted by rakes and radicals; she made friends with actresses and gamblers and deposed artists from Paris. She visited the docks to see Grayson’s latest ship unloaded from China, and with every passing moment she knew that this illegitimate enjoyment would soon come to an end.

She did not want it to end.

She had begun to live for every moment of his wicked company. She had never laughed so much in her entire life. He was arrogant. He was thoughtful. She was so attracted to him she feared she could not hide it.

Today they had watched a balloon ascension in Green Park, and on the way home she had come perilously close to admitting everything. The strain of keeping her secret from a man of his experience was more than she could bear. Especially when he was confiding his own hopes and fears to her. To think that he trusted her with family secrets while she continued to mislead him. Wasn’t it usually the other way around? Wasn’t the scoundrel supposed to trick the young lady?

If he had not become so personally involved with her, taking the uncharacteristic role of hero, she suspected he might actually be the sort of man to appreciate what she and Nigel had done.

Ironically, under different circumstances, Grayson Boscastle would be the very person to turn to for advice. He would be the most loyal and understanding friend one could wish for. And she wished with all her heart to deserve him.