Free A Kiss In The Dark by Kimberly Logan

She’s staying right ’ere wiv us. Isn’t that right, Miss Emily?”
    She cast an apprehensive glance in Jack’s direction. “If you’re certain it’s all right.”
    “Course I’m certain. The more the merrier, I always say.”
    A ripple of laughter came from the other lads, and Miles snickered. “Yep. We’re one big ’appy family ’ere.”
    Curious, Emily gazed up at Peter. “Is this some sort of orphanage, then?”
    It wasn’t Peter who answered, however. From the far corner, where he’d retreated after the altercation with Benji, Jack gave a snort. “Why, didn’t you know, Miss Emily ? You’ve just agreed to join a den of thieves!”

Chapter 7

    A s the Rotherby carriage trundled its way through the streets of Westminster, Tristan stared out the window at the passing scenery, his mind preoccupied with the events of that morning.
    He still wasn’t certain what had caused the viscountess to change her mind about helping him, or what had possessed him to so easily fall in with her ludicrous plot. He gave a rueful look down at the simple servant’s clothing he wore. Obviously, the woman had some sort of spell on him. He only hoped he wasn’t wasting his time while Emily could be badly hurt, or even—
    He quickly pushed away the possibility before he could finish the thought. He refused to believe that his sister might already be dead. It wasn’t something he could deal with. Not at this point.
    A glance over at Lady Rotherby showed that she was just as lost in contemplation as he had been, and it occurred to Tristan that she’d been strangely silent ever since they’d left her town house. That was, aside from pooh-poohing his suggestion that he ride up on the box with Cullen, just for appearance sake.
    “Nonsense.” She’d dismissed his concerns with a careless wave of her hand. “I think we’d both agree that my reputation has already been besmirched beyond repair. Why be any more uncomfortable than you have to be for the sake of something that doesn’t exist?”
    He’d had no argument for that, and she’d been quiet ever since.
    He studied her as she sat with her face turned to the opposite window, her hands folded primly in her lap. In a high-necked carriage dress of royal blue, with her patrician features framed by the lace ruff of her collar and her lustrous red curls swept up into an artful arrangement, she looked the perfect picture of a rich lord’s wife. But Tristan knew that underneath that elegant façade burned a fiery spirit. He’d seen it flash in the depths of her bright green eyes last night and again this morning.
    At the memory, he couldn’t hold back the smile that curved his lips. He supposed that was why he’d teased her about her name. Despite himself, he couldn’t seem to help deliberately fanning the spark of awareness that flared between them. A dangerous proposition, to say the least.
    Deirdre , he mused, trying the name out in his mind as he let his gaze continue to travel over her. Now that some of his temper from the evening before had started to cool, he was finding it more difficult than ever to ignore the desire she stirred in him. He was very much afraid that no matter how important it was to keep a wall of formality between them, from now on it would be next to impossible to think of her as only Lady Rotherby.
    “You find something amusing, my lord?”
    At her query, Tristan looked up to find her watching him with a raised eyebrow. “Not at all, my lady. I wouldn’t dare.”
    She eyed him with suspicion, and he made an attempt to keep his expression solemn until she turned away with a sniff. He couldn’t afford to offend her. Besides, he should be concentrating on Emily, not on an attraction that could ultimately go nowhere. His days of keeping company with inappropriate women—no matter how tempting—were long over, and if even a hint of his involvement with the viscountess got back to his aunt, there would be hell to pay.
    As the carriage