A Kiss With Scandal (Scandals & Secrets 4) Read Online Free

next dance.”
    “Excellent.” His eyes gleamed.
    At her.
    What was this all about? He’d never had any interest in her before. Nothing above polite inquires and obligated dances. Oh, sure, they got on well. He was a nice man after all, but he’d never expressed any desire to pursue her.
    Ever since her sister had married the Duke of Wathersby, Charlotte found herself in Viscount Lawrence’s company more often. He was handsome, intelligent, and wealthy. She would be lying to say the infatuation during her come out, years ago, had faded.
    Was it possible he was interested in her?
    He smiled, but there was no sparkle in his eyes. What did he want?
    She circled back to her initial thoughts. It could be coincidence that he approached her, but for him to come now, after what happened earlier that night, raised suspicion even if it was hard to believe he was capable of such things. He was an honorable man, at least from everything she knew of him. Her brother-in-law would not be involved with Viscount Lawrence if he were a criminal, surely. Bradford might have been fooled. No one could be trusted.
    He offered his arm, and she shivered once she took it. She didn’t know if the visceral reaction was from fear or something else, but she didn’t dwell on it. Any feelings associated with Viscount Lawrence were dangerous to explore.
    “Are you cold?” he whispered, his brows knit with concern as he led her onto the polished floor.
    Her eyes met his, and warmth curled low in her stomach. Enthralled by the icy blue depths, she was helpless to pull away. An inky strand of his hair pushed forward, and her fingers itched to smooth it back. She cleared her throat. “A bit, but I shall warm up during the dance. Do not trouble yourself.”
    She expected a quadrille and was surprised by the first strings of a waltz. “How interesting.”
    “What is?” he asked, taking her hand in his before placing the other on her waist.
    She gulped. “A waltz. Surely it’s not yet time for another.”
    “Oh. Well.” He held her firmly, expertly guiding her through the first steps of the dance. “I asked them to play another.”
    She tripped, but he matched her steps so fluidly that no one noticed. “Why would you do that?”
    “Because I wanted to speak with you. Other dances make that difficult. This is more private.”
    Her eyes widened. “You wish to speak with me privately?”
    His eyes smiled into hers. “We’re not exactly alone.”
    What did he want from her? As innocent as it seemed, his words and actions raised her guard.
    “I thought it was time we should get to know one another.”
    “You did?” She coughed, hoping it would hide the skepticism.
    “Yes. I fear I have not had the time to talk to you as I should. With the duke and your sister’s marriage, I feel we should become friends.”
    “You do?” Sugar lumps! “Why now?”
    A notch formed between his brows for a second before he smoothed it away with another smile. “He is one of my best friends, and you’re his wife’s sister.”
    “True,” she hedged, but didn’t exactly agree. If what he said was true, he would have done this long before. When Aubrey and Bradford had married. Not tonight.
    “You have very fine gloves.”
    She inhaled sharply. “What?”
    “I said your gloves are very nice. I know it isn’t proper of me to comment on them, but I couldn’t help myself.”
    “Thank you.” She pulled away from him as much as his grasp would allow. His reminder of her gloves, why she’d received them, made her sick.
    Is that what this was about? Had he somehow found out about her lost glove? About what she’d overheard?
    “Forgive my impertinence, but could you tell me who made them? I need to purchase a pair for my sister now that she is so far from town, and I know she would love these.”
    The explanation rang false. Lady Victoria was more than capable of ordering her own things. Then again, with her recent marriage and move to rural Scotland,