Read Charming a Spy for Free Online

with their own staunch lives and have nothing better to do except invent tall tales to keep themselves entertained. It was probably killing Geoff listening in silence to their lies about him and not calling them out. Kat rolled her eyes at him, hoping to impart what she could not with her voice.
    Surprisingly, his eyes did not hold a look of annoyance. Instead, the turquoise orbs stared back at her with an almost apologetic look. He did not move so much as an eyelash.
    “Maybe he’s here on a top secret mission.”
    “Always the conspiracy theorist. Unfortunately, I think his mission is much more banal. My wife tells me he is in town to bag himself a good English bride.”
    “What would he want with a wife? I’m sure the man has no shortage of doxies knocking on his tent door in the evenings.”
    “I haven’t the foggiest. Poor chap doesn’t know what he’s in for. Perhaps we should let him in on the secrets of marital bliss?” The men laughed loudly.
    Somebody coughed and Kat flinched.
    “Maybe he has some other reason to get hitched. By the judge of this house, he has no need to marry for money.” Geoff’s fingers were starting to dig into the skin on Kat’s upper arms, but she didn’t dare move. Aside from not wanting to ruin her reputation, she didn’t want him to take his hands away from her body.
    “Probably wants to get some young thing with child so he can secure the dukedom before he heads back out on the campaign.”
    “If it were me, I would take the Grier girl to bed. Wouldn’t mind her round arse warming my bed at night.” It was disgraceful what men would say when not in the company of women. Even the gentlemen sounded like stable boys when amongst themselves.
    “Not me. The Darlington chit would do me fine,” the other one said.
    “What about the Dubois girl? The recluse. Saw her tonight for the first time in years and I’d forgotten what a sweet little morsel she was. I could sink my teeth into her charms.”
    Kat froze. She looked at Geoff, willing him with her eyes to somehow put a stop to it. Even though she knew he couldn’t. Not without compromising them. He ran his thumb up and down her arm in a calming motion instead.
    “She’s a loon, hasn’t left the house in years. But she’s certainly a good-looking loon. I’d sample her a time or two before dropping her off at the asylum,” the other man said. Bile rose in the back of her throat. Geoff looked as if he were on the verge of explosion.
    “There you are, my darlings,” a woman’s voice cooed. “We thought we’d have to call in the guard to search for you in this castle.” Kat never thought she would be grateful to hear the Marquess of Musgrave’s voice.
    “Sorry ladies. We got to talking and the time must have flown. Why don’t we get our gorgeous wives some punch?” Sir Musgrave said.
    The men ushered their wives out of the room and finally the voices drifted away down the hall. They were alone again. Yet neither moved away from the window where they were hidden behind the curtain. They remained tucked into the crimson velvet cocoon, and in each other’s arms, shielding them from the outside world.
    “Is it true? Are you a spy?” Kat asked.
    “Are you a thief?” He shot back.
    “You knew?”
    “You’re not exactly an expert at sneaking around,” he said. “No offense intended.”
    “Then why?”
    “Why did I invite you here after I knew you were the robber? Why didn’t I turn you into the police? Why did I kiss you?” Geoff asked.
    “Yes. All of those. Why?”
    Still standing close together behind the draperies, he caressed her arm again.
    “I invited you here because I wanted to find out why you were breaking into government offices. Not turning you into the police was easy because I deemed you harmless, if somewhat desperate. And I kissed you, well, I kissed you because I wanted to.” Kat’s tongue caught in her throat momentarily.
    “I’m not desperate,” was the only she could think to