Read Online Tempting Miss Allender (Regency Rakes 3) by Wendy Vella - Free Book Online

swallowed a gasp as a man excused himself from a group of people to her left and made his way toward her.
    “It has been over long.”
    Brantley Winston was the eldest son of her father’s brother. He had a handsome face, curls the color of wheat that were usually rumpled, and gentle grey eyes. He spoke in a pleasant, well-modulated voice, and always appeared to be a man who cared about others. However, Patience and her siblings knew this was not true. In fact, behind that boyish façade was a cold, calculating man with a soul of pure evil.
    “Come and meet my friends, Patience. They would be charmed by you.” His fingers curled around her arm, making her shudder.
    “I think not.”
    “Come now, Patience. We are cousins and I had hoped friends.” His smile was sweet, and his voice was pitched loud enough for his friends to hear. They were now watching for her reaction.
    Patience leaned forward and whispered softly into his ear. “You tried to kill my brother, Brantley. It would be in the best interests of your health to stay away from me. Release me at once.”
    “Oh, now, Cousin, I explained that Charlie had fallen into the water. Paralyzed with fear, I did not jump in to save him.” His gentle smile almost had her lips twitching, such was the sweetness of it. She saw the women in his group look at him longingly as the men smiled. Brantley Winston, Patience had long ago concluded, should be on the stage, as his acting abilities were second to none.
    “Release me at once, Brantley, or I shall scream.” Patience spoke so only he could hear, and the only sign of his anger was the clenching of his fingers as they bit into the soft flesh of her wrist before he released her.
    “I shall call on you soon, dear cousin. Please give Charlie and Lucy my love.”
    Hearing him mention her siblings made Patience shudder. Dear God, he was here in London. They would need to be diligent now, because he wanted her brother’s title and had nearly succeeded twice in his attempts to kill Charlie. Feeling unsettled, she skirted around the balcony that Brantley was standing on with his friends and made her way up another set of steps which would take her back into the ballroom.
    “My dear Miss Allender, how fortuitous that I have you alone at last.”
    “Excuse me, Mr. Dundrill. My sister is waiting for me,” Patience said as he stepped in front of her. She couldn’t afford to be too rude to people, no matter how much she wished to, as Lucy’s reputation was at stake also, but she would not spend time in the company of people she thought were idiots.
    “There is no haste, my dear. Surely you can spare me a few minutes.”
    He moved his body toward hers; one hand went to her shoulder and the other to her waist. It was only a matter of time before someone saw them, and she would not allow that to happen. God forbid she was ever found in a compromising position with this man. She would sail on the first ship to anywhere if that were the case, uncaring of where it landed.
    “Release me, please, Mr. Dundrill.”
    “There really is no need to be coy with me.” He lifted a hand to touch her cheek, so she turned her head and bit him. His yelp was accompanied by his fingers releasing her, so she stepped around him, and made her way back to the ballroom.
    “Patience, is something wrong?”
    What fates had determined that in one evening she was to run continually into the three men she was trying to keep her distance from?
    “No. Now please excuse me, Lord Belmont. I am trying to find Lucy.”
    “Outside?” He moved in front of her, his gaze running over her face.
    “As I was coming in from outside, that is correct, my lord.”
    “You really should have been named Impatience.”
    “I believe in speaking my mind.”
    “And I seem to be without a partner for this dance, so you will do,” he said, taking her hand in his.
    “I have no wish to dance with you. I need to speak to my sister.” She needed to tell Lucy that their cousin