The Elusive Lord Everhart: The Rakes of Fallow Hall Series Read Online Free Page B

cause trouble.”
    Brushing an errant forelock from his brow, he nodded to both Griffin and Delaney. “I’m certain our hosts would agree that your timing couldn’t be better.”
    Their hosts were the three gentlemen who rented Fallow Hall. Calliope knew little of Rafe Danvers or Lord Lucan Montwood. As for Lord Everhart . . .
    Once upon a time, she’d been in the same circle of friends with him, but that had ended abruptly. In fact, Everhart had ceased their acquaintance on the same night she’d refused Brightwell’s proposal.
    “I heard Danvers mention the damage.” Brightwell gestured to Rafe Danvers, who was a short distance away, speaking to the driver while examining the wheel of their carriage. “For your sakes, I hope it is an easy repair. For my wife’s sake, however, I hope for an extended visit.”
    Then his gaze shifted to Calliope. In that moment, her refusal seemed like a living, breathing entity between them. Adjusting her grip on her satchel, she felt the tension in her muscles climb up her arms and settle at the base of her neck.
    “Miss Croft,” Brightwell said with a familiar smile. “How serendipitous that you should be among the traveling party. Your cousin will be most pleased by the news.”
    “Thank you, Brightwell”—she paused, correcting the too-familiar address—“ Lord Brightwell.” Years ago, he’d just been Brightwell . He’d been her friend, and in their close circle no one bothered with formality. Now, it was impossible to refer to him as such. Adding the title helped to remind her of the choice she’d made.
    She’d chosen a letter over him—and thus, a broken heart.
    S weat dripped from Gabriel’s brow as he neared the top of the circular staircase. If he’d have known that hopping on one foot up stairs took such skill, he would have added it to his regimen ages ago. Apparently, neither broadswords nor boxing had anything on hopping. He suddenly had a new respect for his younger half-sister, Raena, and her tendency to hop and skip from one room to the next—as long as she wasn’t caught by her mother.
    “Only months away from town and you’ve already gone soft, I see,” a familiar voice called up from the open doorway of the map room. But it wasn’t Montwood or Danvers.
    In bewildered disbelief, Gabriel ducked his head to peer down behind him. “Croft?”
    “The one and the same,” Griffin Croft answered. “When we were last at Gentleman Jackson’s saloon, you knocked me on my arse. I thought I’d return the favor with an unexpected visit.”
    “You have succeeded.” Gabriel turned to make his way back down, one step at a time. Croft and he were more sparring partners than friends. In fact, this was their first social call of any sort. One did not typically make friends with the man who’d blackmailed you and threatened to end your life, after all.
    Normally, Gabriel wasn’t of a superstitious nature. Yet after the drunken wager he’d made last night—along with his thoughts concerning Croft’s sister—he was beginning to wonder if he ought to be.
    Then again, there was a perfectly obvious reason for the visit. “I imagine you’ve come to see how your cousin fares.”
    Croft offered an absent gesture as he stepped into the room. “Since we are journeying to Scotland regardless, I would have been remiss not to at least entertain the idea . . . although, knowing my cousin, I feel I should ask how Fallow Hall fares instead.”
    We . That was all Gabriel heard. The perspiration on his skin cooled considerably. Was the “we” simply Croft’s referring to his wife? Or was he traveling with one or more of his sisters as well?
    Croft’s amusement abruptly transformed into frown. “Say, how bad is that break? You’ve gone pale.” He stepped forward as if to offer assistance, but Gabriel waved him back.
    “It’s nothing. In fact, I should be able to remove the splint within a fortnight.” To prove that he was fine, he descended the length of the