A Risk Worth Taking by Laura Landon Read Free Book Online Page A

alone. The two brothers stared at each other for a moment. “I didn’t expect you to be up so early,” Adam said.
    “Just as I didn’t expect to find myself in your home when I woke.”
    “Where did you expect to find yourself, Griff? Or do you even care anymore?”
    Griff ignored the sarcasm in the accusations and refilled his glass with scotch. After another swallow, he lowered his aching body to a chair beside the fireplace and sat there while Fenwick placed a tray of hot, steaming coffee on the table nearby. Griff clutched the glass of scotch in his hand and leaned back into the chair to wait until Fenwick was gone. “I have decided to go back to the country,” he said when they were alone.
    “Why?”
    Griff laughed. “You sound disappointed. I thought you would be glad to hear I was leaving London.”
    “Well, I’m not. Your problems will follow you no matter where you go. All you will accomplish by hiding in the country is that a greater number of people will be spared seeing what a drunkard you have become.”
    Griff felt his temper flare. “I’m hardly a drunkard, Adam.”
    “Aren’t you? Just how normal do you think it is to have finished your second glass of scotch before nine in the morning?”
    Griff slashed his hand through the air. “When I choose to have a drink is hardly your concern.”
    “Then whose is it?”
    “Mine! Only mine!”
    Griff closed his eyes and took another swallow of liquor to help ease the pain. “I simply wanted you to know I was leaving London.”
    “Why the concern now? You haven’t thought to inform me of your whereabouts for the last three months. I’ve searched for you but only discover where you’ve been after reading the scandal sheet each morning to learn about the latest brawl in which you were involved.” Adam walked to the tray and filled a cup with coffee. “I wouldn’t know of your whereabouts now if I hadn’t paid every doorman in every club in London to send for me the moment you showed up at their establishment.”
    It seemed Adam was bellowing. His voice boomed louder than Griff’s head could tolerate. Griff lowered his head to his hands, but Adam didn’t stop his ranting.
    “You haven’t cared about anyone but yourself for months. Why in bloody hell are you so concerned that I’m informed of your whereabouts now?”
    Griff sat back in the chair and took another swallow. “Because I need a favor before I can leave.”
    “You need a favor? Don’t tell me you’ve left debts all over London and need me to cover them?”
    “No. Money isn’t the problem. It never has been. You know I could never spend what I inherited from Mother’s family, or what you pay me for managing Covington Estate, even if I devoted two lifetimes and more to reckless waste.”
    “Then what is it?”
    “I need you to sponsor Freddie’s sister into Society.”
    Adam’s jaw dropped. “You’re not serious.”
    “I’m afraid I am.”
    “Why?”
    “Because she has no place else to go. Because she’s destitute and has already had to pawn their mother’s jewelry to put food on their table. Because that was the last demand Freddie made of me before he died. To take care of his sister.”
    Adam stared at him, his fixed gaze and unyielding stance exemplifying the fortitude of the respected Earl of Covington.
    “It was Freddie’s last wish, Adam. I owe him. He would have done it if he’d lived, but he’s dead. And I’m alive.”
    “Is that what this is all about? Your drinking and whoring and gambling until you lose all sense of what you’re doing? You feel guilty because you’re alive and Freddie is dead? Because you didn’t die instead of him?”
    “Stop it!” Griff bellowed his demand louder than he’d intended. He clutched the side of his head to stop the pain. “I owe Freddie. I owe him my life.”
    Griff downed the last of his drink. “Do you honestly think Freddie was shot by some would-be robber as everyone believes? He was not. The assassin’s