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Authors: Sabrina Jeffries
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her up when I put a blade to her throat.” He threw down his silver fork. “I’ve got it! Did you see how she backed down when I lost my temper this morning? She’s confident when rebuffing a gentleman, but I’m not a gentleman, am I? I’m you —a highwayman’s son and an erstwhile smuggler. Doing her father’s bidding is one thing; keeping company with a dangerous fellow like me is quite another, even for an Amazon.”
Daniel went still. “You’re not going to tell her all that, do you hear? Unless by some chance the old bastard outlives you all, I’ll have to deal with these women after you inherit, y’know. While you’ll be in London running Knighton Trading, I’ll be packing them off to some cottage. No sense in making it more difficult by teaching them to fear me. They’ll hate me enough as it is without thinking I’m a bloody criminal.”
Daniel’s sudden reticence about his past took Griff by surprise. Although the man had never announced it to the world, he hadn’t bothered to hide it either. Indeed, he sometimes dredged it up if it would help him gain the advantage in his business dealings. Playing a wealthy gentleman was obviously affecting his vanity. “They won’t think you’re a criminal. Besides, once it’s over and they know of the masquerade, they won’t believe anything I said while it was going on.”
“All the same, I don’t think you should tell.”
“And I don’t think you should reprimand me before God and everybody, but that’s part of the masquerade, isn’t it? Even if you did get carried away.” Griff drained the rest of his tepid tea, wishing for something stronger. “After that performance, I ought to demand my money back—you’re having too much fun to be paid.”
A reluctant smile crossed Daniel’s lips. “And itmight be worth losing the money. You should have seen your face when I told you not to be impudent—”
“Wait until this is done,” Griff grumbled. “I’ll show you impudence, you dog.”
“Of course you will.” Daniel laughed. “If there’s anything left of you after the harridan is finished.”
“I’ll get the better of her, you’ll see.” Now that I have a plan . He shoved back from the table and stood. “I might as well go to it. She doesn’t look as if she intends to leave my side anytime soon.”
“For that I really am sorry.” Daniel rose from his chair, sobering. “I have the best of this; the other two ladies are prettier and more quiet, more the sort of woman you prefer.”
“Yes.” Although a man could conceivably change his preference, couldn’t he?
He dismissed that possibility with great violence. This ridiculous attraction came only from having seen the woman in her wrapper. A few hours with her would surely sour any fascination nurtured by last night’s lust. Perhaps it was just as well she was foisting herself on him today. If he began thinking of her in those terms, he’d find himself regretting his plans for Swan Park and her father.
“Wish me luck meeting your cousin, the earl,” Daniel murmured.
Griff thought grimly of the old sot scheming in his bedchamber down the hall. “I’m glad it’s you meeting him and not I.” Despite years of restraining his anger at the earl, he found it hard to do so now. Swan Park had roused old resentments. He wondered if he could manage even bare civility if forced to talk to the bastard.
Daniel shot him a sidelong glance as they neared the door. “What if the earl asks about the marriage arrangement?”
“Put him off. Say you’re still making up your mind.”
“I only hope I can convince him that I’m you.”
“Don’t worry—talk to him as you talked to me at breakfast and you’ll be perfectly believable.”
Daniel gave a low laugh. “I’ll remember that. And don’t go rousing Lady Rosalind against Daniel Brennan or I’ll make you pay me even more for this scheme, see if I don’t.”
Griff didn’t answer. He’d keep Daniel’s secrets if
Daniel went still. “You’re not going to tell her all that, do you hear? Unless by some chance the old bastard outlives you all, I’ll have to deal with these women after you inherit, y’know. While you’ll be in London running Knighton Trading, I’ll be packing them off to some cottage. No sense in making it more difficult by teaching them to fear me. They’ll hate me enough as it is without thinking I’m a bloody criminal.”
Daniel’s sudden reticence about his past took Griff by surprise. Although the man had never announced it to the world, he hadn’t bothered to hide it either. Indeed, he sometimes dredged it up if it would help him gain the advantage in his business dealings. Playing a wealthy gentleman was obviously affecting his vanity. “They won’t think you’re a criminal. Besides, once it’s over and they know of the masquerade, they won’t believe anything I said while it was going on.”
“All the same, I don’t think you should tell.”
“And I don’t think you should reprimand me before God and everybody, but that’s part of the masquerade, isn’t it? Even if you did get carried away.” Griff drained the rest of his tepid tea, wishing for something stronger. “After that performance, I ought to demand my money back—you’re having too much fun to be paid.”
A reluctant smile crossed Daniel’s lips. “And itmight be worth losing the money. You should have seen your face when I told you not to be impudent—”
“Wait until this is done,” Griff grumbled. “I’ll show you impudence, you dog.”
“Of course you will.” Daniel laughed. “If there’s anything left of you after the harridan is finished.”
“I’ll get the better of her, you’ll see.” Now that I have a plan . He shoved back from the table and stood. “I might as well go to it. She doesn’t look as if she intends to leave my side anytime soon.”
“For that I really am sorry.” Daniel rose from his chair, sobering. “I have the best of this; the other two ladies are prettier and more quiet, more the sort of woman you prefer.”
“Yes.” Although a man could conceivably change his preference, couldn’t he?
He dismissed that possibility with great violence. This ridiculous attraction came only from having seen the woman in her wrapper. A few hours with her would surely sour any fascination nurtured by last night’s lust. Perhaps it was just as well she was foisting herself on him today. If he began thinking of her in those terms, he’d find himself regretting his plans for Swan Park and her father.
“Wish me luck meeting your cousin, the earl,” Daniel murmured.
Griff thought grimly of the old sot scheming in his bedchamber down the hall. “I’m glad it’s you meeting him and not I.” Despite years of restraining his anger at the earl, he found it hard to do so now. Swan Park had roused old resentments. He wondered if he could manage even bare civility if forced to talk to the bastard.
Daniel shot him a sidelong glance as they neared the door. “What if the earl asks about the marriage arrangement?”
“Put him off. Say you’re still making up your mind.”
“I only hope I can convince him that I’m you.”
“Don’t worry—talk to him as you talked to me at breakfast and you’ll be perfectly believable.”
Daniel gave a low laugh. “I’ll remember that. And don’t go rousing Lady Rosalind against Daniel Brennan or I’ll make you pay me even more for this scheme, see if I don’t.”
Griff didn’t answer. He’d keep Daniel’s secrets if
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