50 Ways to Ruin a Rake Read Free Page A

butler. “Come inside, Ronnie. You’ve seen what…” And then she took a quick step forward, her gaze shooting down the hall. “No, Papa! You promised I could be there!”
    It took a moment for Trevor to realize what had happened. Looking far down the hallway, he saw Miss Smithson’s father and uncle as they headed for the laboratory.
    â€œYou children amuse yourselves for a bit, will you?” came her father’s answer.
    Meanwhile, Trevor naturally took steps to follow them. After all, the happiest days of his life had been spent in Mr. Smithson’s laboratory. Not here, of course. The Smithsons hadn’t come into their money until recently. But years ago, Mr. Smithson had been his tutor, and the laboratory had been on Trevor’s estate. But here or there, the principle was the same: science, experimentation, and a place where a man could cut or boil or blow things up in perfect peace. And Mr. Smithson had said he was welcome at any time.
    â€œDon’t you dare,” hissed the lady from beside him.
    â€œBut—”
    â€œIf you abandon me to Ronnie, then I swear I shall find a way to pour itching powder onto all your clothes. I’ll bleach your cravats white. And…and I’ll—”
    He held up his hand before she could think of more dastardly things to do with his attire. “I believe your father said we should amuse ourselves.”
    She folded her arms right beneath her bosom. It would have been quite attractive if she weren’t glaring at him. “Do not leave—”
    â€œAnd I, for one, believe I shall be best amused in the laboratory.”
    â€œOf all the selfish—”
    â€œYou as well, I think. Isn’t that what you wanted, Miss Smithson? To go into the laboratory with your father and uncle? To explain something to them, I believe. About a frippery?”
    â€œIt’s not a frippery!”
    He held up his hands, seeing that she had completely lost her temper. And no wonder, what with being manhandled by her cousin for her eye color. “Whatever it is, you will best be entertained in the laboratory, yes?” He held out his arm. “Shall we go?”
    She hesitated, biting her lip before looking at him with disturbingly real tears in her eyes. “Please, sir. Please, I beg of you. Can you not just leave and come back tomorrow? You have overset everything!”
    He huffed, disturbed that she seemed sincere in her distress. “What exactly have I overset?”
    She pressed her lips together, clearly unwilling to tell. But in this, the mystery was solved by the no-longer-distracted Ronnie.
    â€œOh, she wants to show us her formula for a new women’s cream. Big secret. Excellent market potential. Women by the scores will be buying it.”
    She spun around, her mouth ajar. “Ronnie!”
    The bear simply shrugged. “Well, it’s not as if the lordling is going to manufacture it himself.”
    A women’s cream? Certainly not. But he didn’t say that aloud, as he would likely learn more if he kept silent. And sure enough, the argument continued without him prompting it at all.
    â€œThat’s not the point!” Miss Smithson exclaimed. “This is my formula. I should be the one who decides who gets to know about it. And most especially, how I will sell it.”
    Clearly, he was not to be included in her intimate circle.
    The bear merely smiled as he leaned against the wall. “What she doesn’t realize is that she doesn’t need to prove her formula. Father likes the idea and thinks it a capital thing to take to market.”
    â€œHe does?” she cried, clearly excited. “But that’s…that’s—”
    â€œCapital!” Trevor completed when the appropriate word seemed to escape her. “It means you need not demonstrate your formula. Your uncle is ready to market it whether or not I find out about it.” Which meant that she would