Read Online A Lord Rotheby's Holiday Bundle by Catherine Gayle - Free Book Online Page A

could have
been a nod of agreement, but wasn’t anything, really, and Jonas
left him. When had patience ever been a virtue he possessed? Never.
Wasn’t likely to become one at the moment, either.
    He crossed his arms over his chest and
glared. Dancing was the last thing on his agenda. Christ, he didn’t
even know any reputable ladies. Not in Town, at least. No, he would
stand where he was and wait for Jonas to locate the minx’s bloody
chaperone, and then somehow get an introduction. And then…then
what?
    Then his life as he knew it would end.
A chill washed over him.
    A gentleman he had met at the first
ball of the Season and then promptly forgotten walked over in his
inflexible attire and opened his mouth to speak.
    Quin’s icy glare had just the effect
he desired. The dandy snapped his jaw closed, turned on his heels,
and scurried in the other direction.
    Jonas had better hurry. The longer
Quin had to sit and wait, the more uncomfortable he grew. And when
he was uncomfortable, Jonas knew as well as anyone that Quin was
capable of doing downright anything, including any number of things
that he shouldn’t.
    He continued to watch Miss Hyatt.
Perhaps stare would be a more accurate term. Or devour.
    Her eyes fairly shone in the
candlelight. She leaned in and whispered something into the
smaller, fairer young lady’s ear, and then they tittered and faced
his direction. Two other ladies sidled up alongside them and
divulged what he could only imagine to be some delicious piece of
gossip before moving on.
    Miss Hyatt and her companion looked
boldly across at him. Quin inclined his head to them. He
thought—nay, he was certain—Miss Hyatt bobbed a tiny curtsy back in
his direction.
    Very promising, indeed.
    Could that gossip have been warning
them to stay away from the blackguard across the way? This might be
easier even than he’d anticipated.
    A group of men he’d never seen before
moved in his general direction. One of them, a tall and lanky fop
with prettier eyes than most women, bowed to him. Quin gave no
response at all. He had no intention of being distracted from Miss
Hyatt. Finally, they took the hint and left.
    A squat man with hair in desperate
need of being tamed moved in front of Miss Hyatt and her friend. He
bowed low to them and spoke for a few moments. Probably some suitor
asking for a dance. Possibly even one he’d read about in Miss
Hyatt’s scandalous journal.
    The orchestra started to play a reel,
and couples moved to the dance floor, taking up their positions.
The bushy-haired gentleman led Miss Hyatt out, and another cad went
over to collect her companion.
    Regardless of the short man’s
identity, he couldn’t pose much of a threat. Aurora Hyatt would
never give him a second thought, based on the reactions she wrote
to the men of her acquaintance. Besides, she was in love with Quin.
He was more certain of that fact than ever.
    Granted, he’d only known of her
existence for a few hours. But that was beside the
point.
    Since Jonas still had not returned,
Quin made for the card room, at least for the remainder of the set.
Perhaps he could find a decanter of brandy. Surely Eversley kept
some spirits about. He was in luck. A well stocked sidebar sat just
behind the Vingt-et-un table. He poured a glass, motioned to the dealer to deal him
in, and played away the next hour or more.
    Until Jonas found him. “What, pray
tell, are you doing in here and not in the ballroom
dancing?”
    Quin took another sip of his brandy
before answering. “Enjoying myself. You’d do well to do the same.
If anyone is in need of a drink to loosen up, it would be you. Care
to join me?” He moved to get up and pour Jonas a drink.
    Jonas appear somewhat less than
amused. He turned to the dealer. “Deal him out.”
    When everything had been settled at
the table, Jonas took hold of Quin’s arm and rather forcibly pulled
him from the room. When they were out in the hall and away from
eavesdropping ears, Jonas faced him and