Free A Scandalous Past (Regency Romance, Book 4) by Ava Stone Page B

thoughts. At least he hadn’t until
Cordelia Avery entered his life.
    Brendan took a calming breath. He needed to
remain focused, find his mother’s letters, and keep Miss Avery safe
until Haversham lost interest in her. Then his life could go back
to normal. He could go home, to his duties that awaited, to his
nephew, Thomas, who needed his guidance, as well as to figuring out
what to do with his sister, Rosamund.
    Miss Avery’s pretty brow was furrowed and
Brendan winced. Why should her emotions matter to him one way or
the other? If she was having this affect on him after only one day,
what sort of state would he be in after weeks of her acquaintance?
Months?  How long would it take to find those damned
letters?
    Then he smiled, remembering a comment from
their afternoon ride. He might just be saved. “Are you indeed going
to Norfolk, Miss Avery?”
    She nodded, still frowning at him. “We leave
on the morrow.”
    Thank God!
    He could try to get his mind straight in the
interim. “And you’ll be gone a fortnight?”
    “Yes.”
    Relief washed over him. He could return to
Derbyshire and check in on Thomas and Rose while she was away,
while she was safe from Haversham. He could use the time to get
himself under control. Then when he returned to Town, he’d search
for the letters, and keep Miss Avery safe from herself. As far as
plans went, it was filled with holes, but for a man who suddenly
found himself drowning, it was like grabbing on to floating balsa
wood.
    Brendan flashed her his most charming smile.
“I suppose we’ll have to wait for your return before we schedule
our ride then.”
    When the women finally left the men to their
port, it couldn’t have been a moment too soon. Brendan’s last hold
on his control was dangling by the tiniest of threads. All
throughout dinner he’d had to endure Chet boasting about Brendan’s
every accomplishment to Miss Avery, rattling off his estates and
properties. It was as if his friend thought he was incapable of
courting the girl on his own. Of course he wasn’t courting her, not
really. But if he was, he wouldn’t need any help, and certainly not
from Chet of all people. His friend didn’t even know the meaning of
the word subtle.
    “You can thank me now,” the gregarious
bastard said with a smile when it appeared the other gentlemen were
engaged in a rather uninteresting political discussion.
    Brendan glowered at Chet, but kept his voice
low to keep the others from overhearing. “I’d like to thank you
right into the Thames. That was the most bloody awful dinner I’ve
ever had to sit through.”
    “Oh, that’s Hannah’s fault,” Chet said as he
raised his glass to his lips. “She stumbled across some unemployed
army cook and hired the man on the spot. I’m still trying to get
accustomed to the fellow’s idea of what passes for fine
dining.”
    “It wasn’t the bloody food,” Brendan bit
out. Though the meal wasn’t a highlight either. “I can do without
your help where Miss Avery is concerned, and I’ll thank you to keep
that in mind.”
    Chet shrugged, unconcerned as always.
“Someone needs to help you. I saw the blackguard abscond with her
this afternoon, Brendan. Miss Avery is tempted by adventure and
excitement, neither of which are your best qualities. If you’re
going to win her, you’re going to have to go about it
differently.”
    “Since when did you become an authority on
young ladies?”
    With a brilliant smile, Chet had the
audacity to wink at him. “Oh, I’m not. But Caroline is, and
she thinks you need a little guidance. I’m inclined to agree with
her.”
    He was going to slowly kill them all. 
Caroline. Chet. The dowager. Every blasted last one of them. He
pushed his glass aside and rose. “Thank you for a delightful
evening,” he replied mordantly.
    “Bren!” Chet frowned.
    But he didn’t look back. He waved his hand
over his shoulder and started for the corridor. He stalked down the
hallway, past the drawing room,