Eve drew slightly away from Geoffrey and gazed up at him with what she hoped was a good imitation of adoration. Since the ball at Winthrop’s, she had been weighing her options between continuing with Geoffrey or pursuing Noah. After much deep thought, she had concluded it would be much wiser, for the time being, to stay with Geoffrey. She had made the decision, not because she desired Noah any less physically, but because his refusal to accept Geoffrey’s challenge had lowered him in her estimation. That, coupled with the doubts she now had about his involvement with the dissidents, left her slightly leery of getting any more deeply entangled with him.

Eve wanted a man who was rich, handsome, and would marry her and take her back to England. In the beginning she had thought that Noah fit that bill, but now she was wondering. She had resolved that the best thing to do would be to bide her time. Certainly if Geoffrey’s accusations were true, it would come out eventually. If they weren’t, Noah would be vindicated, and she could continue her pursuit of him without the fear that she might be endangering her own status.

Now, smiling up at Geoffrey beguilingly, she asked, “What was it you were so eager to tell me, Geoffrey?”

Geoffrey’s smile was confident. “I have some marvelous news, my darling.”

“Oh?” Eve was growing more intrigued by the moment. “Tell me…do. Don’t keep me in such suspense. I’ve been dying of curiosity ever since I received your note earlier today.” She traced a single finger down the buttons of his waistcoat as she tried to coax the information from him.

“The news is that my brother James is dead.”

Eve blinked in surprise as she stared up at him, trying to interpret his mood. “Geoffrey, I’m so sorry…” she began, thinking consolation was in order.

“Spare me the sorrow, Eve. I’m not in the least regretful of his passing.”

“You’re not? I don’t understand…” She frowned as she regarded him.

“James was my older brother, sweet, and I’ve hated him for as long as I can remember,” he explained casually. “Now that he’s dead, I’m the next in line. The title and all the family’s holdings will come to me upon my father’s demise.”

“Geoffrey…how wonderful for you!” Eve began, and then knew a moment of consternation. Now that he was to inherit everything, would that mean he was going to have to return to England? “But, Geoffrey…” she pouted prettily, “does this mean you have to leave me?”

“My father has requested that I return to England as quickly as possible,” he told her, making no effort to hide the smirk of satisfaction he was feeling over being asked to return home. He had never thought he would live to see the day when his father would welcome him back with open arms, but he knew it was about to happen. Not only that, but he would be returning with the good news that he had seen to it that Lord Noah Kincade had paid for the murder of James with his own life. How proud his father would be!

“Oh, Geoffrey…” Eve was devastated at the news. He would be leaving her! Now what was she going to do?

“But don’t worry, Eve. I couldn’t leave you behind. You shall come with me, and as the mistress of the future Earl of Radcliffe, you will want for nothing.” Geoffrey thought he’d figured everything out. He wanted Eve for his own, but now that he was to be the earl, he knew she wouldn’t make a suitable wife.

Eve was shocked into silence by his arrogant statement. He expected her to uproot herself and travel back to Britain with him as his mistress? Outrage consumed her. His mistress! But before she could shriek her displeasure, the sound of a commotion in the hallway interrupted them.

“Lord Kincade! You can’t just burst into Lord Radcliffe’s home!” Bartley’s loud protest warned Geoffrey of the imminent confrontation.

Geoffrey paled as he realized that the men Bartley had hired must have failed in their attempt, and he glanced around nervously. “Quick, Eve, go into the library and close the door. Wait there until I come for you.”

“What is it, Geoffrey? Is something wrong? Why must I leave?” she asked anxiously as he steered her almost forcefully toward the connecting door to the library. “It’s only Noah Kincade, isn’t it?”

“No, nothing’s wrong, but this is private business-something between Kincade and me. Just stay out of sight and be quiet.” He closed the door behind Eve and rushed back to his desk. Searching desperately through his top drawer, he found the dueling pistol he kept there, primed and ready for possible danger. As Noah came crashing through the door, Geoffrey gripped the gun and held it down low so the other man wouldn’t know of its existence, at least not yet.

Noah had noticed Bartley’s quick, anxious glance toward the closed door at the back of the house when he’d first come charging into the hall. He had allowed himself to be detained by the servant for only an instant before pushing his way past as he’d headed for the room. Without pausing to knock, Noah had slammed through the door to find Geoffrey standing, almost casually, behind his desk.

“Lord Kincade, how nice of you to stop in.” Geoffrey mocked, giving him a tight smile.

The cold deadliness of Noah’s anger was apparent in his voice. “I turned down your challenge last night, but I am not refusing you now. I will take much satisfaction in meeting you face-to-face, as men should.” The last was meant as a taunt, for he felt Radcliffe was lower than the lowest spineless creature for his hiring of the thugs to murder him.

“As you met my brother?” Geoffrey sneered.

“Yes, as I met your brother,” Noah answered rigidly. “But I will take much more pleasure in seeing you dead. Your brother at least was a man. You are a cowardly fool!”

“Bartley,” he directed sharply to the servant standing fearfully at the doorway, “send for the authorities. Lord Kincade has broken into my home and threatened my life.”

“Yes, m’lord.” Bartley rushed from the house.

“It was my life that was threatened, Radcliffe! Mine and my brother’s! I had thought that we could settle this privately between us, but I shall be more than happy to tell the authorities about your hiring the assassins to kill me.”

Geoffrey raised the gun and pointed it directly at Noah’s chest as he smiled ferally. “You aren’t going to be alive when they get here, so I have no worry on that account. You see, Kincade, what I shall tell the authorities is this… You broke into my home, forced your way into my study, and then attacked me. I have Bartley for a witness, and upstanding citizen that I am, no one will doubt me.” He stepped around the desk.

“Why, you…!” Noah’s eyes narrowed as he sensed the danger, and his body went taut.

“You see,” Geoffrey went on brazenly, “there were no aspersions cast upon my character the other night, whereas you…Well, your motivation would be quite clear. I had revealed to all your unsavory connections, and you wanted to silence me before any more damage could be done to your reputation.” He cocked the pistol as he studied Noah mockingly. “Yes, that sounds most plausible…”

“You’re not serious?” Noah glanced from the gun to Geoffrey, trying to judge his intent.

“I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain,” he sneered. “By killing you, I’ll earn my parents’ respect. They’ll welcome me back with open arms. Decadent though I may have been in the past, no one would ever expect me of anything so unseemly as murder. And once I’ve assumed the title of the Earl of Radcliffe…” His smile was satanic as he moved closer to Noah, wanting to make sure that he didn’t miss.

Noah read the crazed look in his eyes and knew that his moments were numbered. Desperate to save his own life, he launched himself at Geoffrey. Geoffrey had not expected Noah to attack, and he hesitated in surprise. It was that moment of hesitation that cost him his advantage. Knocked to the floor by the force of Noah’s tackle, he barely managed to keep his hold on the gun, and they began to grapple savagely as each tried to gain control of the firearm.