The Perfect Temptation Read online

  "don't let him choose that thing. Do something. Change his

  mind."

  "Just how desperate are you to avoid being seen in it?" he

  asked, suppressed laughter rippling through each and every

  word.

  She looked up at him and into green pools sparkling with

  mischief. "That's blackmail," she accused, keeping her voice

  low.

  He grinned. "And that's really ugly. How desperate?"

  The certainty overfilled her soul and flooded into the center

  of her bones. At least he was a kind man; her dignity

  would be intact when he walked away. "Name the price," she

  said. knowing that the words were sealing her fate. "Within

  reason, please."

  "You'll call me Aiden."

  Such a seemingly benign request. But clearly recognizable

  as the first brick being taken from the wall he intended to

  fully dismantle. "Only in private. There are standards to be

  maintained for Mohan."

  "Of course." His grin edged toward wicked. "And you'll

  let me teach you to dance."

  On a surge of panic, she retorted, "I don't want to learn to

  dance."

  He glanced toward Mohan's carriage and then smiled

  down at her. "Do you not want to dance more than you don't

  want to be seen in that?"

  "You're ruthless."

  "Absolutely. Is that a 'yes'?"

  What would be would be. Whatever lesson there was to

  be taught would have to be learned. Intentions and logic and

  rationality were pointless exercises; destiny wasn't going to

  be evaded or denied. "God help me," Alex whispered, closing

  her eyes and putting herself in the powerful hand of fate.

  It was as close to a "yes" as she was going to give him.

  Aiden resisted the urge to plant a grateful kiss on her cheek.

  Instead, he covered her hand with his. "You won't be sorry,"

  he offered softly, sincerely. "I promise, Alex."

  She managed a tremulous smile but didn't look at him.

  Her obvious doubts gently tugged at his heartstrings and

  added to his resolve. She wasn't going to regret letting him

  past her reserve. He'd make sure of it. In the end, Alexandra

  Radford was going to think he was the very best thing that

  had ever happened to her.

  "Why don't you have a seat?" he said, leading her to a

  nearby carriage and depositing her on the running board. She

  glanced up at him and he winked and added, "And watch a

  master at work."

  "Mohan!" he called, turning away. "Climb down from

  there for a minute."

  "Is it not perfect, Mr. Terrell?"

  Alex leaned her back against the carriage door, waiting and

  watching. A master? A master at what? she wondered.

  "Well," Aiden drawled. "looks are only part of perfection,

  Mohan. If it doesn't roll right and true, it doesn't matter

  how pretty it is. It's always wise to inspect the structure

  before you make a decision. Let's walk around and take a

  careful look at it, shall we?”

  They made a slow circuit, neither of them saying a word,

  both of them seemingly intent on memorizing every hideous

  turn, curve, and filigreed scroll.

  "Oh, now this is troubling," Aiden said as they returned to

  their starting point. He reached out and traced a fingertip

  across the top of the wheel. "Look here, Mohan. See the dent

  in the band?”

  Mohan moved closer and ran his fingertip over the wheel,

  too. ''There must have been an object in the road."

  "It could be from that," Aiden agreed. nodding. "Or it

  could be from something a bit more serious." He pointed to

  the spokes of the same wheel. "Notice how the paint's a

  slightly different color on some of those?"

  "Yes. Does that mean something of great significance?"

  "It could," Aiden replied, squatting down so that the wheel

  was at eye level. He trailed his fingers over the length of the

  spokes and shook his head. "Oh, that's not good. Not good at

  all. Feel along this spoke, Mohan. And this one, too."

  Mohan did as instructed. knitted his brows, and then examined

  several others before saying, ''These three are

  bumpy. These others are not. Why?"

  ''I can't say for certain, of course, but I suspect that they

  were broken and not mended very well."

  "It must have been a very large object in the road,"

  Again Aiden nodded. "Let's crawl underneath and take a

  look at the axles."

  A master manipulator. That's what Aiden Terrell was.

  Smooth and flawless, he chose his path and moved others

  along to the destination he wanted to reach. Mohan was completely

  unaware that the carriage was being pulled out from

  beneath him inch by deliberate inch. Alex smiled, knowing

  that by the time Aiden finished the inspection, Mohan would

  abandon the notion of owning it and think that the decision

  was his own. And that it had been freely made.

  Yes, absolutely flawless. She considered the wheel and

  the two of them rolling under the carriage to peer at its underside.

  Odds were good that Aiden had noted the dent in

  the wheel the instant they'd walked up to it. Which, of

  course, meant that he'd negotiated terms with her knowing

  full good and well that the carriage was unacceptable

  whether she surrendered or not. She'd been manipulated,

  too.

