Read Online A Duke's Wicked Kiss (Entangled Select) by Kathleen Bittner Roth - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathleen Bittner Roth
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throughout.”
Suri stared at the jewels in her hands, spun the implications of what was being said in her head. “It sounds as if you intend to use me for something. But what?”
Vámbéry shrugged. “Nothing much. The only requirement is that you listen, especially in the women’s quarters where there will be much talk among the many wives and daughters.”
He reached for the knife and slid it Suri’s way. “This particular kind of knife comes in pairs. We would like to return this one to its rightful owner. Should you accept Ravi Maurya’s invitation, we would ask you to keep your eyes open for its twin.”
Suri’s world stood still. Had she actually heard this man right? He wanted her to attend the wedding to spy? Had he, a Hungarian posing as an Indian, a valid invitation? Her pounding heart climbed higher in her throat.
Marguerite plopped in her chair as though she’d just gained two stone. “Oh, dear. What, pray tell, is going on?”
Harry looked to Ravenswood, whose jaw twitched again. With a frown at Harry, he gave a small shake of his head. “I’ll not have her placed in harm’s way.”
“You… you will not have me placed in harm’s way?” Suri sputtered. “Who are you to tell me, or anyone in this room, what I shall or shall not do?”
“I’ll see to her safety,” Vámbéry said.
Ravenswood picked up the cartridge, rolled it around in his fingers. “I’ll not have it.”
Suddenly, a conviction, which ran deeper than Suri’s understanding, rolled through her. Her chin went up. She would not, under any circumstance, lose her chance to accomplish what she came here for. “I’ll do whatever you wish.”
Fury etched across the hard planes of Ravenswood’s face. He turned to Harry. “With your permission, Chatham, may I speak privately with your sister-in-law in the gardens?”
Harry’s intense gaze flickered from Suri to Ravenswood. He gave a slight nod. “Your Grace.”
Ravenswood took Suri by the arm, lifted her from the chair, and picked up the cat’s chain. “With all due respect, madam, I caution you not to resist me.”
C HAPTER F IVE
With a nod, John signaled the guard to open the door to the main gardens. Holding Shahira’s chain in one hand, and gripping Suri’s elbow with the other, they stepped out under the brilliant expanse of a cloudless sky.
At the sight of the cheetah invading their territory, peacocks screeched and took flight—a flurry of iridescent blue disappearing into a jungle of trees. Leaves shuddered as if struck by a wild wind. Rousted from their branches, a crimson cloud of parrots joined in the raucous declaration that a predator lurked nearby.
The cat crouched, ready to leap.
“Bloody hell,” John muttered. That was all he needed. He let go of Suri’s arm. “Wait here.”
“Who are you ordering about this time, me or your cat?”
He scowled, turned back into the house, and hooked Shahira’s leash through the handle of a chest-high urn. He pushed against its ponderous weight, deemed it sturdy enough. “Wait.”
The cat blinked, and then dropped gracefully to the floor. With a flash of her broad pink tongue, she went about the business of licking a paw.
“There’s a good girl.” He turned to the guard. “You may vacate your post for a bit. No one will get past the cheetah.”
The guard’s wide eyes flickered from John to the cat before he nodded and then disappeared, the rapid click of heels fading away.
Turning his thoughts back to Suri, John swiped a hand over his face. Blast it all, I don’t have to look out the door to see she’s run off by now. It probably took less than a minute for her to realize the Chathams’ central garden rivaled the likes of Hyde Park. He’d sooner find snow in Delhi than locate her. He might as well make his way to her room, pull up a chair and wait by the door. Well, whatever it took, he wasn’t about to let her walk into a hornet’s nest—or into the arms of Ravi Maurya.
An unsavory
Suri stared at the jewels in her hands, spun the implications of what was being said in her head. “It sounds as if you intend to use me for something. But what?”
Vámbéry shrugged. “Nothing much. The only requirement is that you listen, especially in the women’s quarters where there will be much talk among the many wives and daughters.”
He reached for the knife and slid it Suri’s way. “This particular kind of knife comes in pairs. We would like to return this one to its rightful owner. Should you accept Ravi Maurya’s invitation, we would ask you to keep your eyes open for its twin.”
Suri’s world stood still. Had she actually heard this man right? He wanted her to attend the wedding to spy? Had he, a Hungarian posing as an Indian, a valid invitation? Her pounding heart climbed higher in her throat.
Marguerite plopped in her chair as though she’d just gained two stone. “Oh, dear. What, pray tell, is going on?”
Harry looked to Ravenswood, whose jaw twitched again. With a frown at Harry, he gave a small shake of his head. “I’ll not have her placed in harm’s way.”
“You… you will not have me placed in harm’s way?” Suri sputtered. “Who are you to tell me, or anyone in this room, what I shall or shall not do?”
“I’ll see to her safety,” Vámbéry said.
Ravenswood picked up the cartridge, rolled it around in his fingers. “I’ll not have it.”
Suddenly, a conviction, which ran deeper than Suri’s understanding, rolled through her. Her chin went up. She would not, under any circumstance, lose her chance to accomplish what she came here for. “I’ll do whatever you wish.”
Fury etched across the hard planes of Ravenswood’s face. He turned to Harry. “With your permission, Chatham, may I speak privately with your sister-in-law in the gardens?”
Harry’s intense gaze flickered from Suri to Ravenswood. He gave a slight nod. “Your Grace.”
Ravenswood took Suri by the arm, lifted her from the chair, and picked up the cat’s chain. “With all due respect, madam, I caution you not to resist me.”
C HAPTER F IVE
With a nod, John signaled the guard to open the door to the main gardens. Holding Shahira’s chain in one hand, and gripping Suri’s elbow with the other, they stepped out under the brilliant expanse of a cloudless sky.
At the sight of the cheetah invading their territory, peacocks screeched and took flight—a flurry of iridescent blue disappearing into a jungle of trees. Leaves shuddered as if struck by a wild wind. Rousted from their branches, a crimson cloud of parrots joined in the raucous declaration that a predator lurked nearby.
The cat crouched, ready to leap.
“Bloody hell,” John muttered. That was all he needed. He let go of Suri’s arm. “Wait here.”
“Who are you ordering about this time, me or your cat?”
He scowled, turned back into the house, and hooked Shahira’s leash through the handle of a chest-high urn. He pushed against its ponderous weight, deemed it sturdy enough. “Wait.”
The cat blinked, and then dropped gracefully to the floor. With a flash of her broad pink tongue, she went about the business of licking a paw.
“There’s a good girl.” He turned to the guard. “You may vacate your post for a bit. No one will get past the cheetah.”
The guard’s wide eyes flickered from John to the cat before he nodded and then disappeared, the rapid click of heels fading away.
Turning his thoughts back to Suri, John swiped a hand over his face. Blast it all, I don’t have to look out the door to see she’s run off by now. It probably took less than a minute for her to realize the Chathams’ central garden rivaled the likes of Hyde Park. He’d sooner find snow in Delhi than locate her. He might as well make his way to her room, pull up a chair and wait by the door. Well, whatever it took, he wasn’t about to let her walk into a hornet’s nest—or into the arms of Ravi Maurya.
An unsavory
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