How to Manage a Marquess Read Online Free Page B

sprawled on your back in the bushes; you had your hands on my arse and your tongue in my—” He pressed his lips together. “And you ask if you’ve done something wrong ?!”
    The lovely excitement she’d felt congealed into a hard, ugly lump of shame. Hot mortification rushed to her face.
    â€œYour behavior would scandalize any proper young woman,” he said priggishly.
    Who was he to tell her how to behave? He was the one who’d started the misbehavior. He’d dragged her into the garden, rolled her into the bushes, and then put his tongue where it didn’t belong.
    She was so angry, she hissed.
    No, that was Poppy. The cat darted out from under a bush and pounced on Lord Haywood’s right boot.
    â€œHey! What do you mean by that?” Lord Haywood reached down as if to grab Poppy by the scruff of her neck.
    Poppy was having none of it. She swiped at his fingers, clawed his leather boots for good measure, and ran off.
    Lord Haywood scowled after her. “Blo—blasted cat.”
    At least he’s trying to mind his tongue—
    She flushed. Best not to think about tongues.
    â€œThese are new boots.”
    â€œI’m certain you can afford another pair.” Anne tried to get to her feet, but her skirts were twisted round her legs.
    â€œLet me help you, Miss Davenport.” Lord Haywood reached for her, but she swatted his hand away.
    â€œDon’t t-touch me.” She hoped he’d think her stutter was caused by fury and not a desperate attempt to swallow sudden tears. Dreadful skirts. Had they tied themselves in a knot? They seemed determined to keep her in her ignominious position on the ground.
    She tried once more to get up but put a foot on the edge of her dress, sending her flopping gracelessly down again.
    â€œMiss Davenport, please. Allow me to assist you.”
    â€œNo. I’d rather lie here in the dirt than have you touch me.”
    â€œOh, for God’s sake.”
    Apparently Lord Haywood had reached the end of his patience. He grabbed her hands and pulled. He was very strong. She flew off the ground and fell heavily against him. His arms came round her to steady her.
    He felt so good....
    But he thought her no better than a light-skirt.
    She put her hands on his very hard chest and shoved.
    He didn’t let her go.
    She tilted her head back and addressed his strong jaw. “Lord Haywood, release me immediately.” She tried to snort derisively for added effect, but unfortunately the sound came out more like a sob.
    Lord Haywood sighed and held her away from him, his hands on her shoulders. “Miss Davenport, I apologize. I should not have said what I did.”
    â€œYou should not have thought it.”
    He sighed again and dropped his hands. “I didn’t really think it. I was merely . . .” He looked away. “I was, er, upset by the, ah, circumstances.”
    â€œCircumstances you created.” Well, she should be truthful. “That is, I did trip and fall into you, but everything after that was all your doing.”
    Perhaps not all his doing, but he’d certainly led the way.
    â€œI was merely trying to keep us from being discovered by the Misses Boltwood, who I understand are the village gossips.”
    Everyone in Loves Bridge gossiped, not that there was normally anything of interest to gossip about, but the Boltwoods did indeed take the art to new heights.
    Hmm. There would be something to talk about if the Boltwoods found out Cat had been in the trysting bushes with the duke.
    Or—good Lord!—if they discovered what she’d just been doing in the vegetation with the marquess.
    â€œYou won’t tell anyone about this, will you?” she asked anxiously.
    His brows shot up in apparent shock and then slammed down. “Of course not. What do you take me for? The whole point of that”—he waved at the ground where they’d so recently been sprawled—“was to