Mad About the Duke Read Online Free

borrowed to be inconspicuous.
    So much for that.
    And definitely not so inconspicuous with her. This glorious Elinor. With her soft blonde hair, and those eyes. Those cornflower blue eyes.
    Until, that is, she’d looked down her nose at him.
    Him?! The Duke of Parkerton.
    He glanced up and found Jack staring at him with an expression that was reminiscent of their father, the 8 th duke, all full of worry and an air of responsibility.
    Oh, this would never do. Letting Jack become the responsible one.
    Struggling to put the afternoon into words, he floundered along, “I was…and then Lady Standon came in…I had no idea hair could be that color…that is to say…”
    Jack’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “Good God! She struck you blind, didn’t she?”
    It took a moment for Jack’s words to sink in…what his brother was implying.
    Just the very suggestion had James on his feet, shoulders taut and his bearing as ducal as the day he’d gained his title. “Oh, good God, man, no! I am not some fool pup.”
    Jack tipped his head and studied him further, looking utterly unconvinced.
    â€œI am not in love with the lady,” James repeated, though something whispered to him that he was protesting a little too much.
    â€œStranger things have happened,” Jack mused, glancing down at his nails. “You wouldn’t be the first Tremont to fall in love at first sight.”
    â€œIn love?!” James blustered as he began to pace. “I will have no part in that sort of nonsense. I think the more sensible explanation is that it was just this day! It has been an utter mess since I entered White’s.”
    â€œWell, I wouldn’t return to White’s for a few days,” Jack was saying as he glanced at his brother’s newly minted black eye. “Make it at least a sennight—you’ll want that rainbow to clear up before you show your face again.”
    James grimaced. Oh, bloody hell! The bruise around his eye would cause a sensation. Yes, indeed, he needed to keep out of sight.
    â€œYour only hope is that perhaps Stewie Hodges will make a cake of himself in the next few days and his folly will diffuse any gossip about you becoming a matchmaker.” There was that humorous little twitch to Jack’s lips, but he had the good sense not to laugh this time.
    At least not aloud.
    James glared at him, a silent reminder that they needed to get back to the matter at hand.
    â€œYes, well,” Jack said, swallowing back whatever quirky little remark he’d been about to add to his earlier jest, “I still don’t understand how it was she hired you once you told her who you were.”
    Now it was James’s turn to shuffle his feet. “Yes, I suppose it does make it a bit confusing. And it would have clarified things rather quickly—”
    â€œYes, quite, if you had bothered to tell her who you were,” Jack said, wagging a finger.
    â€œHow did you know—,” James began, then stopped.
    â€œI know. And then I assume you lied to her? You gave her a false name?”
    Perhaps coming to a known rake and bounder for help hadn’t been the best choice. Unfortunately, Jack knew every alleyway, side street and close that led into—and out of—an impending disaster.
    So James’s only choice was to come clean. “Yes. I lied to the lady. I gave her a false name. I had no choice. If I had told her who I was, when I was there kneeling on the floor, I would have looked an utter fool.”
    Jack snorted.
    Yes, James had to suppose he hadn’t improved the situation any by lying, but at the time…
    â€œWhat name did you use?”
    James flinched. But he was in the suds now, and there was no point hiding the fact. “St. Maur.”
    This time Jack couldn’t contain himself. “You used our old Seymour lineage? You couldn’t have dredged up some long-forgotten Tremont