How to Beguile a Duke (Entangled Scandalous) by Ally Broadfield Read Free Book Online

kicked at the gravel on the path and looked up to meet her eyes. “I have a confession to make.” He braced himself for her reaction. “I am in possession of the journal you seek.”
    Her mouth dropped open and she moved her lips, but no sound emerged. It put him in mind of a fish, albeit an attractive one.
    “You, you…horrid man.” She stomped away from him. “First you question my sanity, my intentions…and you’ve had the journal all along?”
    “Miss Malboeuf, you seem to be missing the salient point. I have the journal. Since you plan to stay in England indefinitely, I am willing to let you borrow it.”
    She put her hands on her hips. “Borrow it? It rightly belongs to my family.”
    “Be that as it may, it was in the house when I purchased it, and the contents of the house are legally mine. Who do you think the courts would side with? The daughter of a French pirate from the colonies, or a respectable duke with an impeccable pedigree?”
    “You speak of yourself like a prized horse.”
    His chest burned as if he had eaten spoiled meat. He opened his mouth to retort, but completely lost his train of thought at the ludicrousness of her accusation. He cleared his throat while he searched for words. “And you are doing your best to antagonize me, Miss Malboeuf. I am offering to let you take possession of the journal today, but I have a few stipulations.”
    She leaned forward. “Of course you do. I would expect nothing less from you.”
    Placing his hands on his hips, he mirrored her stance. “You’ve only just met me, so you cannot have any expectations with respect to my actions.”
    “You’d be surprised how much I am able to deduce about you based on our short acquaintance.”
    He crossed his arms. “If you continue in the same vein, I may rescind my offer.”
    “My apologies,” she said without a modicum of remorse. “Please continue with your list of demands.”
    He sighed. “You may take the journal as long as you promise to return it to me before you leave to return to the colonies.”
    “As you are a duke, I would have assumed you attended the best schools money and status can acquire. You do know that the colonies no longer exist, and that neither New Orleans nor the Bahamas were ever part of them, right?”
    He widened his stance. “Immaterial. Do you agree to my first requirement?”
    “Yes, sir.” She clicked her heels together in a most insulting manner.
    “Next, if you intend to follow up on the mystery of the missing diamond tiara, you will include me in all of your investigations.”
    She gasped. “You read my great-grandmother’s journal? How dare you?” She stamped her foot.
    He straightened his shoulders. “It isn’t a matter of daring. The journal belongs to me, plain and simple. I’ve read many of the books in my library.”
    “Well, if plain and simple is our goal, please finish reciting your stipulations.”
    “I believe there were only two. You must return the journal to me, and you will include me in any investigations. Oh, and share any clues you are able to glean from the journal.”
    “Is that all?”
    “I believe so, but I will certainly let you know if I think of anything else.”
    Her eyes met his in challenge. “Very well. Since I have little choice in the matter, I will agree to your demands. However, I have one of my own. If I find the tiara, I get to keep it.”
    He took a step toward her. “Absolutely not. You have no hope of finding it without the journal that belongs to me.”
    She took a step toward him. “Both the journal and the tiara belong to my family.”
    He leaned closer, so their noses nearly touched. The intensity in her eyes was breathtaking. “English law does not support your claims.”
    She clenched her jaw and slanted away from him. “I don’t give a fig about English law.”
    He pulled in a deep breath and held up his hand to silence her. This argument could go on forever. “I call truce. We will discuss ownership of the