A Fool Again by Eloisa James Read Free Book Online Page A

growled.
    â€œEngaged!”
    â€œGenevieve, I shall keep asking you from now until next week. When I was in India, I simply got used to taking what I wanted.” The warning in his voice was crystal clear, as was the look in his eyes.
    â€œWell, you will have to learn differently!” Genevieve snapped at him. “I certainly won’t be going anywhere in the evening with you again, not after you took the opportunity to drive me to your house in this harum-scarum fashion! I may be a widow, but I still could be ruined by being seen unchaperoned in such a location. You’re just as much of a blackguard as you ever were, Tobias Darby! I shall never allow you to escort me in the evening.”
    Tobias hadn’t gotten to be a nabob by ignoring possibilities. “An afternoon, then,” he said. “Are you engaged tomorrow afternoon, Genevieve?”
    â€œCertainly!” she said.
    â€œAnd one week from today?”
    â€œI don’t wish to be seen with you,” she pointed out. “No, I don’t wish to be with you, Mr. Darby. Spending time in your company will simply encourage you in the mistaken belief that marrying me will compensate for your base behavior of seven years ago.”
    â€œAre you so very sure of Felton, then?” he asked shrewdly.
    She blinked. “Of course I am, although I might point out that your question is characteristically impolite.”
    â€œFelton did kiss you in front of the ton, ” Tobias said, nodding.
    â€œExactly!”
    He loathed the way her face lit up when she remembered that lukewarm kiss from her lukewarm suitor. “But then he blithely sent you off with me,” Tobias noted.
    â€œFelton has every confidence in me,” she said loftily. “And I do believe he didn’t understand the depths of perfidity to which you might sink.”
    â€œPerhaps he has taken you a bit for granted,” Tobias said. “Perhaps it wouldn’t be entirely amiss to give Mr. Felton a bit of competition.”
    â€œActually,” Genevieve said with a little smirk, “you may not believe this, but I seem to be quite fashionable amongst the London gentlemen. I have no difficulty finding competition for Felton.”
    â€œAh, but I am far greater competition than they are,” he said softly. “They are just town bucks, after all, whereas I represent your past. If you wish to encourage Felton into a proposal, Genevieve, you would do well to encourage me at the same time.”
    â€œAnd why would you wish to help me?” she said suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at him.
    He tried to school his expression into one of innocence, but she suddenly said, “Oh, I understand! If I am married to such a worthy man as Felton, and you helped in the process, it would assuage your conscience.” There was just the smallest note of disappointment in her voice, which Tobias thought very encouraging.
    â€œIt is true that I would like to see you happily married,” he said. “After all, I feel indirectly responsible for your marriage to Lord Mulcaster.”
    Genevieve took a deep breath. “Erasmus wasn’t so terrible.”
    â€œI’ve heard he was a miser and an extremely ugly man to deal with on the business front,” Tobias said, watching her steadily.
    â€œThose things are both true,” she admitted.
    He touched her face. “I’m sorry, Genevieve. I’m so sorry.”
    â€œThere’s no need to be,” she said cheerily, the faint hint of sadness falling from her face. “If I hadn’t married Erasmus, I might never have met Felton!” She looked dismayed at the very thought.
    Tobias was surprised by the surge of rage that choked him for a moment.
    â€œYet perhaps you are right,” she said a second later. “Felton may well be aware that he has no significant rivals.” She blushed a little, and Tobias wondered just what had happened between herself and that