Free Dangerous by Amanda Quick Page B

“Angelstone did not bring me up here with the intention of seducing me.”
    Thornbridge gave her a pitying look. “My poor dear Miss Merryweather. 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-righteously 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 bead with mocking gallantry. “As it happens, Thornbridge, Miss Merryweather and I are in this bedchamber because we were seeking some privacy in which to discuss our future. I have decided it is time I married. For her part, Miss Merryweather has wisely concluded that she is not likely to get a better offer due to her advanced years. We have therefore reached an agreement.”
    “Angelstone,”
Prudence got out in a strangled voice.
    Sebastian did not even hesitate. “Allow me to present my fiancée, sir. Miss Merryweather and I are engaged.”

Five
    am sorry to have to say this, my lord, but the disaster in which we find ourselves is entirely your fault,” Prudence announced as Sebastian turned the sleek black phaeton into the crowded park.
    “You are far too generous, my dear.” Sebastian guided the two beautifully matched black horses into the stream of traffic. “I believe we can give you most of the credit for last night’s proceedings.”
    Prudence retreated beneath the brim of her plain chip straw bonnet. She twitched her slate-colored bombazine skirts over her sturdy half boots and sought for a way to defend herself. “I was only trying to help.”
    “Were you, indeed?”
    “If you had allowed me to make the explanations to Lord Thornbridge, everything would have been satisfactorily resolved.” Prudence gazed straight ahead, acutely aware of the stares she and Sebastian were receiving from passing carriages.
    It had been like this since last night when Thornbridge had accompanied them back to the ballroom and announced the news of the Fallen Angel’s engagement.
    The Thornbridges’ guests had been first stunned andthen titillated and finally deeply