Dangerous by Amanda Quick Read Free Book Online

father's green ones. He had no need of spectacles, although he had experimented briefly with a monocle last week. He had dropped the affectation when he discovered it was too difficult to keep the glass in place.
    Prudence worried sometimes that Trevor would not want to return to the quiet life of a country squire after having been introduced to the pleasures of Town.
    And, if she were honest with herself, Prudence thought, she had to admit that Trevor was not the only one who might be a bit bored in the country now. She had found life in London far more exciting and more intriguing than she had expected.
    It was not the endless round of balls and soirees that fascinated her, but the endless array of bookshops, museums, and the like. Here in Town she could research spectral phenomena far more thoroughly than she could at home. She also stood a much greater chance of encountering people who would need her special investigation skills.
    "Hello, Trevor," Prudence said.
    "Good afternoon." Hester picked up the pot. "Will you have tea?"
    "With pleasure." Trevor came forward eagerly. "Wait until I tell you my news."
    "We are all ears, dear," Hester murmured.
    "You are not going to believe this." Trevor preened as he accepted the cup and saucer. "But I, Trevor Merryweather, wrung an apology out of the devil himself, by God."
    Hester blinked. "Did you really?"
    "I certainly did." Trevor turned proudly to Prudence. "Angelstone won't bother you again, Prue. You may depend upon it. Made the bastard apologize for insulting you. Whole world knows it, too. He had one of his seconds convey his apologies to me right there in my club where all my friends could hear him."
    Prudence glared at Trevor as he sprawled in one of Hester's deli­cate satinwood chairs. "For the last time, Trevor, I was not insulted by Angelstone. He behaved himself quite properly. There was absolutely nothing about his manner on the dance floor that gave offense."
    "Man's got a reputation." Trevor helped himself to a small cake off the tea tray. "You wouldn't know about it, of course. Not the sort of thing a lady should know about. Point is, he certainly ain't the type you want hanging about. Everybody agrees he don't have anything respectable in mind when he starts paying attention to a female."
    "For goodness' sake," Prue said. "Name me one female Angel­stone is said to have ruined. Just one."
    Trevor scowled. "Good lord. Surely you don't expect me to discuss that sort of gossip with you."
    "Yes, I do. If I'm being warned off, I want to know precisely why. Who was his last innocent victim?"
    "If he ain't had a victim this Season it's only because respectable families are keeping their daughters out of his reach."
    "I want a name," Prue said evenly.
    Trevor glowered at her and then appealed to Hester for support. "I've a hunch you're more conversant with that sort of tale than I am. Give Prue a name. Perhaps it will convince her she's playing with fire when she accepts a dance with Angelstone."
    "A name?" Hester tapped her chin with her forefinger and studied the ceiling for a moment. "Well, his name was linked with that of Lady Charlesworthy at one time, I understand, but that was last Season and the lady is a rather notorious widow in her own right. I'm not sure she counts as an innocent victim, if you see what I mean. In any event, I'm told that affair ended some time ago."
    "What happened?" Prudence asked, deeply curious in spite of her­self.
    "The
on dit
is that Lady Charlesworthy made the mistake of trying to incite the Fallen Angel's jealousy," Hester said. "She gave her fa­vors to another. There are rumors that a duel was fought."
    Trevor frowned. "A duel?"
    Hester nodded. "Apparently Angelstone wounded his opponent, but did not kill him. They say the Fallen Angel left the dueling field and went straight to the lady's house. The story has it he went upstairs to her bedchamber and awakened her personally just to tell her that their affair was over."
    Prudence