Her Only Desire by Gaelen Foley Read Free Book Online Page A

nice long chat—get to know each other better, won’t that be nice?” Certain portions of his body throbbed with agreement, but she forged on. “And finally, after a good night’s sleep, we’ll set out bright and early for Janpur.”
    Ian’s eyes flared, and then he clenched his jaw. “Janpur,” he echoed in a strangled tone, barely knowing where to begin.
    He turned away and began to pace.
    If Miss Knight had known him better, she would have recognized this as a cause for worry.
    â€œJanpur,” he said again, taking his now simmering vexation firmly in hand.
    She nodded. “Yes, I hear it’s very beautiful this time of year.”
    â€œMiss Knight, your brothers were not at leave to reveal to you our destination. Which part of ‘confidential mission’ don’t they understand? Good God!”
    â€œNo, no, no, my dear Lord Griffith, you misunderstand!” she soothed, hastily coming toward him in a swirl of silk. “Do not trouble yourself, I pray you! It wasn’t my brothers who told me you’re going to Janpur. The security of your task has not been compromised, I swear.”
    â€œAh, that is a relief. Did it run in the newspapers, then?” he inquired sharply.
    â€œNow, now, there’s no need to grow testy, my lord. Of course it wasn’t in the papers. I found out through a private letter from my friend Meena, who happens to be married to the Maharajah of Janpur.”
    He eyed her in distrust. “Really.”
    â€œYes, really. We played together from the time we were children, along with Lakshmi, the girl from the fire.”
    Ian clamped his jaw shut and scanned her face, trying to detect a lie, but she appeared to be speaking the truth.
    â€œMeena—rather, Princess Meena now—is not just
married
to King Johar, but happens to be the royal favorite at the moment. She is the youngest and the fairest of all the maharajah’s thirty wives. Everyone says he dotes on her and calls her his pearl. Isn’t that sweet?”
    Ian gave the chit a warning glower. “Go on.”
    â€œWhen Meena wrote to me that my brothers would be coming to Janpur leading the military escort for a British diplomatic party soon to pay a call on her husband, I knew it had to be you she was referring to, since you had just written us that letter, telling us you were on your way. Honestly, it was a simple matter of putting two and two together. Don’t worry, I’m the only one who knows where you’re going, and I’m not going to tell anyone. I haven’t and I won’t. You can trust me,” she added a bit too earnestly.
    â€œHmm.” The single syllable rolled out of him like a low growl.
    â€œDon’t you believe me?”
    He flicked a wary glance over her, but did not answer, and then she scowled a bit.
    â€œMeena has been wanting me to visit her at her new home ever since she got married. I’m afraid she’s rather unhappy there, as well she should be, with twenty-nine other wives in the palace jealous of her. I’m sure they make her life unpleasant.”
    He snorted, rather pitying the maharajah. Thirty wives? The man must be insane.
    â€œMeena knew my brothers’ presence at Janpur would be a lure I couldn’t resist. Poor thing, she’s lonely up there, so far from home.” She paused, looking troubled by her musings on her friend. Of course, Ian had already seen the lengths to which she was willing to go to save someone she cared about. Then Georgiana shrugged. “Meena thought it would be fun for me to surprise my brothers up at Janpur. If you don’t believe me, I can get the letter—”
    â€œThat won’t be necessary.” He paused and scratched his eyebrow once more, collecting his thoughts. “Miss Knight, I cannot adequately stress to you the importance of discretion in this matter. You must understand that many, many thousands of lives are at