Page 54 of One Night with a Prince

“No need,” he said with a shrug. “But it’s not any great secret.”

“Oh? Do the Drakers or the Iversleys know?”

He stiffened. “No.”

“It’s no great secret, yet your closest friends are unaware of it. Why is that?” Her eyes widened. “Oh no, you won it gambling, didn’t you?”

“I did not—” He gritted his teeth. “I bought the bloody place fair and square. And if my friends learn of it, they’ll be trotting out to see it and dropping in to visit. Here, I’m always at people’s beck and call, so I like to have a place to go where I can gain some peace once in a while. All right, Lady Inquisitive?”

“All right.” His explanation made sense, yet she sensed there was more to it.

“Now, are we done with all the questions? And if so, shall we adjourn to your house to practice more whist in case Stokely does invite you to his party?”

“Oh, I forgot! Lord Stokely’s invitation arrived at my house this afternoon.”

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlHis eyes narrowed. “Already?”

“Yes.” She retrieved it from her reticule, then handed it to him. Frowning, he scanned the invitation. “Something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

He tapped the card on his desk, his expression calculating. “This was too easy. Stokely hears about you playing whist at Eleanor’s, and suddenly he’s eager to invite you to his naughty card party? He knows something. He’s probably guessed what you’re up to.”

Alarm coursed through her. “Then why did he invite me?”

Byrne’s brow was furrowed. “Stokely likes to play games of all kinds, not just cards. He wants to toy with you, with us, dangling your property in front of you for his own amusement. Unless—”

“Unless what?”

“Have you ever met the man?”

“If I have, I don’t remember. Why?”

“Because it would be just like him to invite you so he could seduce you.”

She snorted. “You must be joking.”

“Hardly.” He used the invitation to trace a line along the exposed upper swells of her breasts. “You’re a beautiful woman. Plenty of men would want you, especially dressed as you are now.” He cast her a rueful smile. “My frequent attempts to bed you should be evidence of that.”

It was time for frankness. Otherwise, he would keep trying to use seduction to find out her secrets.

“You’re only interested in bedding me because of my father’s property, and you know it.”

Surprise flickered in his eyes before he masked it. “You mean, because of the barony that helping you retrieve it can bring me.”

With a sinking in the pit of her stomach, she noticed that he didn’t deny the reason for his trying to bed her. “I mean, because ofeverything you assume it can bring you. Admit it: You’re hoping that my property will contain something you can use for your own purposes. Otherwise, why go to Ilsley and ask questions?”

He frowned. “I see you went snooping in more than just my desk.”

“You aren’t the only one who can be devious.”

“I wasn’t being devious. I can’t help you if I don’t know what I’m looking for and why it’s so important.”

She glared at him. “Don’t pretend that this is about your helping me, because we both know it’s not.”

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlShe started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm, jerking her up close to him. “What’s in the letters, Christabel?”

“L-Letters?” she stammered, her gaze swinging to his in a panic. “What do you mean, letters?”