Free Loving the Earl: A Loveswept Historical Romance by Sharon Cullen

time to send word to Gaudet that they were arriving, and it appeared they were arriving in the middle of a ball. Or some other type of entertainment.
    Bloody hell, please let it be a ball.
    Nathan didn’t tell Claire that he met Gaudet in a London gaming hell during his early days of gambling. Their love of the game had cemented a long friendship.
    The door opened before Nathan could knock, and the butler ushered them in without a word.
    “Lord Blythe to see the Marquis de Marchant,” Nathan said.
    The butler nodded then pointed in the direction where most of the voices were coming from.
    Claire shot Nathan a look. Obviously this was highly irregular behavior for a butler who would normally guard the doors to the keep. Nathan smiled at Claire and headed in the direction that the man pointed, even though what he wanted to do was to push her back into the coach and turn it around. There was no hope for that, however. This was the path he chose and he couldn’t back out now. Not when he had an appointment to keep.
    As they walked across the parquet floors, Nathan valiantly tried to ignore the statues of naked men and women. Some alone, others cavorting in ways he was certain the artist never intended. A grand, sweeping staircase rose majestically to their left but they passed it. When they entered the library, all his fears came to light. He forced himself not to turn around, block Claire with his body and hustle her out.
    “Blythe, what the devil brings you to Paris, eh?”
    Nathan pasted on a smile and turned to his friend, trying like hell to ignore the other people in the room.
    Claire edged in behind him, so close that he could feel her body heat and her disapproval. A quick glance told him she was taking it all in, her eyes wide, her lips parted in disbelief.
    If Sebastian knew about this, he’d have Nathan’s head.
    “Gaudet.” Nathan accepted his friend’s fist pounding on his shoulder, while Gaudet’s eyes went to Claire.
    “What have we here? You brought your own entertainment?”
    Claire’s hand found his and she squeezed with enough force to grind his fingers together.
    “No, no,” Nathan responded quickly. “She is a friend. Her holiday was ruined due to ruffians on the road and I have assumed responsibility for her.” He spoke in French, which he was certain Claire didn’t know very well.
    Her hand tightened even more on his. He tried to pull away but her grip was too much. To struggle would bring attention to her even though Gaudet’s gaze kept flickering over Nathan’s shoulder.
    “I have a business meeting within the hour and I need somewhere safe for her to stay.”
    Gaudet’s gaze jumped to Nathan. “Safe, eh? I can’t say this is the safest place for a young woman.” Gaudet laughed good-naturedly but Nathan didn’t join in.
    “She is under my protection, my friend. I’m merely asking for a room for her to stay in while I conduct some business. Surely your sister can harbor her for a few hours.”
    Gaudet held his hands up. “Relax,
vieil ami.
My sister is in the country, but your friend is more than welcome and will be well protected.”
    Nathan cursed silently. Of course Gaudet wouldn’t entertain such people if his sister were in residence, but what else was there to do? “
Merci.
I will see her settled then leave.”
    Gaudet tilted his head in acknowledgment and signaled a nearby footman. Claire emerged from behind Nathan’s back. Her wide eyes took in the half-naked ladies of the night roaming the rooms, sitting on gentlemen’s laps, serving drinks, laughing and performing such erotic things that Nathan abruptly turned her around and hustled her out of the library while she craned her neck to look behind her.
    “What are they doing in there? What is this all about?”
    He shut the door firmly behind him. “Gaudet has agreed to allow you to stay here while I conduct my business. As soon as I’m finished, I’ll return for you, then we can decide where you should