Page 31 of Brigand

“My lieutenant. My second-in-command. I have to meet withhim.” He pulled on his shirt and turned toward the bed as he worked thebuttons. He glanced up and his gaze stalled on her breasts. His fingers froze.His throat worked. He tipped his head to the side and shot her a boyish grin.“You do tempt a man, Violet Wyeth.”

Heat scudded through her. A blush crept up her cheeks. Notbecause she was shy but because the look he sent her lit a fire in her belly.She slipped from the bed and made her way to the window, made it a point toswish her hips as she walked. She put her hands over her head and stretched,making sure the view he got was alluring. “Far be it from me to keep you fromwork.” She shot a mischievous grin over her shoulder.

He reversed his motion and yanked the shirt off.

“To hell with work,” he muttered. “Colin can wait.”

* * * * *

Colin Blackthorne was waiting, albeit impatiently, in hisoffice when Ewan finally emerged from his solar. But then Colin had never beena patient man.

Colin had been a soldier, fighting in the war against France.He’d returned to Dundee to find his family murdered and his home burned to theground. He and Ewan had met when came to petition the McCloud to help him findand punish the men responsible.

They’d worked together to do just that. Ewan had been so impressedby the man’s sharp wit and strategic mind, he’d tried to hire him. But Colinhad resisted. He had no intention of becoming a career criminal. But when Ewanshared his plan to turn his enterprise to legitimate pursuits, Colin had jumpedon board.

Many of their most profitable businesses flourished underhis command. And Colin worked hard to make sure the activities stayed on theright side of the law.

They usually held their weekly meetings in his offices inPerth but since Ewan had moved his household to the Cloud—for the timebeing—Colin had come here.

Ewan sat through the report, only half attending the usualupdate about the mills, the shipping companies and, yes, the occasional gaminghell.

Gaming hells were fairly profitable concerns. But their truepurpose on his slates was to make and strengthen valuable relationships in the ton—theconnections he would need when Sophia made her debut. Personally, he despisedgambling. Unless it was on business.

Because of those hells, he now had close personal friendswho were barristers and lords. Powerful men owed him money and favors. He heldthem in abeyance. He would need them soon. The London social season began inJanuary…

His brow furrowed, his belly clenched at the thought.

He would be married to Kaitlin by then.

Violet would be a fading memory.

He recalled their latest romp and a smile curled his lips.Well, that memory would never fade. It would be difficult letting her go whenthe time came. He didn’t want to contemplate how difficult.

But her cousin was a duke. He would surely demand herreturn—

His brain seized.

Her cousin was a duke.

What if…

The ridiculous hope died a nasty death. What duke in hisright mind—who did not owe him a very large sum of money—would hand over hisvirginal cousin to a man with Ewan’s reputation? It would hardly matter thathis reputation had been very carefully cultivated, that most of the sinsattributed to him were bold-faced lies. Reputations were reputations,regardless of the truth behind them.

That Violet was hardly virginal—anymore—did not signify.

She was Quality. And despite his wealth, his success innearly every corner of the market, he was not.

He was the illegitimate son of a maid. A disgraced maid atthat.

Even if this duke-cousin would allow a union between them,society would not. An association with the notorious Scottish McCloud wouldonly drag Violet’s name and reputation through the mud.

He would ruin her. More than he already had.

No. When the time came to let her go, he would. As much asit would curl the edges of his soul, he would.

“Goddamn it, Ewan. Are you listening?” Colin glowered at himover the account book from which he was reciting.

“Of course.”