The Stargazer

The Stargazer by Michele Jaffe Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: The Stargazer by Michele Jaffe Read Free Book Online
Authors: Michele Jaffe
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Mystery & Detective, FICTION/Romance/General
available to give medicine and advice to any woman regardless of her ability to pay me for it. Isabella was one of my patients.” It was all true, if not the whole truth. Why, then, did she continue to feel nervous as she waited to see if Ian had accepted it?
    Ian could picture Bianca traveling all over the city visiting women, her gondola filled with medical potions and whatnot. No wonder her aunt and uncle had been so willing to move her to his house, despite the rather unconventional and improbable betrothal. He imagined they had urchins and messengers pounding on their doors at all hours of the day and night begging for the she-doctor. He shuddered, wondering when they would start the assault on his palazzo.
    Bianca could stand his silent scrutiny no longer. “You see, my lord, I told you I was innocent. Now perhaps you will tell me what your researches have yielded.”
    “No.” Ian shook his head, not apologetically. He had no doubt that she had told him the truth about her introduction to Isabella and even possibly their relationship, but there was still something she was holding back, of that he was sure. Her explanation was much too banal to have elicited so many denials at their first encounter. She was protecting someone, herself or someone she cared about deeply. And he needed to know who.
    For a moment he toyed with telling her the steps he had taken to trap the murderer, circulating a call for information about Isabella’s disappearance and trying to uncover the origin of that hideous dagger with his crest on it. Perhaps knowing how close he was would scare the truth out of her. But she was crafty, Bianca Salva, and could twist anything in her favor. Scaring this fierce little creature was probably an impossibility. “No, that would not do at all. What kind of fool do you think me, signorina,” he asked finally, “that I would disclose my methods and findings to my only viable suspect? I may not be of your mental caliber,” his lips twitched in that dangerous way, “but nor am I a brainless toddler fresh from his mother’s teat.”
    Bianca was astonished. Her mouth opened and then closed twice before she was able to speak. “That is absurd. I told you what I was doing there. I’ve told you everything. I am innocent.”
    “Prove it.” Ian assessed her through narrowed eyes. “If you did not do it, tell me who did.”
    “Santa Barbara’s knuckles, you are the most pigheaded being alive. You still persist in branding me a liar and a criminal?” She drew close to him, pointing her finger into his chest to punctuate her words. “Do you think I am enjoying this sham betrothal?” She poked with her finger. “Suffering one humiliation after another,” poke, “my reputation gone, my integrity constantly in question?” Poke, poke. Ian grasped her finger to avoid being turned into a pincushion and drew her close to him.
    His proximity made Bianca feel woozy. She hated him now, she reminded herself, he was hateful. Hateful, she thought as she looked into his face. And not even handsome. Or maybe he was too handsome, yes, certainly that was his problem. Too handsome, in that exactly-just-the-right-amount-handsome way.
    “I will give you one week, signorina. Seven days from today to prove your innocence.” He consulted his beautiful pocket watch. “That gives you until midday next Thursday. One hundred and sixty-eight hours. You do know how to tell time, don’t you?”
    Hateful, she remembered. Hateful indeed. She pulled away from him and moved toward the door of the room. When she reached it, she turned to face him again.
    “Very well, my lord—since you are clearly not up to it, I will find the murderer for you. But rest assured that you will pay and pay dearly, every day of our married life together.” She tried to make her voice sound mean and menacing, to give her words a threatening undertone. “And through every long hour and every long week of every long year, you will have only yourself

Similar Books

The Fall

James Preller

Silence 4.5

Janelle Stalder

Tamed by You

Kate Perry

Unbound

Sara Humphreys

Finite

Viola Grace

Rules of Engagement

Christina Dodd