Dangerous by Amanda Quick Read Free Book Online Page A

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 shivered. She could well imagine that Angelstone would have been made coldly furious by Lady Charlesworthy’s tactics. “You’re quite right, Hester, Lady Charlesworthy does not count as an innocent victim. It was very unkind of her to try to make Angelstone jealous.”
    “Unkind?” Hester gave Prudence an amused glance. “I expect the poor lady was desperate for some indications of warmth from Angelstone. They say he is made of ice.”
    “Nonsense. Back to the matter of a name. We’re looking for genuine, innocent victims here,” Prudence said. “Can you think of even one young woman who was ruined by Angelstone?”
    Hester raised a brow. “Actually, no. I can’t. Now that I think of it, from what I hear, Angelstone tends to pass over the fledglings in favor of the more worldly sort of female.”
    Trevor was irate. “The man’s got a reputation, I tell you. Everyone knows it.”
    “Not for ruining innocent young women, apparently,” Prudence said. “So you will in future kindly refrain from interfering in my social affairs, do you comprehend me, Trevor?”
    “Now, see here,” Trevor shot back, “I’m your brother. Got a responsibility toward you.”
    “I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
    “Don’t be so certain of that. Truth is, you don’t know that much about men, Prue. You ain’t a good judge of ’em. Keep in mind what happened three years ago.”
    Hester clapped loudly for attention. “Enough, my dears. If you wish to wrangle, you may do so someplace other than my drawing room. We have other business to attend to.”
    “What other business?” Prudence asked, more than willing to change the topic.
    Hester chuckled. “Why, the little matter of deciding which invitations we shall be accepting this week. Prudence, my dear, you are very much in demand. We shall have a busy time of it, I fear.” Hester reached for a silver tray littered with cards. “Now, then, let’s go through this little lot. Can you believe that all of these arrived just today? I don’t think we can possibly manage to squeeze in everything.”
    “You make the selections,” Prudence said. “I don’t really care which parties we attend. They all seem the same, somehow. The rooms are too crowded and too hot and there is so much noise it is