Her Reluctant Viscount (Rakes and Rogues) Read Free

way. She glanced around him to see Clara holding his left arm and watching Royce from the corner of her eye.
     
    Their carriage waited and after Royce helped them in she spied Lord Stanton on the top step watching them, eyes tiny slits. She dismissed him and slid her dress over so Royce could climb in.
     
    They went to her house and as she and Clara climbed out, she peered up at the driver. “Johnny, take the captain wherever he needs to go.”
     
    “Yes, miss,” he called down.
     
    “Good night, Captain. And thank you.”
     
    Royce gave them both a nod before swinging with incredible ease up to sit by Johnny. The carriage rumbled off again. She and Clara entered the house, passing the butler with a smile. Parting ways with her friend, she sought her room and let Sally, her abigail who had been sleeping while she waited, undo her dress. Then Jo shooed Sally on her way and readied herself for bed.
     
    Images of Trystan Wilkes filled her dreams. Despite the late hour she went to bed, Jo woke early to Trystan’s name on her lips.
     
    Full of frustration, she climbed from bed, donned her wrap, and sat in the window. Journal in hand she began to write. She wrote for at least an hour before she rang for Sally. As Sally tightened her corset, Jo sighed. Five years back and she had yet to get used to wearing all of these insane clothes.
     
    “There you go, miss.”
     
    “Thank you. Will you please go check on Clara and see if she needs anything.”
     
    “Yes, miss.” A bob and the young woman left the room.
     
    With a sigh, Jo exited as well, her sketchpad under one arm. She entered the breakfast room to discover her father sitting there reading the paper.
     
    “Did you have fun last night?” he asked, peering around one edge to meet her gaze.
     
    She waved off a waiting footman, placed her items down, and went to the sideboard to fill her own plate. “It was boring, Papa. We did see Lord Wilkes, Captain Bottomley, and Major McCutcheon.”
     
    “How nice. Lord Stanton sent me a message this morning.”
     
    Her hands shook so bad she almost dropped what she held. Placing a sausage on her plate, she took a deep breath and carried it to the table.
     
    “What did he want?”
     
    “To call on you.”
     
    She did not even try to hide her exasperated sigh. “No.”
     
    Slowly her father lowered his paper and stared at her. “What is his problem?”
     
    “Besides the fact he is a boor?”
     
    “Jo.”
     
    Appetite gone, she put her fork down and stood. “I know you are embarrassed by me, Papa, and the fact I am not married. But I will not even give that man a date.” She whirled around, spun back to grab her sketchpad, and stormed from the room.
     
    Clara met her with a smile. “Carriage is ready.”
     
    They headed on their way to the museum and Jo’s mood lightened considerably.
     
    “Excuse me, my lord.”
     
    Trystan barely avoided the large man who brushed by him in a hurry. Whatever the problem was, the man appeared extremely harried. Tryst leaned against the wall and consulted his timepiece. Three minutes past the half hour of when the meet was supposed to have gone down.
     
    My contact could have been wrong. It was always risky. It could even have been a trap. Which was why he lingered by a statue, dressed as suited for Viscount Wilkes. In his periphery, he could keep track of the afore mentioned meeting place. He flexed his gloved hand over the head of his walking stick. His thumb skimmed over the lacquered ball on top before he sighed and ambled around the statue.
     
    He surveyed the room, taking note of the few people wandering through the Egyptian artifacts. A tingle skated up his spine and immediately all senses went on full alert. He frowned slightly when he realized what had set him off. Or rather who.
     
    His gaze riveted to the woman across the room as she made her way over the marbled floors. Josephine Adrys. A thorn in his life. Not because she clung to him wanting what he