Read Online The Wolf's Pursuit by Rachel van Dyken - Free Book Online
Authors: Rachel van Dyken
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so—"
"Charming? Dashing?" Hunter filled in,
suddenly enjoying himself now that the pain in his heart had begun
to slightly fade.
"I was going to say irritating," Montmouth
ground out as he reached for a glass of champagne. "Just be careful
not to seduce any women who are married and you will do just
fine."
"Why, Monmouth! Are you of all people giving
me sane advice? Is it because you care for my welfare? Must admit,
my tastes haven't ever swung in that direction, you silly man, but
I thank you for your concern."
"I do not care a whit for you."
"Surprising." Hunter gulped the rest of his
wine and placed the empty glass on a passing tray, then grabbed
another. "And here I thought we were to be going shooting and
riding tomorrow, all the while laughing into the sunset. I'm so
disappointed."
"Clearly." Montmouth grunted. "Just be
careful. This is the duchess's first ball of the Season and she is
nervous."
"Then perhaps her husband should go about
easing her nerves." Hunter grinned wolfishly, and when Montmouth
made no move in her direction, Hunter added, "Or perhaps her tastes
are running more on the wild side tonight, hmm?"
Montmouth's arm shot out to stop Hunter. "One
week."
"Pardon?" Hunter shrugged out of the duke's
hold.
Montmouth slapped him forcefully on the back.
"One week before you fight your first duel."
"Are we taking bets then?" Dominique walked
up and grinned.
"Absolutely." Montmouth shook Dominique's
hand while Hunter rolled his eyes and ignored their bidding. "Shall
we put it in the books at White's?"
Hunter snorted and gave them both bored
looks. "May as well line your pockets at my expense, though it
saddens me to tell you nobody will challenge me to a duel."
Dominique cursed. "He's right."
"Why the devil not?" Montmouth seemed
terribly disappointed that Hunter would go on living another
day.
"Because they would lose." Hunter shrugged,
his eyes still trained on the staircase where Gwen was to be
descending. Where the blazes was she?
"How can you be so certain?" Montmouth really
wasn't letting this go. Perhaps when this was all over with Hunter
could fake his own death so the duke could sleep peacefully at
night.
"Is that your way of asking for a
demonstration?" Hunter's voice was light but his glare was
penetrating.
Montmouth took a step back, his eyes never
leaving Hunter's. "There is something wrong with you."
At that, Hunter threw his head back and
laughed bitterly. "Believe me, I know."
The hair on the back of his neck stood at
attention. She was here, but where the blazes was she? He ran a
shaky hand through his hair and exhaled. The smell of rose water
filled the air. His breath caught, as he clenched his fists and
felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Surprise," a sultry voice said behind him.
For a minute he felt his mask, his façade fade away as he
entertained the thought of being with her, and only her at the
ball.
If things were different. If she truly were
looking for a husband, would she dare look in his direction?
"Lady Gwendolyn." Hunter turned around with
every intention of giving her a curt bow and asking for a
dance.
Good intentions died the minute he set eyes
on her person.
"I thought I told you to change?"
"Yes, well, as you so lovingly pointed out,
I'm hard of hearing. Besides, I still listened."
"Yes, if listening means going behind my back
and doing something just as scandalous."
"It's a cape."
"It's red."
"My, my, my, what very big eyes you have to
notice such a bright color, Wolf."
Hunter gripped her elbow and pulled her
toward the dance floor, shouting to Montmouth, "Permission to waltz
with the fair lady?"
"Absolutely not!" Montmouth ground out.
Dominique elbowed him. Montmouth cursed and
finally gave a nod.
"Lovely." Hunter placed his hands on
Gwendolyn's body, nearly swearing as he did so. "I have half a mind
to punish you."
Gwen glared. "And I have half a mind to slap
you across the face."
"Pray tell, what is stopping you?" Hunter
crooned into her
"Charming? Dashing?" Hunter filled in,
suddenly enjoying himself now that the pain in his heart had begun
to slightly fade.
"I was going to say irritating," Montmouth
ground out as he reached for a glass of champagne. "Just be careful
not to seduce any women who are married and you will do just
fine."
"Why, Monmouth! Are you of all people giving
me sane advice? Is it because you care for my welfare? Must admit,
my tastes haven't ever swung in that direction, you silly man, but
I thank you for your concern."
"I do not care a whit for you."
"Surprising." Hunter gulped the rest of his
wine and placed the empty glass on a passing tray, then grabbed
another. "And here I thought we were to be going shooting and
riding tomorrow, all the while laughing into the sunset. I'm so
disappointed."
"Clearly." Montmouth grunted. "Just be
careful. This is the duchess's first ball of the Season and she is
nervous."
"Then perhaps her husband should go about
easing her nerves." Hunter grinned wolfishly, and when Montmouth
made no move in her direction, Hunter added, "Or perhaps her tastes
are running more on the wild side tonight, hmm?"
Montmouth's arm shot out to stop Hunter. "One
week."
"Pardon?" Hunter shrugged out of the duke's
hold.
Montmouth slapped him forcefully on the back.
"One week before you fight your first duel."
"Are we taking bets then?" Dominique walked
up and grinned.
"Absolutely." Montmouth shook Dominique's
hand while Hunter rolled his eyes and ignored their bidding. "Shall
we put it in the books at White's?"
Hunter snorted and gave them both bored
looks. "May as well line your pockets at my expense, though it
saddens me to tell you nobody will challenge me to a duel."
Dominique cursed. "He's right."
"Why the devil not?" Montmouth seemed
terribly disappointed that Hunter would go on living another
day.
"Because they would lose." Hunter shrugged,
his eyes still trained on the staircase where Gwen was to be
descending. Where the blazes was she?
"How can you be so certain?" Montmouth really
wasn't letting this go. Perhaps when this was all over with Hunter
could fake his own death so the duke could sleep peacefully at
night.
"Is that your way of asking for a
demonstration?" Hunter's voice was light but his glare was
penetrating.
Montmouth took a step back, his eyes never
leaving Hunter's. "There is something wrong with you."
At that, Hunter threw his head back and
laughed bitterly. "Believe me, I know."
The hair on the back of his neck stood at
attention. She was here, but where the blazes was she? He ran a
shaky hand through his hair and exhaled. The smell of rose water
filled the air. His breath caught, as he clenched his fists and
felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Surprise," a sultry voice said behind him.
For a minute he felt his mask, his façade fade away as he
entertained the thought of being with her, and only her at the
ball.
If things were different. If she truly were
looking for a husband, would she dare look in his direction?
"Lady Gwendolyn." Hunter turned around with
every intention of giving her a curt bow and asking for a
dance.
Good intentions died the minute he set eyes
on her person.
"I thought I told you to change?"
"Yes, well, as you so lovingly pointed out,
I'm hard of hearing. Besides, I still listened."
"Yes, if listening means going behind my back
and doing something just as scandalous."
"It's a cape."
"It's red."
"My, my, my, what very big eyes you have to
notice such a bright color, Wolf."
Hunter gripped her elbow and pulled her
toward the dance floor, shouting to Montmouth, "Permission to waltz
with the fair lady?"
"Absolutely not!" Montmouth ground out.
Dominique elbowed him. Montmouth cursed and
finally gave a nod.
"Lovely." Hunter placed his hands on
Gwendolyn's body, nearly swearing as he did so. "I have half a mind
to punish you."
Gwen glared. "And I have half a mind to slap
you across the face."
"Pray tell, what is stopping you?" Hunter
crooned into her
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