Free Jacquie D'Alessandro - [Regency Historical 04] by Not Quite A Gentleman Page A

spy,” he corrected, in keeping with his new policy of honesty. “I retired from my service as an operative three years ago, but have been temporarily reactivated.”
    She stared at him for a full ten seconds. Then her lips twitched. “You must be joking,” she said, unsuccessfully trying to disguise her laughter.
    “I assure you I am not,” Nathan said stiffly.
    She laughed outright. “Surely you don’t think I would fall for such a Banbury tale.”
    “Actually, I can’t fathom why you wouldn’t believe me.”
    “For starters, you’re clearly hard of hearing. Whoever heard of a spy with afflicted hearing?”
    “My hearing is perfectly sound.”
    She uttered a distinctly snortlike sound. “I entered the room and walked right up to you, yet you still didn’t know I was there until I spoke.”
    Bloody hell. Because of that damn Guide and the erotic images it had inspired. “I was, er, distracted.” Before she could launch into more reasons, he said, “I was involved in a mission three years ago that failed and resulted in my resignation. That note contains information that could afford me the opportunity to reverse the mission’s failure.” And to retrieve what I lost .
    Clearly still amused, she nodded encouragingly and made a rolling motion with her hand. “Oh, please do continue. This is more entertaining than any torrid novel a girl like me might read.”
    Nathan took a second to wonder if he’d ever met a more aggravating woman and knew without a doubt that he had not. Narrowing his gaze, he dropped her bag to the floor then took a step toward her, taking perverse delight in the sudden flicker of uncertainty that flashed in her eyes.
    “You want the torrid tale?” he asked in a silky tone. “I’d be delighted to tell you. From both a military and smuggling perspective, this estate is located in a very advantageous location. During the war, I was recruited by the Crown to perform various tasks, which included spying on the French and retrieving goods being smuggled in and out of England. Three years ago I was assigned to recover a cache of jewels, but the mission did not…go asplanned and the jewels went missing. I left the Crown’s service shortly thereafter. Recently, new information regarding the jewel’s possible whereabouts came to light. Since I was most familiar with the case, I was asked to return to Cornwall to help recover them. The new information regarding the jewels is in the note you found—a note which, as I’m sure you now understand, belongs to me.” He crossed his arms over his chest, gratified to see that she no longer looked amused. She did not, however, look entirely convinced. “As I trust I’ve satisfied your curiosity, I would appreciate it if you would now return the note to me.”
    “Actually, you’ve only succeeded in whetting my curiosity, Dr. Oliver.”
    “A pity, as that is all the explanation I’m prepared to give you.” He held out his hand. “My letter, if you please, Lady Victoria.”
    Instead of complying, she commenced pacing in front of him. He could almost hear the gears turning in her head as she considered all he’d said. With a resigned sigh, he lowered his hand and watched her. The firelight cast her in a soft, gilded glow, highlighting her shiny hair. Her gown, a burnished bronze silk that accentuated her blue eyes while complimenting her creamy complexion, swirled about her ankles as she turned.
    His gaze settled on the delicate curve of her slender neck, left enticingly bare by the upswept Grecian knot in which her hair was arranged. He found himself fascinated by the spot where her neck met the gentle slope of her shoulder…by that delicate hollow formed at the juncture of the base of her throat and her collarbone. His fingers and lips suddenly itched with an overwhelming desire to touch her there. Taste her there. Experience thesilky smoothness of that vulnerable spot. Breathe in the elusive rosy fragrance he knew would be clinging to