Be Mine Tonight Read Free Page B

interrupting.”
    “Of course not,” Caroline replied with a charming smile. “Sit, Mr. Grey. Join us for tea.”
    Needing no further invitation, Marcus sat on the other end of the sofa from Pru and angled himself toward her with all the comfort of a man not the least bit interested in her as a woman. Hervanity could take offense at the slight, but why bother?
    “What have you been into today, Marcus?” Pru asked as she poured him a cup of tea. He liked it with very little cream and several lumps of sugar.
    “Your father showed me the ruins of the tiny chapel that used to exist on the estate. He told me to explore and dig to my heart’s content.” A wide grin brightened his face. “So I did.”
    Pru returned his smile. It was very difficult not to be happy when Marcus was. Caroline looked positively enraptured. “I thought we agreed you would not go digging without me.” Her chastising tone was weak at best. “Did you find anything?”
    He shrugged. “An old pair of spectacles and a boot, but that isn’t why I came looking for you.”
    “Has something happened?” Anticipation fluttered in her stomach. “Something to do with the Grail?”
    He held up an opened letter. “I have heard from our friend in France again.”
    Friend? Was that how he viewed LaFavre, the arrogant little priest who had first contacted them? Pru set her spoon on her saucer as the turmoil inside her quieted. “What does he want this time?”
    Marcus took a swallow of tea. “He wrote to tell us that two representatives of his church should be here within the next two or three days.”
    “So soon?” Now, this was interesting. “The church must be very anxious to see what we uncover.” She kept her tone light, but that anxious feeling surfaced once more. If the Catholics werethis interested in her little expedition, then they must have reason to believe she was actually on to something! As concerned as she was about the church’s involvement, she couldn’t help but view their interest as a good sign.
    Clearing her throat, Pru forced her expression into one of polite restraint. “Who are they sending?”
    Setting down his now empty cup, Marcus opened the letter. His gaze moved over the paper until it found the information he sought. “A Father Francis Molyneux and a man named Mr. Chapel.”
    “Chapel?” Pru’s mouth tucked to one side. “I wonder if he ever gets teased about that—a man named Mr. Chapel working for the church.”
    Marcus chuckled. “Perhaps he considered his name a sign of his true calling. Regardless, I have much to do to prepare for their arrival. They will no doubt want to see all of our notes and research.”
    Pru regarded him from beneath arched brows as she fixed him another cup of tea. “Will they see all of our notes and research?”
    Again came the grin. “No.”
    She grinned back, caught up in their conspiracy.
    Finishing his tea in one long gulp, Marcus excused himself, as he wanted to start going through his papers to select what the Catholic representatives would see.
    “I do not know why you do not take advantage of him,” Caroline mused boldly once they were alone again. “He is a lovely man.”
    Lovely was a perfect word to describe Marcus.“I do not want to take advantage of him,” Pru explained, sipping her tea. “And even if I did, you know very well it would be wrong of me to do so.”
    “Why?” Caroline’s countenance grew fierce. “Why can you not indulge in an affair? What is wrong with seeking a little happiness for yourself?”
    Pru’s own brow puckered. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “You know why, Caro.” Normally her sister would never dream of making such a scandalous suggestion. Then again, it wasn’t as though Pru had to worry about her reputation. And she would be lying if she said she didn’t wonder the same thoughts on occasion.
    For one moment, Pru saw the pain in her heart reflected in her sister’s eyes before Caroline’s expression