John leaned back in the padded chair in his library and sighed in satisfaction. His life was about perfect right now. Yes, he shared a house with the two most nauseating females in England, but other than that, perfect.

He held more power than most nobles and the royals to boot, and the fools didn’t even know it. The safe hidden behind his bookcase contained a king’s ransom worth of gold and jewels. And soon, so very soon, his life’s work would come to fruition, and Napoleon would conquer not only the continent, but this God-forsaken island as well.

The dark clouds of the most brutal storm in history were gathering. And he couldn’t wait to march alongside the only man worthy of the title Emperor, and watch the humiliating defeat of that puffed-up bastard Wellington. Napoleon couldn’t lose. He had the cunning and the experience, not to mention a far superior army. The allied forces were scattered. Depleted. Ripe to be crushed.

“Claremont! Oh, Claaaaaremonnnnt.” Eva barged through the door without knocking, because that was something only people with a modicum of good sense or manners did.

“What do you want?” he said irritably.

“Is that any way to speak to your dear wife?”

John glanced at the letter opener sitting on his desk. It would be so easy to stab her to death. But even an amoral idiot like Eva had her uses. Her house parties and dinners had concealed many lucrative transactions, and she could be relied upon to seduce any man he placed in her path. Many a deal had been sweetened, or investigation diverted, by his unwitting spouse.

“Ah. You want money.”

“I think I deserve some,” she pouted. “You have a new horse, the best wines, and all those rifles and pistols. I didn’t even know you liked hunting.”

“It is one of my favorite activities. I live for the kill. But your allowance is more than sufficient. If you didn’t spend money like water, you could pay your bills.”

Eva stomped her foot. “I do not. Everything costs more than you could imagine thanks to that horrid little Frenchman.”

“Careful, my dear. I’d hate to have to hand you over to him.”

“Oh, Claremont,” she giggled, the sound grating as rusty hinges. “You’re so awful to me, I don’t know why I married you.”

“Because Lady Young found you half-naked and astride me in her library.”

“Oh yes. A wife in days and months later a mother. Hmmm. I wonder how Samantha is. I’ve been meaning to see her, but the callers are starting to drop off now that Lord Standish’s shooting is old news. And the Season keeps me so busy.”

“Ahem,” came a discreet cough from the doorway.

“Yes?” said John, relieved at the interruption. He could only tolerate Eva in the smallest of doses.

“Apologies, your lordship, but an urgent missive has arrived.”

He took the note and dismissed the footman with a wave. The handwriting was distinctly recognizable as Phillipe’s. Interesting. Perhaps news from France? Standish had succumbed to his wounds? That would be welcome indeed.

Unfolding the thick parchment, John began to read. When he finished, he sat back in his chair, wanting to roar in triumph. It seemed even now, life could get better.

“Well. Your daughter is far more enterprising than I thought,” he mused.

“What?” said Eva, blankly. “Who is the letter from? Is it good news, then?”

“My dear, limit yourself to one inane question at a time or you’ll have a hot flush.”

“Inane? What does that mean? You know I don’t like it when you use words I haven’t heard of.”

John smiled. “It’s another word for intelligent and insightful.”

“Oh,” she replied smugly, placated. “Then I am most inane.”

“Yes, you are. It is the main reason I married you. Now, as to the letter, it contains information which might lead to a proposal. A proposal which would see Samantha take the mantle of society empress.”

“Are you drunk, Claremont? How on earth could Samantha be a society empress? She is so short. And has bad hair.”

John breathed deeply, his fingers caressing the letter opener. It would only take seconds. And a half hour at most to get rid of her body forever.

Instead, he smiled. “It seems she has been visiting an extremely prominent Grosvenor Square address other than Forsyth House. Unchaperoned. At rather odd hours. And was seen at the theater being held by the owner of that same prominent address.”

“Samantha has a lover?” Eva frowned. “And here I thought she was mad about Standish. Well, I never! Who is it? He must be exceedingly wealthy, they all are around there.”

“Beyond anything you could imagine. And unlike my title, his is absolutely ancient.”

“A title as well? Oh, who is it? Tell me, tell me!”

John laughed as energy fizzed through his veins.

What to do, what to do. Call the Duke of Southby out? Send an anonymous note to that henwit gossip Lady Havenhurst? Take a stand as the caring and indignant father, demanding restitution for the stolen innocence of his virginal daughter? The benefits of being father-in-law to the most powerful nobleman in England would be countless. Instant access to the best of everything. Unlimited credit anywhere. Full admittance to the country’s highest inner circle. Information.

And as the Duchess of Southby’s dear papa, he would be untouchable.

“Come now, Eva. You know everything worth having must be worked for.”

“Do I have to?” she protested in distaste, and his cock hardened. It always made it infinitely better, knowing how much she loathed submitting to him what she would gladly do for any pretty-faced boy in London.

“Of course not. But surely you want to know all about the senior peer your precious little girl is carrying on with.”

Eva blinked. “Senior? How senior?”

“Top of the tree,” he said, waving the letter temptingly.

“I hope you aren’t teasing me, Claremont.”

“Not at all. I’ll even let you read this. After you earn it,” he said, gesturing to the floor. Reluctantly obedient, she knelt in a flurry of bows and feathers to release his erection from his trousers. Soon her warm, wet tongue and clever fingers had him on the edge of climax, and he thrust himself deeper down her throat, making her gag as he forced her to swallow every drop of his seed.

Indeed, the position of power was the only place to be.