  She should be angry about it. She certainly had every reason

  to be. And yet she wasn't. In fact, if anything, she admired

  his ability to achieve his ends without being the least

  bit heavy-handed. Where so many men were bullies, Aiden

  was charming. Where so many would have smirked and decreed,

  Aiden had smiled and cajoled. Yes, he was indeed a

  master. She'd have to remember that in the future.

  ''That bend is not good, is it?" Mohan asked.

  "No, I'm afraid it's not. It rather strongly suggests that

  this carriage has been wrecked. And look along here. Do you

  see this crack? That's not good, either."

  She watched them climb out from under the carriage to

  stand side by side, their arms folded across their chests,

  studying it in silence.

  "Can it be repaired?" Mohan finally asked. "Better than it

  has been already?"

  ''Not without a great deal of expense," Aiden answered,

  sounding ever so regretful. "And, quite frankly, it hasn't really

  been repaired at all. They've done nothing more than try

  to hide the problems in the hope the buyer won't notice the

  damage until after the sale is done." .

  Mohan's jaw slowly sagged and he looked up at Aiden,

  his eyes huge. ''They hoped to cheat me?"

  "Not necessarily you personally;' he qualified with a shrug.

  “Anyone who comes along and doesn't look past the red paint

  and the gilt will do."

  "I will not be duped."

  Alex grinned. Aiden was far more controlled in recognizing

  his victory. He nodded solemnly. "A very good attitude

  to have, I think. Perhaps we should look a bit further?"

  "I shall go over this way," Mohan announced, moving

  down the row, "and report what I
find."

  Aiden turned to her, his smile broad and his eyes

  sparkling, and bowed ceremoniously.

  "Very well done, Mr. Terrell," she offered, clapping in

  sincere appreciation of the performance. "Very well done."

  ''Aiden. Remember?"

  "Aiden," she corrected, gaining her feet. He was instantly

  in front of her, presenting his arm. "You've not only spared

  me the embarrassment of being seen in a rolling monstrosity,

  but given Mohan useful knowledge in the process. If

  your career as an investigator doesn't go well, you might

  consider teaching. You're very good at it."

  "Well, the truth is that I'm not an investigator. And I'm a

  temporary protector only because I owe Barrett a favor. A

  rather large one, in fact. When the debt's paid ... " He

  shrugged and snorted softly. "I'll probably have to go back

  to sea."

  "You don't sound too terribly excited about the prospect."

  "It's a long story," he replied, his voice suddenly taut. His

  smile was still in place but the brightness of it was gone and

  it no longer reached his eyes. Looking over his shoulder, he

  said, "I think he's found something that might actually be

  worth a closer look. Shall we?"

  Alex allowed him to guide her through the maze, sensing

  that he'd opened a personal door without thinking. Then,

  realizing what he'd done, neatly sidestepped the blunder and

  slammed it closed again. It was an artful dodge, but certainly

  not perfect. She decided it was rather nice to know that he

  wasn't always in control. It made him decidedly human and

  quite likable.

  "I hope this next carriage is a bit more appropriate than

  the last," she ventured. "As for stories ... I've always found

  that longer ones are always so much more interesting than

  shorter ones."

  "Not in this instance."

  Firm and final. He wasn't going to willingly share it with

  her. Alex studied him askance, noting the hard line of his

  jaw, the way the muscle at his temple pulsed in hard, steady

  rhythm.

  "Miss Alex! Look over there!" Mohan called.

  She found him off to their right, perched in the driver's

  box of an old-fashioned carriage. He was pointing off toward

  a copse of trees and a little cottage tucked deep into the

  shadows. .

  “At the very far edge of the field!" he added, fairly jumping

  up and down. "In the low growth! It is Preeya's peacocks!”

  Peacocks? Alex let go of Aiden's arm and quickly stepped

  around him, straining to see, trying to find amid the underbrush

  the birds Mohan said were there. A quick movement, a

  flash of bright, familiar color.

  "Of all the places;' she whispered, her heart racing. She

  whirled about and grabbed Aiden Terrell by his arms.

  "Preeya wants a peacock in the worst sort of way. I have no

  idea whether she intends to keep it for a sentry or to have it

  for a main course one night. But she's asked me for ages to

  find one for her and ... I have to have that pair of peacocks,

  Aiden. I don't care what it takes. I don't care what it costs. I

  have to have them. Today. Now."

