“On the contrary, I’m quite serious.” A breathless moan tore from her throat as his lips skimmed over her collarbones, her head falling back against the door. “What are you prepared to risk, Your Grace?”
“Whatever I must,” he murmured against her skin. “I won’t have thetonslandering my wife.”
She pushed against his chest, his heart thudding underneath her palm. “Very well, Your Grace. Franny’s ball is in ten days. If you fail to secure my promise by then, then you will abandon this nonsense about forbidding me from visiting Angelo’s.”
“Hmmm. And if I take you to my bed before then?”
“Then I’ll abide by your wishes, and the subject will never again cross my lips.” The subject ofAngelo’s, that is. She hadn’t promised not to hire a private fencing master.
Still, a wager was a wager, and her promise to give up Angelo’s burned on its way up her throat. It was absurd she should have to give up anything at all, and this time it wasn’t merely a handful of scandalous rubies, or even her father’s unpaid debt.
Those things had mattered to her—of course, they had—but they weren’t so precious she’d been afraid to risk losing them.
Her freedom was another matter entirely.
But someone had to teach the Duke of Montford a lesson, didn’t they? He must be made to understand he wouldn’t have his way in everything, or else they’d never have any peace between them. Surely, she had nothing to fear? Men were far more likely to become victims of their passions than ladies. Why, he’d likely give up this nonsense long before Franny’s ball.
“I only wish to protect you, Prue. You don’t yet understand how quickly London can become a prison of its own, once thetonhas you at its mercy.”
He drew back to gaze at her, his dark eyes so serious she had a brief moment of misgiving, but she shrugged it off. As long as she didn’t care what thetonwhispered about her, she could never be at their mercy. “Do we have a wager, Your Grace?”
“Indeed,” he drawled, his gaze lingering on her mouth. “Let’s begin now, shall we?”
He reached for her, but she slipped under his arm and skipped out into the hallway, turning back to him once she was safely out of his reach. “Oh, Your Grace? There is one other thing I should tell you.”
He leaned a hip against the doorframe, a grin twitching at his lips. “Yes? What is itnow?”
“Nothing terribly shocking. I only thought you should know I’ve dismissed Mrs. Stritch.”
“Dismissedher?” He straightened from his slouch, his brows lowering. “Whatever for?”
“She didn’t suit. Rather uppity, you know, and a bit toomeddlesomefor my tastes. Curious behavior indeed, for a servant. Don’t you think so, Your Grace?”
“Prue—”
“Not to worry, Jasper. I’ve taken care of it. She’s gone now.”
“For God’s sake, Prue—”
“Oh dear, you don’t sound pleased. I’m very sorry, but I knew you wouldn’t want me to be burdened with a lady’s maid I don’t trust. Isn’t that right, Jasper?”
She didn’t give him a chance to say anything more, but turned to make her way up the staircase, leaving him staring after her.
CHAPTER21
Seducing his wife should have been the easiest thing in the world, but then history was rife with things thatshouldhave occurred, yet never did.
That scrap with the American colonists, for instance. Surely, Britain should have triumphed there? It was a bloody humiliating loss, that was certain, but not as humiliating as a duke infamous for his conquests who couldn’t manage to bed his duchess.
What use was it being a wicked rake, if he couldn’t even lure his own wife to his bed?
“Prue! Open up at once!” He paused in his pacing to rap his knuckles on the door between their bedchambers. “It’s hardly sporting for you to hide in your rooms in this cowardly way!”
Nothing. His only answer was a profound silence.
“If I’d realized you intended to hide in your bedchamber for the next ten days, Prue, I never would have agreed to this ridiculous wager!” He resumed his pounding, attacking the door with such violence it was a wonder it didn’t splinter to bits under his fist. “Really, Your Grace, I would have thought you’d disdain such a shoddy ploy as this. I took you for a far more ferocious competitor!”
There. That should do it. There was no way his fierce wife would allow such aspersions to be cast upon her courage. He pressed his ear to the door, waiting for the thud of angry footsteps approaching, but there was nothing but a faint shuffling sound, and the door remained firmly closed.
