Free Dangerous by Amanda Quick Page B

her. In the light of the candle he had brought with him she could see the shock on his heavily jowled face. The pistol in his fist wavered precariously. "Miss Merryweather, by heaven. What are you doing here?"
    "You must forgive Miss Merryweather, Thornbridge." Sebastian took a single step forward and deftly removed the pistol from Thorn-bridge's fingers. "She is still fresh from the country and has not yet learned the fine art of making a well-timed entrance."
    Thornbridge ignored him. His astonished gaze was fixed on Pru­dence. His anger was rapidly turning to confusion. "What is going on here?"
    Prudence blushed under the accusing stare, but she gave the baf­fled man a reassuring smile. "Isn't it obvious, my lord? Angelstone and I sought out a private place in which to discuss certain matters involving spectral phenomena and I fear we wandered in here by mis­take."
    "Spectral phenomena?" Thornbridge looked more mystified than ever. He also began to look doubtful.
    Sebastian quirked a brow. "She has also not yet learned to tell a social lie. Not that there are many tales that could explain our pres­ence in here. I believe we shall have to go with the truth on this occasion."
    Thornbridge glowered at him. "The truth being that you brought this innocent young woman up here to seduce her. Isn't that correct, Angelstone?"
    "Not precisely," Sebastian said.
    "He had no such intentions," Prudence said briskly.
    Thornbridge continued to scowl at Sebastian. "You should be ashamed of yourself, sir."
    "You're not the first one to point that out to me tonight."
    "My lord, you don't understand." Prudence jumped down from the wardrobe. "Angelstone did not bring me up here with the intention of seducing me."
    Thornbridge gave her a pitying look. "My poor dear Miss Mer-ryweather. This business will well nigh break Lady Pembroke's kind heart. You are so pathetically naive."
    Sebastian folded his arms and leaned against the wardrobe. He gazed meditatively at Prudence. "Naive is not quite the right word for Miss Merryweather. Harebrained might be a better one. Reckless. Ungovernable. Imprudent. Yes, I can think of a variety of terms that suit Miss Merryweather far better than naive."
    She pushed her spectacles higher on her nose and glared at him. "That is unfair, my lord. I am attempting to explain this extremely upsetting situation to Lord Thornbridge. He has every right to know how we come to be in his wife's bedroom."
    "By all means," Sebastian replied, his golden eyes brilliant with devilish laughter. "Explain it to him."
    Annoyance flared in her as she realized he was not going to help her out at all. Damn the man, he was amusing himself again, this time at her expense. Considering the fact that they were in this situation because of his actions and that she was merely attempting to save his wretched neck, the least he could do was assist her in the task. Pru­dence turned back to Thornbridge.
    "The thing is, my lord, this is all a terrible misunderstanding," she said earnestly.
    Thornbridge cut her off with a flick of his hand. Now that he was no longer obliged to play the outraged husband, he had apparently decided to assume another role, that of the outraged host. He drew himself up and gave Sebastian a narrow-eyed look.
    "Do not trouble yourself, Miss Merryweather. The facts speak for themselves. You are alone up here in a bedchamber with one of the most notorious men of the
ton.
No further explanations are neces­sary."
    Prudence hesitated as she began to sense the new direction in which this was all going. She cautiously cleared her throat. "Sir, I believe you are under a very serious misapprehension."
    Thornbridge paid her no heed. He was still glowering self-righ-teously at Sebastian. "Well, sir? Do you intend to do the proper thing by this young woman?"
    Still standing with one shoulder propped against the wardrobe, Sebastian inclined his head with mocking gallantry. "As it happens, Thornbridge, Miss Merryweather and I are