Duchess by Mistake Read Online Free Page A
second year of our marriage. Anna's young. There will be time."
Aldridge had obviously touched on a sensitive topic. Beastly of him.
At the thought of the three life-long friends having sons, something deep inside of Aldridge unfurled. Neither his horse winning the stakes nor his winning bid for the da Vinci had made him feel as exhilarated as he felt at this moment contemplating a son of his own. "It's delightful to think of our offspring growing up as close to one another as we have been all these years." Now why had he gone and babbled such?
"I hope that means you'll not be leaving the country anytime in the next twenty years."
A smile on his face, Aldridge shrugged. "That depends. I mean to offer myself at the Foreign Office."
"By Jove, that's the second-best news I've heard in a long while. We can put your analytical mind to good use on cryptology."
"Is that not what you've been doing these past few years?"
"It is, and I could use a hand."
Aldridge leaned back in the chair and regarded his old friend. "If that's the second-best news you've heard, may I ask what's the best?"
"Having you as a brother," Haverstock said with great solemnity. Then he stood. "I suppose it's time for you to speak to Elizabeth. I'll have her come down."
Aldridge cleared his throat. He wanted his closest friend to know that he wasn't as debauched as he'd appeared that afternoon. "When I arrived at Aldridge House this afternoon, I received a note from Belle Evans informing me she was going to pay a call." He shrugged. "She needed the loan of a hundred quid. It was she I was expecting in my bedchamber--not your sister."
Haverstock stiffened and did not respond for a moment. "What was my sister doing there?"
"I have no idea."
"Then I understand if you wish to retract your offer."
"No one forced me to come here tonight. It's a marriage I want." If only he could mean those words.
Haverstock nodded solemnly and left the chamber.
* * *
No matter how humiliated one was and no matter how mortified one was over one's scandalous situation, one simply had to eat. Elizabeth regretted that she'd sent away the uneaten tray for she now realized how terribly hungry she actually was. She'd not eaten since she'd partaken of toast and tea that morning. Perhaps she could slip out of her bedchamber and stealthily make her way down to the kitchen.
Still wearing the same periwinkle gown she'd worn on her disastrous visit to Aldridge House, she began to creep down the stairs. When she reached the entry corridor, the door to Haverstock's library opened, and her brother came strolling out. "Oh, there you are, Lizzie. You have a visitor." He waved his arm toward the library. "Right this way."
She most particularly did not want to see a caller right now--even if she was wearing her most becoming dress. Unfortunately, she was not courageous enough to defy her commanding brother. It was one thing to turn him away from her bedchamber, but she could hardly stomp her foot and refuse to do as he bid her now. Now that she'd left the security of her locked room.
Her brow raised in query, she reluctantly moved toward the library, opened the door, and started into the chamber. The room was dark. Its only source of light came from the fire blazing in the hearth and an oil lamp burning upon the desk. She saw that a man rose as she entered. As she moved closer, her breath caught. It was the Duke of Aldridge! Obviously, he was the most debauched man in all of England. And Italy, too, she imagined!
She was powerless to prevent the red, hot heat from rushing to her cheeks. Facing him made her recall that awkward moment when she had seen his glistening flesh. Every inch of it. Yet as the duke stood in her brother's library, effecting a courtly bow to a humiliated maiden, she could almost forget his wickedness.
Now he looked ever so proper dressed in well-fitted gray breeches, a fine black jacket, and snowy white cravat tied beneath a pensive face. He could have cut a
Aldridge had obviously touched on a sensitive topic. Beastly of him.
At the thought of the three life-long friends having sons, something deep inside of Aldridge unfurled. Neither his horse winning the stakes nor his winning bid for the da Vinci had made him feel as exhilarated as he felt at this moment contemplating a son of his own. "It's delightful to think of our offspring growing up as close to one another as we have been all these years." Now why had he gone and babbled such?
"I hope that means you'll not be leaving the country anytime in the next twenty years."
A smile on his face, Aldridge shrugged. "That depends. I mean to offer myself at the Foreign Office."
"By Jove, that's the second-best news I've heard in a long while. We can put your analytical mind to good use on cryptology."
"Is that not what you've been doing these past few years?"
"It is, and I could use a hand."
Aldridge leaned back in the chair and regarded his old friend. "If that's the second-best news you've heard, may I ask what's the best?"
"Having you as a brother," Haverstock said with great solemnity. Then he stood. "I suppose it's time for you to speak to Elizabeth. I'll have her come down."
Aldridge cleared his throat. He wanted his closest friend to know that he wasn't as debauched as he'd appeared that afternoon. "When I arrived at Aldridge House this afternoon, I received a note from Belle Evans informing me she was going to pay a call." He shrugged. "She needed the loan of a hundred quid. It was she I was expecting in my bedchamber--not your sister."
Haverstock stiffened and did not respond for a moment. "What was my sister doing there?"
"I have no idea."
"Then I understand if you wish to retract your offer."
"No one forced me to come here tonight. It's a marriage I want." If only he could mean those words.
Haverstock nodded solemnly and left the chamber.
* * *
No matter how humiliated one was and no matter how mortified one was over one's scandalous situation, one simply had to eat. Elizabeth regretted that she'd sent away the uneaten tray for she now realized how terribly hungry she actually was. She'd not eaten since she'd partaken of toast and tea that morning. Perhaps she could slip out of her bedchamber and stealthily make her way down to the kitchen.
Still wearing the same periwinkle gown she'd worn on her disastrous visit to Aldridge House, she began to creep down the stairs. When she reached the entry corridor, the door to Haverstock's library opened, and her brother came strolling out. "Oh, there you are, Lizzie. You have a visitor." He waved his arm toward the library. "Right this way."
She most particularly did not want to see a caller right now--even if she was wearing her most becoming dress. Unfortunately, she was not courageous enough to defy her commanding brother. It was one thing to turn him away from her bedchamber, but she could hardly stomp her foot and refuse to do as he bid her now. Now that she'd left the security of her locked room.
Her brow raised in query, she reluctantly moved toward the library, opened the door, and started into the chamber. The room was dark. Its only source of light came from the fire blazing in the hearth and an oil lamp burning upon the desk. She saw that a man rose as she entered. As she moved closer, her breath caught. It was the Duke of Aldridge! Obviously, he was the most debauched man in all of England. And Italy, too, she imagined!
She was powerless to prevent the red, hot heat from rushing to her cheeks. Facing him made her recall that awkward moment when she had seen his glistening flesh. Every inch of it. Yet as the duke stood in her brother's library, effecting a courtly bow to a humiliated maiden, she could almost forget his wickedness.
Now he looked ever so proper dressed in well-fitted gray breeches, a fine black jacket, and snowy white cravat tied beneath a pensive face. He could have cut a
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