Read Online Her Only Desire by Gaelen Foley - Free Book Online

conversation with them, but not Miss Knight.
    Hardly. Instead, the girl had dared to play a round of verbal chess with him. He nearly laughed aloud to think of it. Not even Metternich liked arguing against him. And all the while, she had been doing her best to try to twist him around her finger with her very considerable charm.
    Well, he mused, savoring the memory of her saucy allure, charm only went so far.
    Her family might take an indulgent stance toward her, but he knew the folly of that, and was not about to let a bona-fide troublemaker impinge upon his mission.
She thinks she’s going to Janpur? Well, princess, you had better think again.
    Her little social call on her royal friend would have to wait until the larger crisis had passed. This was no time for a ladies’ holiday. He wished she had not made it necessary, but if he had to take stronger steps to rein her in, then so be it. No one else appeared inclined to do it.
    Arriving at the Akbar Grand Hotel, Ian got out and headed up the wide front steps of the elegant establishment. Striding toward the entrance with its pair of large stone lions, he stole a glance over his shoulder to see if there was any sign of the watcher he had sensed back at the bazaar. A quick scan of the sunny avenue brought his attention to a group of robed men loitering on the corner several yards away, a motley assortment of what appeared to be locals milling about idly. None wore Western garb, but that meant nothing. The French or Dutch could have hired an Indian to spy on him, or a European agent easily could have donned a disguise.
    Movement.
    A flash of furtive motion at the back of the group caught Ian’s eye. A fleeting glimpse was all he got before the swarthy, black-robed man disappeared around the corner.
So, there you are.
    His lips thinned as he considered going after the spy, but then again it could be useful to let the fellow believe he had not yet been spotted. At least now Ian had an idea of whom to watch for.
    Turning away before anyone else noticed his stare—he had paused for no more than a few seconds—he continued smoothly toward the entrance, jogging up the few front steps.
    He breezed into the hotel lobby with Ravi, the coolies, and his luggage in tow. When Ian walked in, they were already expecting him, and all was in order.
    Now, this was more like it.
    A fresh-faced adjutant who appeared all of eighteen greeted him with a brisk salute. “Sir!”
    The smartly uniformed junior officer announced himself as Lieutenant Daniel DeWitt, assigned by the governor himself to make sure Ian had all he needed.
    Then the hotel’s concierge showed Ian up to his apartments with the pup DeWitt following at his heels. “We heard your boat got in a while ago, my lord—”
    â€œI was delayed,” he said vaguely. “News from Hastings?”
    â€œYes, sir—”
    Ian tipped the concierge while Ravi shepherded the coolies into the adjoining bedchamber, where they deposited Ian’s several portmanteaux.
    â€œLord Hastings has left the city,” the boy told him once the door was closed. “He is already on the march against the Marathas. He’s amassing an army at Cawnpore even now,” he added, clearly envious of the troops who’d been chosen to go. “He bade me give you this.” DeWitt presented him with a leather-bound folio containing more details on the Janpur situation.
    Ian thumbed through it. “What of the men I asked for?”
    â€œYes, sir. The Knight brothers were already in the north when they were sent their orders. They will be riding down to meet you at Varanasi, on the road to Janpur.”
    The little hellion had been right about that. Irksome thought.
    â€œFor now,” the lad continued, “Major MacDonald will be in charge of finalizing all aspects of your transport and supplies.”
    â€œMacDonald, eh? Highlander?”
    â€œOh, yes, sir, quite.” DeWitt grinned, and