Bronwyn Scott's Sexy Regency Bundle (197 page)

24

Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss

was ready for him and neatly sidestepped his efforts.

She had the chair between them with a swish of her skirts.

uh, uh." She wagged a finger in

scolding. "Now who's the tease? You said it was finished for tonight. You must stick to your rule, monsieur. I will bid you adieu."

She was almost at the door when Julian remembered what had brought them to this unsatisfactory conclusion-something about sex with a nameless stranger. "What's your name?

How will I find you again?"

She gave him another of her smiles, but no answers. "That is part of the

pas?

Bon soir,

His desire remained nameless. Julian watched her sail out of the room. He was already contemplating the next time. Nothing would stop him then. Next time, they would consummate their mutual need. There would be a next time, name or not. He'd find her.

He sank into a chair, letting his legs sprawl.

Alone at last. Whew, what a way to get what he wanted. Julian stared at the portrait. Finally he could complete his business. He strode to the door and locked it this time. He should have locked it

Scott

the first time, but locked doors were hard to explain, and he'd had no reason to fear discovery.

Now he was on alert. He could take no chances in case the whispering strangers returned. The quicker this was accomplished, the sooner he could be en route to England to restore the missing jewels to the monarchy.

Julian crossed the room to the portrait, his mind on the task at hand, when a glimmer under the sofa caught his eye. Julian bent down to investigate. His hand closed around steel. He held the object to the dim light, a

through him. It was a gun, a small gun, a weapon to be used discreetly. And it was still as if

it had recently been pressed against someone's body. There was no chance the weapon had been misplaced and left for days under the sofa.

Julian swallowed. There had been only two people in this room and the gun wasn't his. The only conclusion seemed illogical. Why would his stranger need a weapon? This was followed by the realization she'd been on top of him with a loaded Good God, she could have gelded him.

Julian fiercely pushed those morbid thoughts aside and tried to focus on the mystery at hand.

26

Lord, Pickpocket Miss

He'd already established that she was not what she seemed. Why had she been in this room?

It made little sense to think she'd abandoned him on the veranda only to follow him here. There was only one reason he could think of as to why anyone would

come here. His eyes

flew to the portrait. His hand flew to the pocket of his evening coat.

Burke swore out loud. The pocket of his coat, in which he'd carried an excellent paste replica of the diamonds, was empty. He could see the scene in his head now. Her hands on him, slipping and sliding all over his body, and he too far gone in his passion to conceive of ulterior reasons for those caresses. There was no doubt a hidden pocket in her gown, probably where she'd originally carried the gun, and she'd slid the diamonds into it with ease. He knew now that it was the gun she'd been looking for during that uncertain moment

he'd dumped her on the

floor.

had she had the gun all that time?

There was nothing for it. He'd have to take the diamonds and hope he got out of the country before anyone noticed they were missing and connected him to the situation.

Scott

He'd

to replace the diamonds with

the faux gems in order to avoid immediate detection of the theft. With luck, it might take years before anyone realized the gems were fake.

By then, the trail to him would be ice-cold.

Julian lifted the portrait down off the wall and went to work on the safe. It was a matter of a few minutes before he had the safe open. There were other jewels inside but he took only the ones required by England and the crown. He tucked them into his pocket and

the picture. Now

he'd casually

to the ballroom, say

night to his hostess, politely inquire about the identity of his stranger and walk out the door

and to bed with his treasure intact.

would be a busy day-starting with a visit to his lady of mystery. Whoever she was, she would be in for a very unpleasant surprise.