Free The Courtesan's Secret by Claudia Dain Page A

and it should be noted that Louisa, for all her charms, was not possessed of a nature that practiced resistance regarding much of anything.
    In all, he could not quite name what it was that he found so fascinating about her. But he was. Fascinated. Aroused. Enamored. All the stupid and ridiculous nonsense inked by poets and fools, and yet he could find no escape from the nonsense.
    He was in love with her. Stupidly. Ridiculously. Illogically.
    Stupidly, because she did not love him. She was pointlessly enamored of Dutton, and there was simply no putting her off the scent. He had tried. That was the ridiculous bit. He had seen her at his parents' assemblie two years previous and the look she had given him from across the capacious yellow drawing room had snared him. Bold and daring, amused and superior, her ginger hair a torch of fire in that crowded room, her skin so flawlessly white it glowed . . . well, that was the long of it. The short of it was that he had made it a point to be in her company whenever possible ever since.
    And she had illogically chosen to be in the company of Dutton whenever possible ever since.
    He supposed his memory must recite that Louisa met Lord Dutton on the very same evening and that, henceforth, all her daring and amused looks had been saved for Dutton from that day to this.
    And the poets wrote of love. They deserved to starve.
    It had been no coincidence that he had given Caroline a pearl necklace worth an earl's estate in the same yellow drawing room just days ago, and that he had done it when he was certain Louisa would have a stellar view of the event. Some ironies were just too perfect to avoid and it did have the added tang of bearing the most delicate flavor of revenge.
    It should have been Louisa. She should have been the woman wearing his pearls. She should also have been wearing his name.
    But she wanted Dutton and Dutton did not want her.
    But she did want her pearls.
    Yes, Dutton's idea had definite merit. The only sticking point was what Dutton would want in return. Dutton, for all that he was a gentleman of the first mark, was a bit of a scoundrel. It was, in fact, what made him such interesting company. It was also most likely what Louisa found so fascinating. Girls of good family inevitably found men of questionable character fascinating. Call it a law of nature. He had, especially since meeting Louisa.
    "If I take the Melverley pearls off your hands," Blakesley said, "what will you require as recompense?"
    Dutton opened one eye to peer at him from his slouch. "What can you offer?"
    He was being made to bargain for the attentions of Lady Louisa Kirkland; he was well aware of that. It was distasteful in the extreme. It was also, unfortunately, apparently necessary.
    "I'm not aware of having anything you would find interesting," Blakesley said.
    Dutton's eye closed again and he sighed. "I'm afraid that's likely true. I believe the crux of the entire situation is that I have the one thing you find interesting."
    " Have is rather too strong a word," Blakesley said softly.
    "Is it?" Dutton drawled, his eyes still closed. "If you had the pearls we could put the matter to the test." Dutton opened his eyes and pierced him with his famous blue gaze. "Take the pearls. Find out where her interest lies. If she continues to seek my company, then the question is settled."
    "And if she pursues me? Then she is simply interested in her pearls? Hardly flattering to me."
    "My dear Blakesley," Dutton said, "if this is about finding ways to flatter you, then we must come up with another game entirely. I thought this was about Louisa."
    Which was, of course, true. Most everything in his life for the past two years had been about Louisa. It was tiring and monotonous and, unfortunately, that was not enough to put him off. Not even close.
    "She must know that I have them," Blakeley said, "or else the point is missed."
    "I'll take care of that," Dutton said, straightening in his seat.
    "It must be