He took the glass. “It’s still raining.”
She glanced out the window, too. “So it is. Please, do sit down and enjoy your drink and the fire for a while.”
And your company.
“It will be my pleasure, Miss Quick, but first I must ask a favor. My horse stepped in a hole and can’t be ridden. When I leave, I will have to ask to borrow one of yours to ride back to the village.”
“Oh, my.” Her fan-shaped brows lifted. “I’m afraid that’s not going to be possible.”
He smiled. She even had to take him to task over the use of one of her horses. “I’ll see that it’s returned, Miss Quick.”
“I have no doubt of that, Your Grace.” She glanced out the window again and worried her bottom lip for a few seconds. Concern was back in her expression when she faced him again.
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes. I would be more than happy to lend you a mount so that you can take your leave, if I had one. We have only four at Mammoth House. My brother and his valet are away on two of them and Mr. Huddleston and his helper have the other two. They left this morning for their weekly visit to Grimsfield for supplies. It’s quite a distance, as you no doubt know, so they always stay overnight with Mr. Huddleston’s brother. They aren’t expected back until tomorrow.”
“Only four horses on an estate this size?” That was unimaginable.
“There’s no need for more, as we lead a simple life here at Mammoth House.”
“That’s a bit too simple as far as I’m concerned,” he said irritably. “Does the earl know of this?”
“My uncle is very generous to allow my brother and me to live in such a grand home with servants to care for our needs.”
So it was the Earl of Switchingham who had Miss Quick and her brother living in the middle of this vast valley with nothing surrounding it and few creature comforts. He should have guessed.
“So then, I’m to assume there is no one at the stable to care for my horse outside.”
Her shoulders lifted. “I’m quite capable of doing that for you, Your Grace.”
He grunted. What did she take him for? A pampered ninny? She was by far the most direct and unpretentious young lady he’d ever met.
“No, Miss Quick, you are not. I will not see the day I’ll allow a female to care for my horse.”
“As you wish.” He watched as she swallowed hard, hesitating more than once before finally saying, “So then, unless you intend to walk back to the village, I’ll have to offer you a bed for the night.”
A slow roll of enticement started in Hawk’s throat and rumbled down to his chest and into his lower stomach. Anticipation had his heartbeat thundering in his chest. Even though her words were soft, breathy, and oh so sensual to his ears, he knew she hadn’t meant her invitation the way his body responded to it.
Her expression was apprehensive. Her dark-blue eyes questioned him. How would he answer?
She not only provoked every one of his senses, but also heated his desire and stimulated his mind. She was truly lovely, tempting, and undeniably innocent. Those things made for a powerful combination, and his body was letting him know in no uncertain way that he wanted her with an intensity that he hadn’t felt in a very long time.
If ever.
He should offer to bed down in the stable. A true gentleman would and not leave the virtuous Miss Quick open to any hint of scandal. But the cold, damp stable was as appealing as a sickbed, and the last place Hawk wanted to stay this night.
So should he do the right thing, be a gentleman and stay in the stable, or—as he had so often done in the past—do the wrong thing and continue to be a rake?
Chapter 2
A gentleman would never put a young lady’s reputation at risk. No matter how tempting the thought of doing so might be.
APROPERGENTLEMAN’SGUIDETOWOOINGTHEPERFECTLADY
SIRVINCENTTYBALTVALENTINE
Loretta Quick was quite simply shaking in her slippers, but the Duke of Hawksthorn would never know. Her inner trembling wasn’t from fear of him or even nervousness that he was a duke. It was because the moment she saw him, something changed inside her and she still wasn’t sure what to make of the new, startling, and unexplained feelings that had swept over her at the sight of him. She wasn’t out of breath, yet she was breathless. She wasn’t dizzy, yet she felt light-headed. She wasn’t hungry, yet looking at him caused a ravenous appetite to rise up within her.
