Free A Gentleman Never Tells by Amelia Grey

but I haven’t seen any sign of her yet. It’s dreadful to even think about it, but I can only hope a wild animal didn’t get to her.”
    “Damnation, Brent,” Matson said, “what the devil did you do to Lady Gabrielle?”
    “You think a wild animal attacked her?” Iverson said. “Hell’s gates, Brent, what is the matter with you? Why did you leave a defenseless woman alone in the park?”
    “And what were you doing in the park with her in the first place?” Matson asked.
    “I think we know the answer to that,” Iverson said. “From what I heard at White’s an hour ago, Brent was the wild animal who got hold of her.”
    “What? No, no, stop.” Brent blew out a breathy laugh. “We are talking about two different females here, Brothers.”
    “What’s gotten into you?” Matson asked. “You met with more than one woman in the park?”
    “That’s so unlike you,” Iverson said with a wicked grin. “London must be having some kind of strange effect on you and, whatever it is, I hope I catch it.”
    “But what happened to your vow never to touch a betrothed or married woman?” Matson asked.
    Iverson chuckled. “I guess that oath is out the window now.”
    Matson rose from the bed. “Brent, you know better. She’s a duke’s daughter and engaged to an earl’s son.”
    Brent shook his head. His brothers could make the biggest mountain out of the smallest amount of dirt. He was determined not to let them frustrate him. He’d already been there today with Prissy and Lady Gabrielle, and he wasn’t going there for his brothers. He picked up his light brown waistcoat with fabric-covered buttons and put it on over his crisp white shirt. Thankfully, the waistcoat hid the black heel mark on the front of the shirt made by Matson’s boot.
    “My hope is that Lady Gabrielle is still engaged to the earl’s son, and my vow has not changed. At the time, I had no idea Lady Gabrielle was betrothed.”
    “How you talked her into meeting you in the park is what I want to know.” Iverson said. “I never seem to be quite that lucky with ladies of quality.”
    “And who is this other woman who was crying for help and might have been attacked by a wild animal?” Matson said. “That’s rather gruesome, isn’t it?”
    Brent sighed. Why couldn’t they ask their questions one at a time? “I didn’t arrange to meet Lady Gabrielle. It was quite by accident. And the other female is not a woman but a dog. Prissy was with me, but when I was—” Brent suddenly found himself reluctant to say more, so he stopped.
    “When you were what?” Matson urged with a grin and sat back down on the bed again.
    “When he was in the middle of the best part,” Iverson said with another wicked gleam in his eyes.
    “I mean no such thing, you beast. Damnation, Iverson, contrary to whatever lewd and scandalous comments you may have heard in the boisterous backrooms at White’s, nothing happened between me and Lady Gabrielle this morning. And as a gentleman I’ll say no more on the matter.”
    “Forget Lady Gabrielle for the moment,” Matson said, “because obviously she is safe at her home by now. What I want to know is where Prissy is at the moment.”
    Brent felt as if his stomach twisted. “I don’t know where she is. Unfortunately, she ran off somewhere in the park, and I couldn’t find her. I have to go to the Duke of Windergreen’s house right now, and after I’m through there, I plan to take another look through the park. Somehow, I’ve missed finding her.”
    “So you are telling us you managed not only to compromise the duke’s engaged daughter, you lost Prissy, as well?”
    Brent picked up his dark brown coat and shoved his arms into the sleeves. “That is exactly what I’m telling you, Brothers. I sent my footman and his son out looking for her as soon as I returned. Right now would be a good time for the two of you to speak up and say you’ll take a ride through the park to see if you can find