Read Online The Saint Who Stole My Heart: A Regency Rogues Novel by Stefanie Sloane - Free Book Online

Barnes replied, a heavy sigh stealing the remainder of her words. “Really, my lord. Could we not both pretend otherwise?”
    God, he’d embarrassed her. He’d awoken annoyed with the woman and now? Well, now he had to make things right. Blast, but living with women in the house was burdensome.
    Dash closed the distance to the alcove. He reached out and brushed the brocade curtain three times.
    “What on earth are you doing?” Miss Barnes asked quizzically, the curtain still firmly in place.
    “May I come in?”
    Dash heard an “oh” of understanding, then the swish of skirts before the curtain was slowly pulled back.
    And there she was. Miss Barnes sat with her back propped against the wall of the alcove, her legs tucked beneath her and a book lying open on her lap.
    “Good morning, Miss Barnes.” Dash eyed her before taking a seat at the opposite end of the cushioned bench. “You’re up quite early.”
    Miss Barnes gave him a nervous smile. “I’m from the country, Lord Carrington. We are accustomed to such things.”
    She smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. “And you? I was led to believe native Londoners never rose to meet the morning sun.”
    “True enough,” Dash replied, his earlier vexationwith Miss Barnes dissipating. “Though you should know I’ve spent a fair amount of time in the country myself.”
    Miss Barnes leaned forward and closed her book, propping it against the window. “Is that so? What part?”
    “Sussex. As a child I spent every summer there with my father,” Dash replied, finding himself inexplicably angling forward as well. “It was idyllic, Miss Barnes. Bright, sunny days that seemed to go on forever. Starry midnight jaunts about the grounds. My friends and I, well, I suppose we were nothing more than young wild animals,” he finished, an odd sense of embarrassment settling in his chest.
    “It sounds utterly perfect,” she replied, understanding in her voice. “And very much like my childhood in Dorset, though I know you’ll find it hard to believe.”
    “But you’re a woman,” Dash countered without thinking. The realization that it was exceedingly easy to appear witless in front of Miss Barnes was not lost on him.
    Her shoulders relaxed and an effortless smile lit her face, all nervousness gone. “Yes, my lord. But my mother died in childbirth. And after my fourth nanny resigned over a frog’s mysterious appearance in her soup, my father left me to my own devices.”
    Dash slapped his knee in approval. “Miss Barnes, you are a
surprise
!”
    She tensed and suddenly scooted back until she leaned once more against the wall, folding both arms across her bodice. “I don’t know about that, my lord. But tell me, when were you last in Sussex?”
    Dash stared at her, nonplussed at the abrupt return to wary reserve and desperate to discern what he’d done wrong. “Not for fifteen years.”
    “Why would you take so long to return?” she continued,her face revealing no hint as to what he’d done to offend her. Her voice was cool; her expression held only polite interest.
    “A family tragedy, Miss Barnes. A dear friend’s mother was killed,” Dash began, still distracted by the loss of her earlier friendly warmth and unaware of what he revealed. “Too many memories in Sussex.”
    Miss Barnes’s stiff politeness evaporated. She unfolded her arms and reached out as though she thought to take his hands, and her eyes filled with concern. “I am sorry, my lord. I should not have pried.”
    Dash leaned in farther, desperately wanting to take her hands in his, but reason forcing him not to.
    God, what was he doing?
This wasn’t like him. Not at all.
    He abruptly stood, pushing the brocade panels wider to fully reveal the world once more.
    The sound of the brass curtain rings sliding against the rod startled Miss Barnes and she straightened.
    “No need to apologize, Miss Barnes,” Dash reassured her, his words clipped. “What is in