To Catch A Thief (Saved By Desire 2) by Rebecca King Read Free Book Online Page B

murmured gently.
    “Here, here,” Algernon said loudly, and lifted his goblet in a silent toast.
    When Sophia looked at Jeb, he too lifted his goblet in a silent toast but didn’t take his eyes off her as he took a sip.
    He watched her swallow as she took a sip of her own wine but didn’t notice her place her goblet back onto the table. His gaze was avidly fixated on a tiny droplet of wine that clung to her bottom lip tantalisingly before her tongue popped out to brush it away.
    Jeb almost groaned aloud and had to turn his gaze away when his body began to react with startling speed.
    Sophia blushed prettily. It was a little unnerving being the subject of his observations, but she couldn’t find a way to raise issue with him without embarrassing herself. Besides, if she was honest with herself she was quite thrilled being the focus of his attention. He was, by far, the most interesting man she had met in a very long time.
    I should be shot for the thoughts I am having, Jeb mused wryly as he tried, and failed, to turn his attention back to his food. He glanced down at his plate only to find the footman had removed it and was busy in the process of serving the fish course. He hadn’t even been aware that anyone had approached him.
    So much for being an alert and watchful field operative, Jeb mused wryly and took another sip of his wine while the footman served his meal.
    Sophia was beginning to find it incredibly difficult to concentrate on anything. Busily trying to think of a way to get some air, she jumped in alarm when Squire Trelawney suddenly boomed a rambling discourse about the quality of the pheasant shooting across the table, and asked Jeb what his opinion was on the latest news in London.
    With Jeb’s attention diverted for now, Sophia was, for the first time that evening, able to relax a little. Somewhere deep in the pit of her belly, slow and steady warmth had begun to build. It brought a shiver to her spine, and a tremor to her hand that she had never encountered before. She was at a loss to understand it.
    What was it about him that captivated her so? She had seen handsome men before, many of them in fact. Although Jeb was handsome, he was no more attractive than anyone else she had ever met. So what was it about him exactly? Was it that mischievous glint in his eyes that twinkled across the table at her when he smiled, almost daring her to smile back?
    Whatever it was about him that had caught her attention, she was ensnared. Captivated even, but had no idea what to do about it. 
    Before she could find an excuse to leave the table for a few moments, her attention was captured by the rather tedious Mrs Arbuthnot, who proceeded to chastise her for not making an appearance in church last Sunday. It was on the tip of Sophia’s tongue to remind the woman that she didn’t live in the village, but in deference to upsetting the host, murmured her apologies. Inwardly she mentally sighed, especially when her enjoyment of the evening dimmed a little when Jeb suddenly whispered something to his father and left the table.
    Jeb made his way into the hallway only to find the trinket boxes still where he had left them.
    So far so good, he mused as he searched the rest of the now almost bare house.
    If he were a thief, he would take the stolen items just as he was about to leave. It would be a foolhardy thing to do to steal something and keep it with you while you were in the house. That meant he had to bide his time until everyone left, and almost take up sentry duty near to the table so he could keep an eye on the lure.
    Rather than return to the dining room, he ignored out the low hum of conversation and took a moment to ease his troubled thoughts.
    There was something decidedly odd about the entire group of people seated at that table, if only he could work out what it was. He knew from past experience that each individual’s discomfort when meeting anyone else’s gaze indicated that they each had something to