Free Dangerous by Amanda Quick

be ashamed of yourself. What sort of behavior is this for a man of your background and title?"
    "Just what I needed. A lecture on my behavior."
    Too late, Prudence had a sudden, dreadful thought, one she had not previously considered. It very nearly robbed her of her breath. "You're not planning to meet someone up here, by any chance, my lord?"
    "No, I am damn well not planning to meet someone. I've got business up here, if you must know."
    Prudence wondered at the sense of relief that shot through her. "What sort of business?"
    "It involves a necklace, not that it's any of your concern."
    "I was afraid of that." Prudence wished she could see his face more clearly. "Sir, I refuse to believe that you have resorted to steal­ing necklaces in order to amuse yourself. You cannot have grown that bored with life in Town."
    "Damn it, I am no thief." He sounded genuinely affronted.
    "Of course not. I didn't think so. But you are a man who enjoys puzzles, aren't you? Tell me precisely what you're doing in this bed­chamber."
    "I told you, I was looking for a necklace. I'm not going to stand here explaining myself to you, however. We've got to get out of here before someone comes along. There's no telling how many people saw you come up here."
    "No one saw me," she assured him.
    "How would you know? You're hardly an expert at this sort of thing."
    "And you are?"
    "I've had a bit more experience at it than you." He grasped her arm and started to open the door. The squeak of a floorboard out in the hall stopped him. "Damnation."
    "What is it?" Prudence whispered. "What's wrong?"
    "Someone's coming down the hall. We can't go out there now."
    "What if he comes in here?"
    "Then there will be hell to pay. And it will be all your fault, Prue. A fact which I will not soon forget." Sebastian tugged her across the room toward the massive mahogany wardrobe.
    "Where are we going?"
    "We're going to get you out of sight." He opened one of the ward­robe doors. "Get inside. Hurry."
    "Angelstone, wait. I don't think this is such a good idea. There are so many clothes in here. Women's clothes. Good lord, this must be Lady Thornbridge's bedchamber."
    "Get in there. Now, for God's sake." He seized her around the waist as if she were a sack of potatoes and tossed her into the ward­robe.
    "Good heavens." Prudence nearly suffocated amid a pile of expen­sive silks, satins, and muslins. She flailed about wildly, trying to regain her balance.
    "Move over," Sebastian muttered. His hands cupped her derriere as he attempted to shove her farther into the depths of the wardrobe.
    "There's no room." Intensely aware of his hands on her bottom, Prudence pushed frantically at the clothing in an effort to shift some of it aside. But the wardrobe was stuffed with expensive garments. "Why don't you hide under the bed?"
    "Hell. Maybe you're right." Sebastian released her and backed out of the wardrobe.
    He closed the mahogany door, leaving Prudence in tomblike dark­ness. At that instant the bedchamber door was flung open with a resounding crash.
    Prudence did not need Lord Thornbridge's outraged roar to know that Sebastian had not had a chance to get beneath the big bed.
    "Angelstone. You? Why, you blackhearted son of a bitch, I never thought to find you here, man. I was certain't‘was someone else she would be meeting tonight. Devil take it, I thought… I believed… that is to say, I was told… How dare you, sir?"
    "Good evening, Thornbridge." Sebastian's voice was amazingly cool. Incredibly, it was even laced with his customary cynical amuse­ment. He sounded as if he had just encountered Thornbridge in his club rather than in Lady Thornbridge's bedchamber.
    "I'll see you dead and in hell for this, Angelstone. Don't think I won't."
    "Calm yourself, Thornbridge. I am not here for an assignation with your lady."
    "What other reason could you possibly have for being here in her bedchamber? Don't you think I know she's disappeared from the ball­room? She's on her way