‘You know all my secrets, Lord Linwood.’

      ‘Not all.’

      ‘No, not all,’ she said as she turned to look into his face.

      He saw something flicker in her eyes—something that was not quite in keeping with the rest of her, something which he could not quite discern. But it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

      ‘I am intrigued, Miss Fox.’ It was the truth. She was the most celebrated and coveted actress in all London. Bewitching. Beguiling. Yet cool. Her reputation preceded her. Linwood had never met a woman like her.

      ‘By my secrets or by me?’

      ‘Both. But I thought you desired flattery to be confined to the green room?’

      She laughed, her eyes silver in the moonlight beneath the dark, elegant curve of her brows. ‘I will tell you one of mine if you tell me one of yours.’ Her voice was husky and as alluring as that of a siren. Her gaze held his boldly. The sensual tension tightened as the silence stretched between them.

      All around them was darkness as dense and black as the secrets he carried in his heart—secrets that he would take to his grave rather than spill.

      ‘Would you really, Miss Fox? Tell me your darkest secret in exchange for mine?’

      About the Author

      MARGARET MCPHEE loves to use her imagination—an essential requirement for a trained scientist. However, when she realised that her imagination was inspired more by the historical romances she loves to read rather than by her experiments, she decided to put the ideas down on paper. She has since left her scientific life behind, retaining only the romance—her husband, whom she met in a laboratory. In summer, Margaret enjoys cycling along the coastline overlooking the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, where she lives. In winter, tea, cakes and a good book suffice.

       Previous novels by the same author:

      THE CAPTAIN’S LADY

      MISTAKEN MISTRESS

      THE WICKED EARL

      UNTOUCHED MISTRESS

      A SMUGGLER’S TALE

      (part of Regency Christmas Weddings)

      THE CAPTAIN’S FOBIDDEN MISS

      UNLACING THE INNOCENT MISS

      (part of Regency Silk & Scandal mini-series)

      UNMASKING THE DUKE’S MISTRESS*

      A DARK AND BROODING GENTLEMAN*

      HIS MASK OF RETRIBUTION*

      And in Mills & Boon Historical Undone!

      HOW TO TEMPT A VISCOUNT*

      *Gentlemen of Disrepute

       Did you know that some of these novels

       are also available as eBooks?

       Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

      AUTHOR NOTE

      This story picks up where HIS MASK OF RETRIBUTION left off. As the dark-eyed Lord Linwood was cast in a rather villainous light in my previous books, I thought it was time for him to be the hero. Finding the right heroine was a challenge—until the sexy demi-monde celebrity Miss Venetia Fox popped into my head. I knew at once she was going to be more than a match for Linwood in the very dangerous game they play together.

      So here is the story of how Venetia and Linwood come to fall in love. I sincerely hope that you like it.

      I love to hear from readers: www.margaretmcphee.co.uk

      Dicing with the

      Dangerous Lord

      Margaret McPhee

      

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      For my big Wee Sister, Andrea—

      lots of spicy bits because I know you like them!

       Chapter One

       Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London November 1810

      The applause within the Theatre Royal at Covent Garden was deafening, even after the heavy red curtain had descended on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, to shield London’s most acclaimed darling of the theatre from the audience.

      Miss Venetia Fox smiled and hugged her friend and fellow actress as they made their way from the stage. ‘They are still on their feet, Alice.’

      ‘I can’t believe it! It’s amazing! I’ve never seen a response like it.’ Alice Sweetly’s eyes were big as saucers. In her excitement her soft Irish lilt grew stronger.

      Venetia laughed. ‘You will get used to it.’

      ‘You think this’ll happen again?’

      Venetia smiled at her protégée and nodded.

      ‘You were right. Life doesn’t get much better than this.’ Alice’s face was lit with the same euphoria that was flowing through Venetia’s veins. Away from the glitz and glamour of the front of the house, the theatre’s corridors were mean and narrow and the décor shabby, but it could not suppress the women’s spirits.

      Alice hesitated outside the door to the small dressing room that they shared and turned to look up into Venetia’s face. ‘Thank you, Venetia. For helping me. For persuading Mr Kemble to put me on stage with you tonight. For everything.’

      ‘I knew you would be a star.’ Venetia gave Alice another hug. ‘After the green room we will celebrate.’

      ‘Only after the green room,’ Alice agreed. ‘See, I’m learning to be professional, just like you taught me.’

      Venetia laughed, and a joy welled up in her to see just how far Alice had come in the past year. Alice’s face showed confidence, self-respect and excitement. Venetia felt like she was walking on air as she opened the dressing-room door.

      She was still smiling as she stepped across the threshold and saw the bunch of roses that lay upon the dressing table. The smile dropped from her face and the lightness of her mood evaporated in an instant.

      Alice chattered on oblivious, her face lighting even brighter when she saw the roses. ‘Someone’s ahead of the game tonight. Got in early before the others.’ She touched a finger to the centre of the bouquet. ‘Nice little quirk from the usual arrangement, too. Which one of us is the lucky girl, do you think?’

      Venetia knew the answer to that question without reading the small white card that had been tucked within the brown paper wrapping the stems. There were twelve roses, soft and velvety and of the deepest darkest red, and nestling in the centre of their arrangement, in such contrast, was a single creamy white rose, just as Robert had said. It was the message for which she had waited these weeks past. It had been so long in the coming that she had almost forgotten what she had agreed to. Almost.

      Venetia picked up the card with its scrawl of black ink.

      ‘Looks like you’ve got yourself a new admirer. And one that hasn’t signed so much as his initial.’ Alice raised her eyebrows suggestively. ‘Very mysterious.’

      Not mysterious at all. Venetia forced a smile, but it felt wooden upon her lips. Her eyes moved over the card and she read aloud the single word written upon it in handwriting that she could not fail to recognise—Tonight.

      ‘Sounds