A Little Bit Scandalous by Robyn DeHart Read Free Book Online Page B

made you think this would even work?”
    “It is working. It has been working for the past two months. You are the only one who could possibly recognize me,” she said. “Were it not for your blasted pride, you wouldn’t have had to go in the back room to see the boy who always won. Then you never would have known it was me.”
    “I could say the same for your pride as evidenced by your presence here tonight.”
    “Touché.”
    “In any case, you weren’t the only reason I went into the back room that night. Merely a convenient excuse.”
    “Cabot?”
    He nodded. “I’ve tried to hire him and he refuses me. I thought if I met him in person, under different circumstances…” He waved his hand dismissively. “It matters not.” He shook his head and was quiet a moment before he spoke again.
    “I knew you were a woman when we played last.” He rubbed his face again, then the back of his neck. “I didn’t realize what woman, but I knew you were a woman. It’s only a matter of time before others realize the truth.”
    “That’s ridiculous. If you had simply stayed out in the front room where you belong, then none of this would have happened. Now you’ve drawn attention to me. Unnecessary attention, I might add.”
    “Where have you been staying?”
    “Your Aunt Aggie’s.”
    His jaw clenched and he released a seething breath through his teeth. “Does my mother know what you’re doing in London?”
    She paused a moment before answering. “It was her idea.”
    He shook his head. “ That I should have seen coming. This game is over and we’re going over there right now. I have much to discuss with my dear mother.”
    …
    They rode over to his aunt’s townhome in silence. Roe had more he wanted to say to Caroline, but he needed to speak with his mother first. He’d expected it to be a woman dressed as a boy, but he’d never expected to see his own ward standing in his study. He’d been her legal guardian since she was fifteen, but it had been several years since he’d seen her last. She lived full-time with his mother at his country estate in Dorset, and in truth, he hadn’t been there in far too long. He’d simply allowed his mother to oversee anything that needed doing.
    Caroline had come to London when she’d turned eighteen, and his mother had introduced her to polite Society. At the time, Roe had not expected it to take her long to attract several suitors and marriage proposals. But she hadn’t even stayed the entire Season.
    The night before they’d come to London Caroline had offered herself to him—proposed marriage, if a woman could do such a thing. By then she’d grown into a beauty, tall, lithe, and every bit woman. She’d said she wanted only him, that she’d make him a good wife.
    He’d been so surprised, so entranced by her words and the heartfelt expression in her eyes, he’d been tempted, but not tempted to marry her. He’d been so close to saying yes simply so he could scandalize her in every way imaginable. Then the irony of it all had hit him. She spoke of tenderness, and he thought only of the carnal things he could do to her. The disparity of her innocence and his lust stopped the words in his throat.
    He’d told her he couldn’t, that it was because he was her guardian. And that was the truth. Her brother had entrusted him to care for Caroline, to see that she had the best in the world. Roe knew that he was not the best the world could offer, so he’d sent her away.
    The carriage jolted to a stop in front of his aunt’s townhome. He escorted Caroline into the blue parlor where he knew his aunt would be. It was her favorite room and when he had occasion to visit her, usually the third Sunday of the month, he always found her there. As he and Caroline stepped into the room, her hat removed, hair unbound, it was no doubt quite evident what had happened.
    “Oh dear,” Aggie said.
    His mother stood and glided over to him, always the picture of composure and grace.