  God, she was beautiful. Such excitement, such open happiness

  and hope. Her eyes were bright blue with it "Peacocks;'

  he said, moistening his lips. Catching the birds; trussing them,

  and getting them into the rented hack and back to the house

  was going to take some time. Time he'd planned to use for

  finding and buying horses. But if Alex wanted peacocks and

  getting them for her made her happy, then he'd make what

  adjustments were necessary. He'd get to the horses tomorrow.

  It was a small thing compared to having accomplished

  his most important goal of the day. Alex had not only come

  to trust him, but she had just thrown herself and a heartfelt

  desire on his good nature.

  It was good to know that life could still offer the pleasures

  of a game well played. It was even better to realize that, despite

  having been to hell and back, he hadn't lost his touch.

  "All right, Alex," he said. "If Preeya wants peacocks, we'll

  get her peacocks."

  Chapter 8

  Ah, Alex groggily thought, rolling over and burying her face

  in her pillow. The unmistakable notes of outraged peacocks

  at dawn. It was like being back in India. Except in India, of

  course, one of the servants would be bringing her breakfast

  in bed. Here, she was going to have to get up, dress herself,

  and walk to the dining room if she wanted something to eat.

  Preeya might well be thrilled beyond words to have peacocks,

  but she wasn't going to let the raucous reminder of

  home sweep away her common sense.

  Flopping onto her back. Alex sighed and stretched, then

  sat up, struggling to keep her eyes open. She stretched again,

  long and slowly, trying to draw herself from the edges of one

  of the deepest sleeps she could ever remember. She smiled

  and let her arms drop into her lap. A day with Aiden Terrell

  would make anyone sleep like the dead.

  The man simply didn't sit idle for a single second. He and

  Mohan had been playing a spirited game of Parcheesi last

  night when she'd had to put down her needlepoint and admit

  that she couldn't keep her eyes open another minute. What a

  day it had been. Hopefully, today would be a bit less frenetic.

  No, she amended, pushing the coverlet down and sliding to

  the edge of the mattress, a lot less frenetic.

  The knock at the door gave her pause. She arched a brow,

  wondering if perhaps Preeya was even more grateful ~an

  she'd known. "Yes?" she called out.

  The door opened and, without the slightest preamble or

  apology, Mohan marched in, jauntily saying, "Good morning,

  Miss Alex."

  Right behind him came Aiden Terrell. "Good morning,

  Miss Radford."

  Mohan, dressed in a clean, crisply pressed suit. was carrying

  a secretary's portable desk, the quill pen tucked behind

  his ear. Aiden was without his suit coat. his shirt sleeves

  rolled up to his elbows, and carrying a folded wooden tape.

  He smiled at her and winked.

  "Excuse me!" she gasped, snatching up the coverlet and

  using it as a shield. ''What are you-"

  ''Oh, it's no problem at all," Aiden assured her, grinning

  as he followed Mohan to the windows. ''As long as you keep

  that coverlet in place."

  Scrambling back into the bed and well under the covers,

  she asked, "What are you two doing?"

  "Is it not apparent?" Mohan asked, making a notation on

  his paper as Aiden unfolded the tape. ''We are measuring the

  windows."

  ''Why?''

  "Mr. Terrell and I will take our numbers to a blacksmith

  this morning and commission iron covers for each and every

  window:' he supplied, leaning forward to note the numbers

  as Aiden held the measure flush against the window frame.

  As they continued to work in tandem, her ward went on,

  saying, "Mr. Terrell has designed a most attractive pattern.

 
You will like it immensely. And when that task has been

  completed, we will begin our search for horses. Two for the

  carriage I selected and three for riding. And when that task is

  completed we will bring them home and then construct a

  more substantial pen for Preeya's peacocks. They have destroyed

  the one Mr. Terrell attempted to make last night."

  "I'll remind you that it was dark and cold and I was under

  attack," Aiden retorted good-naturedly, refolding his tape as

  Mohan made further notes.

  "How is your leg this morning?" Alex asked, struggling

  to contain her laughter, amusement overriding her embarrassment.

  "Sore. He took out a couple of good-sized chunks."

  Good-sized? Ha! He'd barely been nipped. "Perhaps

  you'll have scars to share with the other boys."

  He was biting back a rejoinder; she could see it in the

  devilish twinkle in his eyes. He had to look away and gain

  control of his smile before he could say, "With what we have

  to do, I'm guessing we'll be gone all day. I'll tell Preeya before

  we leave so she doesn't cook for an army at lunch."

  "Am I not invited to go along?" Please, dear God, have

  mercy on me.

  He looked a little startled and he sounded apologetic