Good Earl Hunting Read Online Free

It had to be annoyance. "And I have a fortune," she returned, though the money was of course her father's. "Why the fascination with my conversation?”
    He met her gaze levelly. "You are not the means to a prize, Theodora Meacham. You are the prize."
    Oh, dear. He couldn’t be serious. Not when her lovely, well-spoken sister sat one table away. "I was under the distinct impression that previous to today you didn't like me, Lord Vashton, so I don't understand your sudden...concern over the topic of my conversation. Two months ago you couldn't be bothered to look me in the eye while we danced."
    "Two months ago you began pummeling me with cross words before we'd taken three steps onto the dance floor."
    So he at least remembered their...confrontation. She couldn't truly call it a conversation. "What has changed, then?" she asked, genuinely curious.
    "I've had an additional two months to realize that no other young lady has spoken crossly to me since – or even before – I inherited the earldom. Not even when I was rude to her and not paying sufficient attention."
    This didn’t make any sense at all. "But you called me a cold fish."
    Vashton grimaced. “A poor choice of words, and an inaccurate one. I apologize.”
    “Why? Why now?”
    "You spoke your mind," he countered. "And you have a mind. At the very least I find that worth a second attempt at an acquaintance, Miss Theodora."
    Well, this was utterly...stunning. A shiver ran down her spine to her fingertips. He found her interesting? Aside from the fact that Vashton was meant for Belle, Theodora knew for a fact that she'd been a complete halfwit at that London soiree, annoyed to be pushed at him as the less obvious choice to chat about her sister and hating the way everyone – except him – looked at her when they'd danced, as if they knew she couldn’t possibly be dancing with him on her own merits. "If you are attempting to embarrass me, you will find that I am not above returning the favor."
    He lifted an eyebrow. "Threats, now? Very well. If you want to get to the bottom of my evidently diabolical plan, you'll simply have to go walking with me." Vashton leaned a breath closer and lowered his voice. "That was teasing. I'll inform you in the future so you don't mistake my intent."
    "I assure you that I'm not that thick, my lord."
    The earl nodded. "Good. Neither am I. Three o’clock. Behind the stable."

Chapter Three
    T HEODORA GLANCED OVER her shoulder, but Annabel and she were seated back to back. For a dark moment Geoffrey thought she would refuse again, but finally she returned her gaze to him and nodded. “If no one else knows.”
    It was hardly an auspicious beginning, but at least it was a beginning. “Agreed.”
    With that Geoffrey turned his attention to the eye-fluttering girl seated on his other side. He remembered calling Miss Meacham a cold fish, but for God’s sake, she’d lambasted him for nodding politely at other people while they danced. Though truthfully it had been several other people. Or more than several. But he didn’t entirely blame himself; she’d spent the first two minutes of their first waltz chatting breathlessly about her apparently perfect sister. It was only when she’d gotten mad at him that things had gotten interesting. Had he been so arrogant then, though, that he would never manage a simple conversation with her now? All the more fool him, if that was so.
    She was most definitely not a cold fish. No, Theodora Meacham practically crackled with fire, and he wanted to taste her. She was not the sort of lady, however, that one trifled with. Especially when she – and everyone else – thought he was there after a fox and her sister. If he began a pursuit in earnest and then changed his mind, they would both pay for it. So first he needed a private conversation to determine for himself that his interest was more than a lust-tinged curiosity. He’d already made his one mistake where she was concerned, and before he’d