Read A Rake's Vow for Free Online

into some secret, he gently informed her: “We’re conquerors—not gentlemen.”
    Patience looked into his eyes, into his face, and felt a most peculiar shiver slither down her spine. She’d just finished her tea, but her mouth felt dry. She blinked, then blinked again, and decided to ignore his last comment. She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not, by any chance, attempting to make me feel grateful—so that I’ll imagine myself in your debt?”
    His brows quirked; his mesmerizing lips curved. His eyes, grey, intent, and oddly challenging, held hers. “It seemed the natural place to start to undermine your defenses.”
    Patience felt her nerves vibrate to the deep tenor of his voice, felt her senses quake as she registered his words. Her eyes, locked on his, widened; her lungs seized. In a mental scramble, she struggled to marshal her wits, to lay her tongue on some sharp retort with which to break his spell.
    His eyes searched hers; one brow lifted arrogantly, along with the ends of his long lips. “I didn’t cough because I was entirely distracted, which was entirely your fault.” He seemed very close, totally commanding her vision, her senses. Again his eyes scanned hers, again one brow quirked. “Incidentally,” he murmured, his voice velvety dark, “what were you searching for in the flower bed?”
    “ There you are!”
    Breathless, Patience turned—and beheld Minnie, descending like a galleon in full sail. The entire British fleet wouldn’t have been more welcome.
    “You’ll have to excuse an old woman, Patience dear, but I really must speak with Vane privately.” Minnie beamed impartially on them both, then laid her hand on Vane’s sleeve.
    He immediately covered it with his. “I’m yours to command.”
    Despite his words, Patience sensed his irritation, his annoyance that Minnie had spiked the gun he’d turned on her. There was an instant’s hiatus, then he smiled charmingly down at Minnie. “Your rooms?”
    “Please—so sorry to drag you away.”
    “Not at all—you’re the reason I’m here.”
    Minnie beamed at his flattery. Vane raised his head and met Patience’s eyes. His smile still in place, he inclined his head. “Miss Debbington.”
    Patience returned his nod and quelled another shiver. He might have surrendered gracefully, but she had the distinct impression he hadn’t given up.
    She watched him cross the room, Minnie on his arm, chattering animatedly; he walked with head bent, his attention fixed on Minnie. Patience frowned. From the instant she’d recognized his style, she’d equated Vane Cynster with her father, another smooth-tongued, suavely elegant gentleman. All she knew about the species she’d learned from him, her restless, handsome sire. And what she’d learned she’d learned well—there was no chance she’d succumb to a well-set pair of shoulders and a devilish smile.
    Her mother had loved her father—dearly, deeply, entirely too well. Unfortunately, men such as he were not the loving kind—not the kind wise women loved, for they did not value love, and would not accept it, nor return it. Worse, at least in Patience’s eyes, such men had no sense of family life, no love in their soul to tie them to their hearth, their children. From all she had seen from her earliest years, elegant gentlemen avoided deep feelings. Avoided commitment, avoided love.
    To them, marriage was a matter of estate, not a matter of the heart. Woe betide any woman who failed to understand that.
    All that being so, Vane Cynster was high on her list of gentlemen she would definitely not wish Gerrard to have as his mentor. The very last thing she would allow was for Gerrard to turn out like his father. That he had that propensity none could deny, but she would fight to the last gasp to prevent him going that road.
    Straightening her shoulders, Patience glanced around the room, noting the others, before the fireplace and about the chaise . With Vane and Minnie gone, the room