Whisper of Scandal by Nicola Cornick

Author:Nicola Cornick [Cornick, Nicola]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Fiction, General, Man-Woman Relationships, Regency, Marriage, Explorers
ISBN: 9780373774401
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2010-01-02T04:00:00+00:00

LOTTIE WAS DRAWING. It was not one of the female accomplishments that she possessed—in fact, had anyone asked her she would probably have said that the only feminine gifts she had were unmentionable ones—and as a result, the map was coming out extremely lopsided. John Hagan, looking over her shoulder, seemed unimpressed. He adjusted the candles to throw more light on the writing desk.

“Are you sure that is what it looked like?” he demanded.

Lottie gave a pettish little shrug. “Near enough. There was a long peninsula and the treasure was buried near the beach and it was called—” She stopped. She could not for the life of her remember the name of the place she had seen on Ware’s hand-drawn Spitsbergen map.

“You will have to go back for another look,” Hagan said. “I am not setting off on some wild-goose chase without knowing the name of the place at the very least.”

Lottie gave an exaggerated sigh. “Darling, much as I enjoy debauching James Devlin, he is going to get a little suspicious if I seem more interested in the treasure map his cousin gave him than in his cock.”

There was a pause. Lottie saw Hagan flush darkly and knew that in that moment he was thinking more about her locked in flagrant immorality with Devlin than he was about David Ware’s hidden treasure. Men, Lottie thought. They were all the same, led by their pricks. She knew that given half a chance he would have her across the desk. She had no intention of giving him that chance. She did have some standards. And besides, Hagan was looking particularly unattractive tonight with a huge reddish bruise on his forehead and a cut above his eye. She’d asked him what had happened and he’d refused to tell her.

“I am sure,” Hagan said, clearing his throat, “that you will think of a way to distract Mr. Devlin’s attention. You seem a most…imaginative…creature.” His voice lingered over the last few words.

Lottie gave him her little catlike smile and leaned forward so that Hagan could see right down the generously cut neck of her gown. “It will cost you, darling,” she warned. “If I get you more information I shall want a bigger share of that lovely, lovely treasure.”

“You are greedy, madam,” Hagan said, staring at her cleavage as though transfixed. “It is not as though you have a need of the money.”

“No,” Lottie said, draining her brandy and making sure she did not offer him another glass, “but I do feel very strongly that you should pay for my help in some way, darling. After all, Joanna is my dearest friend and I am being a teensy bit disloyal to her in assisting you like this, am I not?”

Hagan grunted. “It sounds to me as though you are not finding the process too onerous, madam.”

“Oh, Devlin is a very talented lover,” Lottie said blithely, “but he is a young man, you know. I fear his sexual demands might well exhaust me.” She gave a heavy sigh.

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