Never Had a Dream Come True Read Online Free Page B

doesn’t mean everyone else of our acquaintance does the same. I know for certain our family doesn’t.”
    The duke gave his wife a look which would have made grown men weep, but the duchess only gave her husband a sweet smile and raised her glass in a quiet salute. She knew better than to put more wood on her husband’s fire.
    The duke could be a bit stubborn when he was upset over something, and they had all learnt the hard way it was better to keep quiet than to continue with an argument they never could win.
    “So, Richard, did you meet anyone special this Season?” The duchess gave her son another sweet smile as he groaned over the question.
    “Mother, really, isn’t it about time to give up about me getting married and just let me be? For years you have been nagging me about finding the right one, and I can’t help but wonder when you will realize I haven’t the slightest wish to marry.”
    “Dearest, you are but twenty-seven years of age. There is no way I’ll put you on the shelf and let you be , as you so nicely put it. I’m your mother, and it is my duty to try to make you as happy as you possibly can become.”
    Rake snorted, clearly not believing his ears. “And you think marriage is the perfect solution to make me happy? Please!”
    “I think the perfect woman can.”
    “There are too many perfect women out there for me to settle with only one.”
    This time it was the duchess’s turn to snort. “But one is all you need, as long as she is your perfect match.”
    “There is no such thing as a perfect match or a perfect woman. I know what I’m talking about, as I have been socializing with too many other men’s perfect matches and perfect women.”
    “Richard!”
    “Yes, Mother?”
    The duchess threw her hands out in despair, a quite common thing for her to do when it came to her youngest son. “Oh, I give up. If you don’t want to be happy, fine. I can’t force you into anything against your will. All I ask you to do is to keep your mind and your heart open, because one day the right girl will appear in front of you, and I would hate to see you miss out on your own eternal happiness.”
    “I’ll keep my eyes open,” Rake drawled, sending Penny another hot gaze—which she unfortunately didn’t miss, as she had been staring dreamily at him during his discussion with his mother.
    Of course his look reminded her of their encounter of the morning and exactly what he had seen. She blushed, and his soft chuckle told her he noticed her discomfort.
    “What do you say, Charles?” Rake nodded toward his brother. “You are not married. Are you happy? Or are you slowly dissolving in a pool of loneliness?”
    “Richard!”
    Rake ignored his mother’s outraged gasp and instead gave his brother an amused grin that was returned in full.
    “Between the people of our church and our heathen family, there is not much time for me to be lonely. So my answer is no, I’m not dissolving at all. Sorry.”
    The last word was directed toward the duchess, who sank back into her chair and rolled her eyes.
    “Don’t think you have defeated me, my son. I love you too much to consider giving in to your wish and letting you be. I have my mission, and I’m stubbornly refusing to give it up.”
    “Heathen family, you say?” The duke glared at his son. “Is this something you usually say when you are amongst others, or is it just with your family you’re using that word?”
    Charles gave his father a smile, one as wicked as any of Rake’s, and the duke shook his head. “This family will be my death,” he boomed to his wife before he left the fivesome at the table without another word.
    “So, Lady Penelope,” Rake purred. “How has it been for you, living under the roof of this heathen family?”
    “We are not that heathen,” Francesca laughed, unknowingly saving Penny from having to answer Rake’s teasing. “I must admit we are not as civilized as most other families out there, but at least we try