Read Online His Reluctant Lady by Ruth Ann Nordin - Free Book Online Page B

you ask me.”
    “ If they enjoy such
conversations, then they might be well matched.”
    “ If that’s the case, then
yes. I, however, prefer something a little more stimulating. When I
talk to someone, I want to stay awake, not fall asleep.”
    It was on the tip of her tongue to
suggest that he might want to follow his guardian’s example if he
expected a reputable lady to take an interest in him. He didn’t
have a title or a significant amount of money to his name to get
away with some of the topics he enjoyed talking about. But at the
moment, she needed him to engage in some of his scandalous talk.
“You’re well acquainted with Lord Edon, aren’t you?” she asked,
deciding to offer a flirtatious smile his way.
    “ Yes. We’re good
friends.”
    Excellent. She scooted her horse closer
to him so she could lower her voice. No sense in anyone overhearing
her. “Does he tell you what happens at White’s?”
    “ I see no reason why he
should. I belong there myself.”
    “ You do?”
    His eyebrows rose. “Does that impress
you?”
    “ Well, I wasn’t aware they
let just anyone into the club.”
    “ They don’t.”
    She suspected he got in because of his
relationship to Lord Clement and his friendship with Ethan but
decided not to point it out. “So you wish to have an interesting
conversation? Why don’t you tell me something interesting that’s
happening at White’s?”
    “ A gentleman’s club isn’t
suited for a lady, even to discuss what happens there.”
    She resisted the urge to grimace. She’d
get nowhere if she tried to force information out of him. Forcing
her expression to remain pleasant, she offered a shrug and moved
the horse away from him. “All right,” she replied, making sure he
detected the disappointment in her voice. “I suppose you’d rather
engage in idle chatter just like your guardian and my
sister.”
    “ Now wait a minute.” He
urged his horse closer to her. “I didn’t mean we should talk about
the weather and horses. I thought we could talk about
you.”
    “ I already know everything
there is to know about me.” She shrugged but then allowed her eyes
to light up. “I don’t know about you.”
    “ I didn’t think you were
interested.”
    “ Prove I should
be.”
    “ Pardon?”
    “ Up to now you’ve been
adamant in pursuing me,” she said. “No matter what I’ve done to
push you away, you keep chasing me. So I’m going to give you a
chance. Prove that you’re interesting enough for me to consider for
courtship.”
    He chuckled. “I don’t want to court
you. I want to marry you. But you’ve made it no secret that you
have no such inclination to marry me.”
    “ And yet you’re so certain I
will marry you.”
    “ Because I excite you and
you like to get excited. Beneath your hard exterior, you’re a lady
of passion who’s dying to be freed. Society’s restraints haven’t
done you any favors. You’re a lady stuck in a gentleman’s world,
limited to the rules of the Ton. It must frustrate you to no end to
see gentlemen getting away with things you wish you could
do.”
    She gripped the reins.
    His gaze lowered to her hands. “I see I
struck a nerve.”
    She swallowed and forced her hands to
relax.
    “ If you marry me, I’ll allow
you freedoms other gentlemen wouldn’t. I want to see that fire in
you burn bright.” When she didn’t respond, he said, “All right.
I’ll concede to your challenge. You want to know something that
only the gentlemen in White’s know? I’ll share a confidence with
you. Lord Davenport has made a bet with Lord Pennella. The wager?
The hand of Miss Giles. Whoever marries her first owes the loser
his estate.”
    Her jaw dropped and she made eye
contact with him. “An entire estate for a marriage?”
    “ Now I don’t seem like such
a bad gentleman, do I? I’d never make a wager on you.”
    She couldn’t believe it.
Poor Miss Giles. Agatha would hate it if someone made such a bet on
her. Posting this in the