Free What Wild Moonlight by Victoria Lynne Page B

in his seat. “What do you say, Miss Alexander? The path to riches begins with one single step.”
    “So does the road to ruin,” she murmured absently. Although she knew she should turn him down and order him from her room, her curiosity had been whetted. She found herself asking, “What am I to look for?”
    “A parchment scroll. It has little actual worth, but great sentimental value to my family.”
    Katya’s breath caught in her throat. The stories and ancient legends that had filled her childhood rushed through her mind. The DuValentis held one third of the scroll, the Rosskayas held a third, and a third resided at an isolated abbey. According to ancient lore, when the three scrolls were joined, the Stone of Destiny could finally be claimed by its rightful owner.
    The absurdity of the situation hit Katya with a sudden, shocking impact. He was asking her, a Rosskaya, to retrieve the DuValenti parchment. Nicholas Duvall had absolutely no idea who she was.
    Then again, she thought, why should he recognize her? The parchment was passed down through the women in her line—women whose names changed when they married, women who moved from country to country, women who had a tendency to die young and leave their legends and their legacies to their daughters. Perhaps over the centuries the DuValenti men had simply lost track of the wandering Rosskaya women.
    Katya’s mind raced as she considered the ramifications of what he was proposing. Not only would her immediate financial problems be solved, but the wrong that had been done to her family centuries ago would finally be avenged. Spying the glass of champagne sitting on the table before her, she reached for it and took a long, comforting swallow. If only William were there. He could sort it out, make sense of everything. But William wasn’t there. Instead, Nicholas Duvall sat a mere arm’s length away, his intense, masculine presence almost overwhelming within the dainty confines her dressing room.
    Aware that he was awaiting a response from her, she forced her mind back to the question at hand. “How do you suggest I get close enough to these men to search their persons?” she inquired.
    He gave an indifferent shrug. “I won’t question your methods, Katya, so long as they bring results.”
    Her eyes flashed toward him at the sound of her Christian name on his tongue.
    Guessing her intention, he immediately forestalled her objection. “What else should I call my new mistress, if not her given name? And you, of course, shall call me Nicholas.”
    Her eyes widened and her champagne glass nearly slipped from her grasp. “Your mistress?”
    “What better way to explain your sudden, constant appearance by my side? I saw you perform this evening and instantly fell under your spell.” An odd, burning light filled his eyes as his gaze traveled slowly over her body. “And your charms are considerable. Katya, the Goddess of Mystery. That suits you far better than the prim little spinster act you feigned earlier.”
    Katya bit back a nervous bubble of laughter. That hadn’t been a farce at all. If she had appeared a prim little spinster, it was because that was exactly what she was. Yet now she was actually contemplating playing the part of his mistress. Could she do it? Could she match wits against him and come out ahead? The virgin playing the part of the sophisticate. The mere idea was ludicrous, not to mention dangerous. If he should discover her real identity… A cold shiver ran down her spine despite the warmth of the room.
    The DuValenti are a merciless clan, not to be trusted at any cost. They are fierce in battle and swift to revenge. They will do anything to get their hands on the Stone.
The words echoed through her mind as she struggled to piece together her memories of the ancient legends.
Follow the Maltese and he will lead you to the Stone.
    “I presume you mean mistress in name only,” she stalled.
    A sardonic smile touched his lips. “Evidently I