How to Beguile a Beauty (DF4) by Michaels Kasey

Author:Michaels, Kasey [Michaels, Kasey]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: American Light Romantic Fiction, Romance - Historical, Fiction, Romance, Romance: Historical, Historical, American Historical Fiction, General
ISBN: 9780373774333
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2010-05-25T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

“SHE THINKS YOU’RE amusing, you know,” Tanner told Justin once they were back on their horses and on the road once more, Lydia and Jasmine inside the coach. “Rather like a trained monkey.”

“Ah, but much better dressed, you’ll admit,” Justin said, clearly not taking offense. “Are you ready to rescind your invitation?”

“I didn’t invite you to pursue her, damn it. I only said she is not mine to…to—oh, stop grinning. Now you look like an ape.”

“You know what’s wrong with you, Tanner?” Justin said amicably, pulling two cheroots from his pocket and offering one to his friend. “You’re too good.”

“I wouldn’t count on that quite so much. I’m feeling less good by the minute. Now, how in hell are we going to light these things?”

Justin reached once more into his waistcoat pocket and produced a small bleached stick, the top half of which appeared to be coated with something. “Observe, Tanner, as I do magic.”

So saying, he then struck the coated end of the stick against his saddle, and the stick caught fire.

“Hurry, the magic doesn’t last that long,” he said, and Tanner leaned half out of his saddle toward Justin, cupped his hand around the tip of his cheroot and the small flame, which did indeed die quickly. “Good, now I’ll light mine from yours, if you don’t mind.”

Tanner passed over his cheroot. “What was that?”

“Should it have a name? Wigglesworth discovered them in a chemist’s shop in a place called Stockton-on-Tees. Quaint name, don’t you think? At any rate, I’ve only a few left and the apothecary doesn’t see the sense of making more. And you couldn’t be bad if you applied yourself, so I will continue to count on it.” He blew out a cloud of blue smoke as he inspected the end of his cheroot. “Do you think the apothecary was right in saying his magic flame could be poisonous? Something about the mixture of all the chemicals and such. I don’t taste anything too vile. What do you say.”

“Nothing that wouldn’t end with me burning in Hell and its own poisonous chemicals,” Tanner said, now examining the glowing tip of his own cheroot. “Have you ever considered that you might have crossed the border from engaging eccentric into the realm of the genuinely unhinged?”

“Many times, Tanner, many times, but then I console myself that I am not as yet baying at full moons. Now, back to the dear Lady Lydia and your dogged refusal to warn me away and thus clear your path to her affections this week. And please consider this to be your absolute final chance to change your mind.”

“I’m not going to change my mind. Granted, I think she enjoys you.” Tanner was careful to keep his expression neutral. “Rather as she might a performing bear at a country fair. Besides, she seems fully aware that you’re not on the hunt for a wife, her or anyone else.”

“Been warning her away from me, have you? Shame on you.”

Tanner nodded. “Yes, shame on me.

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