Read Online The Dangerous Lord by Sabrina Jeffries - Free Book Online

would be difficult now. How could he make her believe him over the famous Lord X when she was already so shy of him?
    When he arrived at the Hastings town house an hour later he was no closer to determining what to say to Katherine, which irritated him. So when the butler showed him to the drawing room, he was already in a sour mood. As the servant announced him, Ian’s mood darkened even more at the sight that greeted him.
    Inside the elegantly appointed room, the generally haughty Lady Hastings perched on the edge of a lavender settee like a squirrel on a branch, her head erect and her gaze darting back and forth as if to scent the approach of danger. Sir Richard, who could barely walk, had nonetheless pushed to his feet on the Aubusson carpet and was using his cane to struggle toward the sideboard and its selection of brandies.
    Where was Katherine? Why wasn’t she part of this strange family tableau?
    â€œLord St. Clair!” Lady Hastings cried as soon as he entered. “Do come join us! I’ll ring for tea.” She lifted a little silver bell and rang it repeatedly, until the tinkling echoed in the drawing room like a strident opera chorus.
    â€œAgnes, that’s enough!” her husband commanded. “Put the damned bell down, for God’s sake! We’re not having tea at a time like this!”
    A frantic expression crossed her lined face as she patted the seat next to her with uncharacteristic energy. “Of course we are! Don’t listen to him, Lord St. Clair. Do come sit down beside me.”
    Something was amiss; any fool could tell that. “What’s happened?” Ian asked Sir Richard, ignoring the man’s wife.
    â€œ Nothing has happened,” Lady Hastings retorted. She shot her husband a murderous glance. “You mustn’t discuss this now, Richard.”
    â€œThere’s no point in pretending,” her husband replied as he reached the sideboard. “My man could find no trace of them. If not for these legs, I could’ve gone, but…” Hetrailed off, splashing a generous amount of brandy into a glass.
    â€œYou shouldn’t be drinking,” she said as she rose and went to his side.
    The couple were trying Ian’s patience. “Find no trace of whom?”
    â€œMy daughter,” Sir Richard said. His wife let out a little squeak, but he forestalled any further protests. “He has a right to know, Agnes.” He met Ian’s gaze squarely. “You proposed marriage to my daughter, but she gave you no answer. Is that correct?”
    An uneasiness settled into the pit of his stomach. “Yes.” Had she run off to avoid him ? Had she been that upset about that bloody article?
    Sir Richard held the brandy glass up to his mouth, but his wife removed it before he could drink any. He scowled at her, then at Ian. “I’m afraid, Lord St. Clair, that our daughter has run off—eloped—with another man.”
    Eloped? Timid Katherine who had putty for a spine? His temper rapidly rose to a boil.
    My God, not again. This had happened to him last year when Lord Nesfield’s daughter, Sophie, had run off with a barrister. What was wrong with these young girls, always flying off to marry men without their parents’ approval?
    He must have the worst luck in Christendom! Despite his efforts to choose reasonable, dull women, he only found the ones whose quiet natures masked raging passions. Passion had never been part of his offer, but then, he’d assumed that a sensible woman didn’t want that fickle emotion. Apparently, he’d been wrong. Bloody hell.
    â€œWho did she run off with?” Ian asked.
    Sir Richard snatched the glass of brandy from his wife, then downed it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Our steward, Mr. Gerard.”
    Their steward. Katherine had eloped with a man she must have known for some time. He suddenly had the uncomfortable feeling he’d been duped.