RendezvousWithYou by Cecily French Read Free Book Online Page A

“But your reputation is safe with me. It’s a good thing
you wore a wig, you know. If you had entered the room without it, your identity
would have been known immediately. No other woman in London has hair the color
of spun gold.”
    “And the masks certainly helped.” She yawned. “That nose of
yours would have given you away instantly.”
    “We’d be notorious if we were recognized,” he
predicted. “Doomed. Ruined. Reputations shattered beyond all repair. Good thing
we’re in this together, for at least for now, our mutual rendezvous will be
kept secret.”
    She snuggled closer against him. “Let us rest assured Allesandro
will ensure our identities well-guarded. His ability to keep all kinds of
secrets has guaranteed his success within the ton . I once heard he—”
    A bell rang outside their door, accompanied by the pealing
of a much larger one outside the house. Sitting up, they exchanged glances and
began counting the toiling of the larger bell, ringing down the hour. Ten.
Eleven. Twelve.
    “Midnight,” Bella pronounced.
    “Lord,” Ian exclaimed. “Do you suppose we’ve won?”
    A brisk tattoo of knuckles sounded on the other side of the
door. Ian pulled on his breeches and started across the room.
    “Wait!” she cried, scrambling under the covers. “Our masks!”
    “Good thinking, my girl.” Grabbing them from the table, he
brought hers to her and, holding his in place, went to open the door. A
liveried servant, holding a large candle aloft, stood in the hallway. Even the
near darkness covering him could not hide his broad grin.
    “Begging your pardon, sir, my lady,” he said. “As it is
midnight, I am sent by your host to ask you to join the rest of the guests in
the drawing room.”
    Keeping the mask flat against her face, she sat up and tried
to contain her shout of victory. “You mean we’re the last couple? We’ve won?”
    The servant’s grin became a smirk and he bowed. “So it
appears, my lady. Come and see.”
    He stepped away and Ian closed the door just as she threw
back the covers and jumped from the bed. “We’ve won!” she crowed. “We’ve won!”
    “Good thing he didn’t come until we were finished,” Ian
said, returning to the bed, gathering the rest of his clothing on the way. “We
would have given him an apoplexy if he’d come any sooner.”
    “And what a dreadful way to end the evening,” she agreed,
hastily pulling on her clothing. Taking some pins, a small comb and brush from
her reticule, she tided her hair before putting on her wig and returning the
ribbons to their masks.
    When Ian had finished dressing, she approached him, masks in
hand, and asked, “How do I look?”
    He chuckled. “Certainly not like a woman who spent her whole
evening fucking away like mad.”
    She gave him a dowager’s haughty stare. “You are very
coarse, sir!”
    He grinned. “And you loved every minute of it. But let’s not
waste time sparring. Let’s go gloat in our victory and the prize won.”
    She held out her mask. “Would you do the honors for me?”
    “Assuredly.” He carefully placed the mask on her face and
tied the ribbons. “Such a shame to hide such beauty,” he murmured. “But we
can’t have anyone knowing who you are. Will you put my mask on me?”
    Bella cocked her head. “But you’re so tall. I would need a
chair to do that and I wouldn’t want to hurt the furniture by standing on it.”
    He laughed. “We don’t need to risk a shilling of our
winnings by doing that. I’ll sit in that chair over there while you tie on my
mask.”
    Bella curtsied. “Truly you are a man of great cleverness.
Sit and it shall be so.”
    Once his mask was secured, Ian rose and offered her his arm.
“Then come, madam. Let’s to collect the title and the purse.”
    A burst of applause greeted them as they entered the
candlelit room. Her hand in his, Bella sank into a deep curtsy while he bowed
to the crowd.
    “Well done,” Allesandro praised. “Dare we ask how