Read Online Alyssa Everett by A TrystWith Trouble - Free Book Online Page A

weight? That was really uncalled for. “I see. So it might have happened with anyone.”
    “Exactly!” Hastily, he added, “Well, not absolutely anyone. Not, you know, a man or anything. I’ve been with some truly beautiful girls, believe me. Lots of them. I just don’t feel that way about you.”
    I was glad he couldn’t see my humiliated flush in the darkness. Why was I always imagining men were interested in me when they weren’t? And he had to brag about his conquests to boot. Conceited clod.
    I pulled the shreds of my pride together. “I’m not remotely attracted to you, either. In fact, I can’t imagine how on earth you wound up with any girls, let alone beautiful ones.”
    There was a pause. “That’s odd, because it’s perfectly plain to me why you never had a chance to feel a man’s private anatomy before.”
    “One feel was quite enough, I assure you. I believe I’ll stay on this side of the cupboard, in case you should be seized by any more of your disgusting urges.”
    “Oh, for God’s sake.” A moment later the whole cupboard shook as Ben threw his shoulder against the locked doors.
    “What are you doing?” I cried in alarm.
    “I don’t care if I have to buy your father a whole room full of new cupboards, I’m not staying in here one more second with you.” He threw his shoulder against the door again and, with a resounding crack, the wood splintered off its hinges and a rush of air announced we were free.
    He stepped through the opening, and I scrambled out after him. “Why didn’t you do that as soon as you realized we were locked in?” I asked, secretly impressed.
    Sparks flashed as he struck steel against flint, and the glow from a tinderbox illuminated his face. “I didn’t think of it until you drove me to desperation.”
    “Well, I wish you’d turned desperate before I felt your...before you...oh, you know what I mean.” Against my will, curiosity got the better of me, and my gaze dropped to the front of his breeches. I was almost disappointed to find nothing out of the ordinary now.
    I looked up just in time, for he passed me the lit candle. “I suggest you head up to bed,” he said crossly. “You’re going to have a full day tomorrow, searching your sister’s room to see if you can learn anything about her blackmailers.”
    “And what do you intend to do, pass the time with your imaginary harem of beautiful women?”
    He looked as if he wanted to throttle me. “I’ll be going to the coroner, explaining who’s really responsible for Sam’s death. John may feel obliged to keep your sister’s secret, but I’m under no such constraint.”
    “Surely you don’t intend to tell the coroner my sister is being blackmailed! You’ll have to testify as much at the inquest, and then all of London will speculate on the reason why. She’ll be publicly disgraced.”
    “I suppose you’d rather see my cousin hang?”
    Whatever my grievances with Helen, she was my sister, and her flabbergasted tone when John suggested she ask me for money still stung. No wonder we never shared any secrets, if she believed I thought so little of her. I owed her my support.
    “All Cliburne has to do is stick to his claim it was self-defense,” I argued, “and the coroner’s jury may well rule the death an accident. If they don’t, then surely John and Helen will come forward before the case goes to trial. Must you be in such a hurry to see my sister ruined?”
    “I don’t see why I should care one way or the other about your sister when it’s clear enough she’s been lying to Teddy for some time now.”
    “And may I remind you that your cousin Mr. Mainsforth is every bit as complicit in those lies? Cliburne is his half-brother, and blood is supposed to be thicker than water.”
    “Which explains why you insist on protecting your sister at Teddy’s expense.”
    My hands balled into fists, but with an effort I reined in my temper. I could see I had only one hope of changing Ben’s