Kissing Cousins Read Online Free

to the opera tomorrow night, and for her ball the next evening. He couldn ’ t miss that ball. If all went well, the Duke of Derwent would announce the betrothal of his eldest daughter to the Marquess of Salverton.
    "I ’ ll go with you, ” Salverton said in a voice more resigned than eager.
    Samantha leapt to her feet as if he had struck her. “ Oh, no! I would not dream of putting you to so much bother, Cousin. Just lend me a few guineas. ”
    “ No female cousin of mine is going alone on the coach to a strange city. You can ’ t stay alone overnight in a hotel. ”
    “ But I can hardly stay with you in a hotel, ” she pointed out reasonably.
    “ You are my young cousin. I am your ad hoc guardian for this occasion, ” he said, but a pink flush crept up from his collar. What would Louise say if she ever heard of this?
    “ In any case, we shan ’ t be staying overnight. We ’ ll take my carriage, find Darren, haul him back, and arrange matters with Bayne. We ’ ll be back by morning. I have a few notes to write before leaving. I was just working on this budget report for the prime minister. It is due this week. ”
    “ The prime minister! Really! ” she exclaimed, showing the proper degree of awe.
    “ Lord Liverpool counts on me to a considerable extent, ” he said as modestly as the words allowed. When she just smiled, he added, “ You might as well remove your pelisse. This will take a few moments. ”
    While Samantha did not relish spending so many hours in Salverton ’ s company, she knew his carriage would be preferable to the coach. And it would be well to have a gentleman with her, too, for finding Darren and Wanda might require a deal of legwork. She took off her cape and spread it over the back of her chair.
    “ It is very kind of you, Cousin, ” she said. “ I meant only to ask your advice, and perhaps borrow a little money. Miss Donaldson said you would know what to do, and I see she was right. ”
    Salverton smiled at this sensible speech. It was at this point that he noticed his cousin was remarkably well preserved for a lady in her twenties. In fact, she was prettier than she had been five years before, at Celine ’ s wedding. A late bloomer. Her figure, especially, had blossomed remarkably. He couldn ’ t remember her having such full, lush breasts before. The face was also pretty, but he would ask her to change her bonnet before leaving.
    He rang for his butler and called for his traveling carriage. This done, he drew out a sheet of crested vellum and began to write. Samantha sat and watched him as his pen made bold strokes across the page.
    “ Who is Louise? ” she asked.
    His head rose and his steely eyes stared at her. “ Is it the custom in Milford for a lady to read a gentleman ’ s private correspondence? ” he asked sarcastically.
    “ I was not reading the letter, Cousin! Only the name. Good gracious, don ’ t tell me she is a lightskirt! ” she exclaimed.
    His gray eyes turned a shade darker. “ Certainly not! She is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Derwent, if you must know. ”
    “ Is she your sweetheart? ” the incorrigible lady asked.
    “ I hope to marry her. ”
    “ Is she pretty? ”
    “ She is considered tolerably handsome. ”
    “ Oh, a marriage of convenience, ” Samantha said. “ Of course. I should have guessed. ”
    Salverton ’ s jaw quivered in indignation.
    She immediately lost interest in the letter and amused herself by opening her reticule and stacking up her shillings and pence on the edge of his desk to facilitate counting them.
    As Salverton applied a wafer to seal his letter, the butler came to tell him his carriage was waiting.
    Salverton and Samantha went out to a handsome black, crested carriage drawn by a team of four high-stepping bays.
    “ We shall be there in no time, ” Samantha said, admiring the team.
    Salverton held the door while she scampered in. “ First we shall stop and have a word with Miss Donaldson, while you change