Read Online The Love Affair of an English Lord by Jillian Hunter - Free Book Online

standing here so calmly in conversation with a . . . corpse? Only her etiquette-obsessed sister would find a graceful escape in this situation. Chloe’s own impetuous tendencies were liable to make the whole thing worse.
    â€œThe killer,” she said, looking up at his shadowed face, “is that who you meant when you said someone chased you here?”
    â€œAh, so you are as curious as your brother. I shouldn’t be surprised.”
    She twisted her hands behind her back. Heaven knew she didn’t want to set him off again, but . . . “You aren’t going to stay here?”
    â€œI’ll stay only as long as is absolutely necessary. A day or two at most.”
    â€œAnd you aren’t going to . . .”
    He hesitated, as if realizing in amused horror exactly what she feared. “Take advantage of you? Tie your frail thrashing limbs to the bedposts and seduce you in secret while the rest of your household snores the night away?” He paused in apparent contemplation of the delicious absurdity of such a situation. “Hmm. It wasn’t part of my original plan, but one learns to adapt. Do you think we ought to give it a try?”
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    Chloe was virtually rendered speechless by the scenario he described. “You wouldn’t dare,” she sputtered.
    â€œNot unless you have an affinity for dead aristocrats.” He shook his head ruefully. “It never fails to amuse me how lascivious I have become in the afterlife.”
    â€œYou weren’t exactly a saint in your living days, were you?”
    He lifted his broad shoulders in a shrug. “Neither a saint nor a sinner. I suppose I was—am—only human.”
    â€œWhy don’t you leave?” she asked quietly.
    â€œBecause I am not certain that my pursuer has lost my trail.” Which was true. Finley, his astute gamekeeper, had chased Dominic practically to the creaking gates of Dewhurst Manor. The irony of it was that his loyal manservant believed he was pursuing his master’s murderer, and Dominic was not yet free to enlighten him or enlist his help.
    â€œYour personal dilemma is hardly my problem.”
    â€œI’m afraid it is,” he said with a dark smile. “Besides, I will not be much of an inconvenience during my visit. I shall set up temporary headquarters in your closet. You will hardly even know I am here.”
    â€œI doubt that with all my heart. Are you serious? Do you expect me to sleep in the room with you? Headquarters—I won’t have it. I shall fetch my uncle. Shoot me in the back if you like.”
    He rose from the stool and stepped in front of her in one fluid movement. His body blocked her from taking another step. “Then I shall have to fetch the authorities.”
    She stared up at him, more confident now. “To explain that you broke into my room, rifled through my undergarments, and accosted me?”
    He stared down at her face, her chiseled cheekbones and strong features. He wondered if it was those dark blue eyes of hers that had gotten her into so much trouble, smoldering with a passionate intensity few men could resist. There was danger in her challenging innocence. Why her? Why couldn’t he have broken into the room of one of the dull Chistlebury misses who scurried like frightened little mice whenever he looked at them?
    He decided to call her bluff. “I think the authorities would be less interested in the hysterical ravings of a young woman who claims to have been visited by a ghost than by information about our local highwayman.”
    Chloe’s temples began to throb. He couldn’t possibly know what her cabbage-head brother had done. His investigation could not have been that detailed. “What highwayman?” she asked in a neutral voice. “I’m sure I have no idea what you are talking about this time.”
    â€œWell done.” He leaned his hip back against the dresser. “I am almost tempted to