Quick, Amanda by Wait Until Midnight Read Free Book Online Page B

library and sat
    down behind his desk. "As I said, I'm rather busy."
    "You did not happen to dress carelessly this morning." Julia sailed into the library behind him and
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    crossed the oriental carpet to stand in front of the desk. "I do believe that you have just returned after
    having been out all night."
    "Julia, there are some things that a gentleman does not discuss, not even with his sister?'
    "Hah! I knew it. You were gone all night." Curiosity sparked in her eyes. "Is it serious this time or merely
    an-other one of your boring little affairs?"
    "I had not realized that you considered my personal life boring. Not that your opinion matters, given that
    it is my personal life, not your own."
    She frowned in surprise at his tone. "I meant no offense."
    Guilt sank its claws into him. He had not meant to snap at her like that. "I know. I apologize for my short
    temper.Wilson is right. I need some sleep."
    "Isuppose I find your affairs dull for the most part be-cause you seem to find them dull," she said,
    thoughtful now.
    "Forgive me, Julia, but I believe I have lost the thread of the conversation. Nor do I wish to rediscover
    it."
    She nodded,asthough confirming a private opinion. "That is it, of course. I should have reasoned it out
    sooner. I have always found your liaisons singularly uninspiring primarily because you never appear to be
    particularly inspired by them."
    "I do not look to that sort of thing as a source of inspiration."
    "Obviously. You treat your romantic associations with ladies the same way you do your business affairs.
    They are always well-planned and deftly handled according to your rules. You never exhibit any degree
    of strong sentiment or emotion. When a connection ends you seem almost relieved, as though some
    routine task had been completed, allowing you to move on to another project"
    "I cannot fathom what you are talking about."
    "I am talking about the fact that you never allow your-self to fall in love, Adam." She paused for
    emphasis. "Uncle Wilson and I believe that it is past time that you did."
    He set his teeth. "Julia, I will give you fair warning. I have just endured one lecture fromWilson on the
    subject of finding a wife. I am not in the mood for another."
    She ignored that, whisked her skirts aside and sat down in me of the leather chairs. "So, you have
    established a new liaison. Who is she, Adam? I cannot wait to learn her name."
    It occurred to him that the simplest way to deflect Julia's attention while he continued his search for the
    diary was to encourage her in the belief that he was involved in a new love affair. If she thought that to be
    true, she would be less likely to question any unusual or secretive behavior on f t s part during the next
    few days.
    He shuffled the papers while he mentally assembled his plan.
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    "You cannot expect me to divulge her name," he said. "I am aware that you have a rule against that sort
    of thing, but it does not apply in this case."
    "The rules apply in all cases."
    "Rubbish. You have always taken your own rules far too seriously. Now then, were you with Lillian Tait
    last night, by any chance? I knew that she had her eye on you. Did you finally succumb to her wiles?"
    "What makes you think that I would waste an entire night and a good portion of the morning on Lillian
    Tait?" He stacked the papers he had just finished shuffling. "I can barely tolerate the lady's conversation
    for the length of a dance."
    "I can imagine a number of reasons why you might find her quite entertaining in other circumstances.
    Mrs. Tait is a very attractive, very rich widow, and she makes no secret of the fact that she has no plans
    to marry again. She quite enjoys her freedom. All in all, she would appear to meet most of your basic
    requirements in a paramour."
    "Do you think so?" He kept his tone