So yes, she should be horrified that she would be dining alone with one of the rakes. She should be worried for her reputation. She should be fearful for her person.
But she wasn’t.
God help her, she was looking forward to it.
And not just because the duke was a handsome man who had all her senses shooting to the stars and back. It had been such a long time since she’d dined with anyone other than her brother, occasionally with her uncle on his infrequent visits to Mammoth House, and her yearly visitto his estate on Christmas Day for the Yuletide dinner with a few of his elderly friends.
Loretta had never regretted not marrying the viscount her uncle had chosen for her, but she had missed the social life it could have afforded her. She wasn’t one to dwell on what might have been. When she made her decision to defy her uncle, she knew there would be penalties, and knowing her uncle could be harsh, she should have assumed they would be severe.
The Earl of Switchingham had been honor-bound to take in his younger brother’s two children, Paxton and Loretta, when their mother passed, his brother having died in a duel shortly after Loretta was born. Almost as soon as they arrived Paxton was sent to boarding school for his education. Loretta was kept at Switchingham under the care of governesses and tutors until she was ready for her debut. She seldom saw the earl, as he spent most of his time in London, but when he was home it was clear he expected to be obeyed without question. So yes, now that this rare opportunity had presented itself to her, she wanted to dine with the interesting Duke of Hawksthorn. She wanted to talk with him, and she even wanted to somehow once again feel the delicious sensations that had roused inside her when she looked at him, when their hands had touched. She didn’t have to understand these things to enjoy them.
Besides, the duke was right. Wasn’t he? Who would know that he’d overnighted under her roof and shared her table? She supposed that if, after all these years, her reputation was going to be ruined, she’d rather it be by a fine-looking gentleman who’d made her heart feel as if it were skipping a beat every time she looked at him.
“Is he a real duke?”
Loretta glanced over to see Mrs. Huddleston standingin the doorway of the drawing room. “As real as they come.”
“Is he leaving now?”
“No,” Loretta answered, walking over to the secretary and placing the duke’s drink on the tray. “He’s going out to the stable to care for his horse.”
“That’s probably a first for a gentleman like him. Do you suppose he knows how to do it?”
“Now you are being unkind, Mrs. Huddleston,” Loretta said with more good humor than reprimand in her tone. “I know even dukes are taught the proper care of their animals.”
“If you say so.” She pursed her lips a moment and then added, “Though I’d feel better if Mr. Huddleston or Arnold were here to take care of the horse for him.”
“So would I, but they are not,” Loretta said.
“I figure if a man can’t tie his own neckcloth and needs a valet to do it for him, he probably can’t stable his own horse.”
Loretta cleared her throat to keep from laughing at that remark. “You have no idea whether or not he ties his own neckcloth. And I think you have more important things to worry about right now anyway.”
“Me?”
“Yes. The duke will be staying for dinner. Do you have something you can prepare on short notice?”
Her eyes rounded and she picked up the tail of her apron and started wiping her hands as she often did when she was nervous or worried about something. “I don’t know about that, miss. I’ve never cooked for a duke before.”
Loretta gave her a comforting smile. “It will be like cooking for anyone else, Mrs. Huddleston. Don’t worry. You’ll do a superb job. You always do. And actually, he’ll be staying the night. His horse is lame and he won’t be ableto leave until Mr. Huddleston returns tomorrow so he can borrow a mount. You’ll need to see to it that a room is prepared for him. I suggest you prepare the earl’s bedchamber for him since it’s on the farthest end of the house. Now, what can you cook tonight?”
“I suppose I could try making some of those fancy small courses I’ve heard about that go on at the earl’s house. We have some pickled vegetables and roots. I could try to—”
“That’s not necessary. I’m sure the duke wouldn’t expect anything as elaborate as what is served by his cook,” Loretta interrupted her. “He knows we haven’t the staff for a meal such as he would require in his home. Your usual fare will do just fine for him.”
“I would think a gentleman such as the duke would want a bit more to sit down to than an egg on a piece of toast like you’d be eating if he wasn’t here.”
Mrs. Huddleston was right about that. “Whatever you prepare, just make it as nice for him as you can and don’t try making anything you’ve never cooked before.”
“I’ll sizzle a slice of ham for him and make a honey sauce to go over it. Boil potatoes and eggs. I took bread out of the oven less than half an hour ago so we’ve plenty of that. Cheese, too. I’ll make some fig tarts. Does that sound hearty enough for a man of his size?”
Loretta smiled. The duke was a big man. “That sounds delicious and perfect,” she told the housekeeper.
Mrs. Huddleston beamed at her praise and dropped her apron. “I thought so, too. He won’t walk away hungry or complaining from a table I’ve prepared for him.”
“I’m sure of that.”
“I’ll get started in the kitchen and then take care of having a fire laid in the earl’s room for him.”
