An Artful Seduction by Tina Gabrielle Read Free Book Online Page A

known where he had gone. Eventually, she ceased looking and focused on making a new life for herself and her sisters.
    But now Mr. Cain had given her a name of a man she’d never heard of—one of her father’s dealers who had fenced his forged paintings.
    Would Dorian Reed know where her father was?
    If so, she had to find out the truth.
    Eliza wove through the shop in a daze. Chloe was assisting a customer behind the counter. She looked up with a questioning look as Eliza passed. Eliza merely shook her head and gestured that she would speak with her later.
    Eliza climbed the stairs that led up to their small living quarters while pondering the dilemma.
    If she found Father after all these years, what would she tell him?
    That she missed him. That she had struggled after he had left, but had managed to survive. That she longed for the old days when their mother was alive and their future was bright.
    Or that she despised him for abandoning them.
    By the time Eliza reached the top of the landing, she felt empty and drained. Amelia was in the front room.
    “Eliza! You’ve returned. What occurred at Mr. Cain’s warehouse?”
    “Mr. Cain provided us with a name.”
    Amelia looked at her in surprise. “Who?”
    Eliza hesitated. How much to tell? Should she confess what she’d learned?
    Looking into her sister’s blue gaze, Eliza knew she couldn’t lie to Amelia. Never Amelia. They’d been through too much together to start keeping secrets from one another.
    “Mr. Cain mentioned an art dealer named Dorian Reed who may have something to do with the stolen Rembrandt.” Eliza bit her bottom lip before continuing. “It’s possible Mr. Reed may know Father’s whereabouts.”
    Amelia frowned. “I’ve never heard of a Mr. Dorian Reed before.”
    Eliza walked farther into the room and set her reticule down on an end table. “Neither have I. But we couldn’t have known all of Father’s contacts. Mr. Reed may know the truth.”
    “Don’t think of it until then,” Amelia said, trailing behind.
    “Don’t you want to know the truth?”
    Amelia looked at her gravely. “You mean find out where Father ran off to? Or if he’s even alive?”
    “Yes.”
    To Eliza’s surprise, Amelia shook her head. “At one time I would have given anything to see him again. But he made his choice. Because of you, we are better off without him.”
    “Me? Not a day goes by that I don’t fear the worst. That the shop will fail, our savings will be depleted, that we’ll be sent to the poorhouse.”
    “You’d never let that happen,” Amelia said with conviction.
    Eliza sighed. “Oh, Amelia. I wish I had your confidence.”
    “You want to find Father badly, don’t you?”
    “I have to know. Is he alive? Sick? Alone?”
    “Chloe still cries for him at night. She was so young and innocent when he left. The poor girl doesn’t remember Mother,” Amelia said.
    Eliza shut her eyes in despair. “Sweet Chloe. All she thinks about is men. I fear she’s trying to replace Father.”
    “We must not tell her about Mr. Reed and the possibility of finding Father. There’s no sense in giving her false hope.”
    “I agree.”
    “You look exhausted. Come sit and I’ll make some tea.”
    Eliza followed Amelia to a small table and sat. She watched as Amelia filled the kettle with water from a pitcher and set it to boil.
    Reaching for her shawl, Eliza draped it around her shoulders. Their living quarters were chilly. The winter seemed endless and they were running out of coal. Most of the precious coal they had was used to heat the shop downstairs, rather than their living quarters upstairs.
    She rubbed her throbbing temples. The day had been exhausting, first battling Lord Huntingdon and then Mr. Cain. And there was Huntingdon’s outburst with Mr. Cain to consider. The earl had been furious with Cain.
    Why?
    He’d gotten the information he wanted. She admitted she was grateful that he’d hauled Cain off of her. She despised the short man