Playing with Fire by Sandra Heath Read Free Book Online Page B

beautiful face was caught clearly in the moonlight, even to the incredible cornflower blue of her eyes. As she saw his Arab robes her lips parted to scream, but Martin darted forward and clamped his hand over her mouth.
    “Quiet! Unless you wish to become a prisoner of the French!”
    Frozen with fear, Amanda stared up at him, but then the Englishness of his voice dawned upon her and she relaxed visibly. Slowly he took his hand from her mouth, but he continued to gaze down into her lovely face, as if spellbound. His lips were parted just a little, and Tansy did not need to be able to see his eyes to know they were filled with admiration, for it was a variation on a scene she had witnessed many times in the last two years. Her cousin had made another effortless conquest. Lieutenant Ballard had succumbed, as did most of his sex, because even now, with her hair in a mess and her figure concealed beneath a voluminous black robe, Amanda Richardson was memorably attractive.
    Martin realized he was staring and straightened hastily, but he still looked down at Amanda. “May I know your name? Er, names?” he added quickly, glancing at Tansy and Hermione.
    Amanda decided to treat him to her most beguiling smile. “I am Miss Amanda Richardson, and this is my cousin, Miss Tansy Richardson. This other lady is our chaperone, Mrs. Entwhistle.” She made her voice soft and slightly breathless, as if affected by him as much as he was by her. She wasn’t, of course. She was far too self-centered for that.
    Martin inclined his head to them all, but his attention remained on Amanda. Tansy locked her hurt away, as she had done before when failing to compare with her dazzling cousin, but this time the hurt was greater…because the attraction she herself felt toward First Lieutenant Martin Ballard was greater too.
    Tansy was not alone in finding Martin attractive, for the tabby cat made its liking plain as well. With a friendly “Prrr?” it went to him and rubbed all around his robes, making little sounds until he bent to stroke it. He was so easy and natural with the little creature that Tansy’s fate was sealed. He was indeed the most perfect of men!
    Tusun scrambled quietly down the slope outside and entered the room. “God’s greetings,” he said, and swept a dashing bow to the three women.
    Hermione smiled at him. “You brought us help as you promised, Tusun, and for that we will always be in your debt.”
    “Do not thank me yet, lady. Do so when you are all safe aboard the Lucina.”
    Amanda glanced past him, expecting to see more men. “How many of you are there?”
    “Just the two of us,” Martin answered.
    Amanda was aghast. “But that’s not enough! The French are everywhere, and—”
    Tusun interrupted. “Better too few of us than none at all,” he said quietly.
    It was an unmistakable rebuke, not the first the Mameluke had delivered to her, and Amanda responded with hauteur. “You clearly have no idea who I am. The Earl of Sanderby is to be my husband, and if anything should befall me he will be most displeased!”
    Tansy felt uncomfortable. “Please, Amanda, these gentlemen are putting their own lives in danger to help us, so at the very least you should be civil.”
    Amanda’s lovely eyes swung coldly toward her. “Oh, do be quiet, Church Mouse, for what would you know about gentlemen, or indeed about civility?”
    Martin intervened hastily. “It is not important. After all, the circumstances are extenuating.” For a moment he looked into Tansy’s expressive gray gaze, but almost immediately his attention returned to Amanda.
    Tansy felt his lack of interest in her very keenly. Yes, the circumstances were extenuating for Amanda, as they were for everyone, but what he did not realize was that Amanda was as disagreeable as this all the time, no matter what the circumstances. The future Countess of Sanderby was haughty, attitudinizing, and vindictive; yet men were always prepared to make excuses for her! In