Knaves' Wager by Loretta Chase Read Free Book Online Page A

impossibility only heightened Lord Brandon's zest for the chase.
    By the following day, one of the marquess's most ingratiating servants had made the acquaintance of certain of Mrs. Davenant's staff. Within another few days, Lord Brandon began receiving regular reports regarding the widow's comings and goings.
    These reports must have been accurate, for Lord Brandon and Lord Robert Downs were to be found strolling within sight of Hookham's Circulating Library when Mrs. Davenant's carriage stopped at the door, and aunt and niece disembarked.
    "I believe I must step into Hookham's for a moment," said the marquess to his cousin.
    Puzzled, Lord Robert glanced towards the building in time to see the widow enter it.
    "Really, Julian, you aren't going to try again, are you?" he asked incredulously. "She doesn't want to know you, and I don't see why you want to know her ."
    The last words were spoken to air. Lord Brandon was already crossing the street. Curious, Lord Robert followed.
    Since Mrs. Davenant had not seen either of the two men, she continued in an equable frame of mind. She even forbore commenting upon her niece's unfeminine tastes when that young lady went hunting for equestrian books.
    Lilith took herself the other way, where the novels were. She picked up a copy of Mansfield. Park and began to skim it, to ascertain whether this new effort by the author of Pride and Prejudice would be as rewarding as its predecessors.
    The hour being early, the place was not crowded, and the aisle in which she stood was empty. Since she was not interrupted, she soon became engrossed in the novel.
    She was halfway through the first when she became disagreeably aware of being watched. She looked up.
    Not five feet from her, the long, elegantly clothed form of the Marquess of Brandon lounged against the bookshelves. He played idly with his walking stick while his green eyes regarded her with amusement. Her muscles tensed.
    Lilith turned to exit in the opposite direction. That way, she found, was now blocked by a set of steps. Upon it a hapless clerk stood, a stack of volumes in one hand. These he was with great deliberation returning one by one to their places. There were two more stacks of books on the steps.
    Lilith steeled herself, turned once more, and marched up to the marquess. He did not move out of her way. On the contrary, he had set his walking stick across the narrow aisle.
    She glanced at the walking stick, then up at him, her expression stony. He smiled. Her nerves prickled, but she had no intention of retreating. She took another step forward. He did not budge.
    "Would you be kind enough to let me pass?" she asked coldly.
    "It cannot be necessary. You have given me to understand I do not exist. In that case, you should not find it difficult to walk right through me."
    In one carelessly graceful movement, he came away from the bookshelf and planted himself directly in her path.
    Lilith was a tall woman, and he was not a heavy-set man, yet that lean, athletic form with its broad shoulders shut out everything else from her sight. She was acutely conscious of a faint scent of sandalwood.
    "I do hope you will make the experiment," he went on, his voice dropping. "Surely you cannot expect a collision — though I should not object if there were."
    "Your remarks are not amusing, sir. Let me pass."
    "I am too tired. I am but recently — and not fully, I'm afraid — recovered from an illness. You had better scream for help. I haven't the strength."
    "I see," she said. "You wish to create a scene."
    "And you do not." The green eyes glittered with mischief. "The question is, which of us has more to lose?"
    The goading words and his oppressive physical presence turned her hot and cold simultaneously. "I have no wish to bandy words with you," she said icily. "The aisle has two ends."
    "But it is bad luck to walk under ladders. I shall be obliged to warn you, very loudly, not to try it."
    "You just said you hadn't the strength to raise