“Thank you. And perhaps you should lay out a nightshirt. The duke didn’t expect to stay the night, and I don’t know if he has a satchel with him.”
“Yes, miss.”
“One more thing, Mrs. Huddleston. You’ll need to set up the dining room. For two.”
The housekeeper pressed the palms of her hands down her hips in a worried manner. “Are you sure you want to be doing that, miss?”
“No, but the duke is. Apparently he has an aversion to eating alone and insists I join him. Put us at opposite ends of the table with plenty of candles between us.”
Notwithstanding all that, Loretta would do all she could to make the duke’s unexpected overnight stay at Mammoth House pleasant. The one thing she wouldn’t do for him was agree to an arranged marriage between her brother and the duke’s sister if it was in her power to keep it from happening. Though that could be harder than she allowed his grace to think. Contrary to everything she let the duke believe, she had very little control over her brother.
But she did have an opinion and she would state it. Whenever necessary. It was impossible for her to have that romantic, soul-capturing love she’d read about in poetry, but there was no reason Paxton couldn’t find and woo the perfect lady to love.
“Not to worry, miss. I know what to do. I can keep my ear to the door.”
Loretta laughed. “That won’t be necessary. I assure you, I will not be in danger of being ravished by the duke tonight.”
“Yes, miss. I’d best get started and you’d best get started changing for dinner, too.”
Mrs. Huddleston hurried from the room, and Lorettastared down at the simple day dress she wore. She may not have been in Society for over two years, but she still knew the rules. When dining with a duke, she must be properly attired. Her hair should be up with a headpiece of jewels at her crown and not unbound and swinging freely about her shoulders as if she didn’t know the proper way to present herself. She needed to wear one of her best gowns.
And if she was honest with herself, she wanted the duke to know that when not caught unaware, as she was this afternoon by his unexpected arrival, she could be presentable. She’d put on some of her mother’s jewelry, too. A smile touched her lips as thoughts of her sweet, soft-spoken mother, whom she’d lost far too soon, crossed her mind. Loretta had lovely, expensive jewels that her uncle had allowed her to keep, maybe because they were her mother’s or perhaps because he knew she would seldom have a need to wear any of them.
But tonight, as fate had declared, she did.
An odd feeling stole over her and she realized she was actually excited about dressing for dinner. She still had many of the gowns she’d had made for her debut. They were no longer the latest fashion, she was sure, but all of them were made from the finest of fabrics, ribbons, and lace.
Loretta headed for the stairs. She didn’t have much time to turn herself from a simple country lady into a belle who looked as if she were attending a Society ball. Her uncle had spared no expense to prepare her for her first Season. At the time, Loretta had no idea he never intended for her to have one. He had already secretly arranged for her to marry Viscount Denningcourt.
And she almost had.
After much scolding, berating, and guilt had been heaped on her from her uncle for being an ungrateful lassfor all he’d done for her and her brother, she’d consented to the rushed wedding shortly after the Season had begun. But in the end, Loretta couldn’t bring herself to go through with the ceremony, which was why she was now—more or less—a prisoner at Mammoth House.
Chapter 3
No gentleman should ever forget that he is one.
APROPERGENTLEMAN’SGUIDETOWOOINGTHEPERFECTLADY
SIRVINCENTTYBALTVALENTINE
Hawk was damned glad Miss Quick had refused his gentlemanly offer and he wouldn’t be sleeping in the stable. The slow drizzle of rain had turned to a sleety shower of ice that was setting up for a miserable night of freezing cold. It was unseasonably wintry for being less than a month from the first day of spring.
A little before eight in the evening Hawk strode down the long corridor that led to the dining room. After he’d done all he could for the mare, the housekeeper had shown him to a room where he took off his coat, shirt, collar, and neckcloth and let them dry by the fire before donning them again. He hadn’t expected to stay the night at Mammoth House so he’d left his satchel at the inn where he’d left his carriage.
Hawk was looking forward to a hearty meal, a stoutwine, and an evening of interesting discussions with Miss Quick before he sought a warm bed.
He rounded the doorway and came to an abrupt halt when he saw Miss Quick standing in front of the fireplace. Flickering yellow and amber flames glowed behind her, giving her an almost ethereal appearance. His first thought was that she looked angelic.
His second was that he wanted to seduce her.
His third was that he’d best get his primal urges under control.
And fast.
She was the niece of an earl and not available for him to dally with no matter what desires his baser instincts were pressing upon him to engage in at the moment. He could enjoy her beauty, wit, and charm, but he couldn’t touch her.
She wore a buttery-colored gown that looked as soft and velvety as her beautiful skin. Long, sheer sleeves were trimmed at the cuffs with white fur. The neckline swept low, revealing the enticing, gentle swell of her breasts. A brilliantly cut ruby hung from a delicate strand of pearls that circled her neck, and a matching strand had been fitted at the crown of her silky upswept hair.
