A Most Suitable Duchess by Patricia Bray

Author:Patricia Bray
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626816152
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2015-02-05T16:00:00+00:00

Ten

There was such a thing as having too much time to think, Penelope decided. Perhaps it would have been better if Marcus had followed her to her bedchamber immediately, rather than giving her time to prepare.

But no, for then he would have witnessed her disrobing. It was bad enough that she had had to deal with Nancy’s knowing smirks, as the maid helped ready her mistress for bed at this early hour. Having Marcus watch this would have been worse. Or heaven forbid, if he expected her help in undressing?

Her cheeks flamed, and as she brought her hands up to her face she felt their heat. She quelled the brief panicky impulse that made her want to run from this room. Instead, after a glance at the flimsy lawn that was her nightgown, she went to her wardrobe and pulled out a silk robe, and then wrapped that around her.

The heavy silk gave her a feeling of comfort, even as she chided herself for her foolishness. In a short while Marcus would see far more of her than was revealed by the lace nightgown.

It was at this moment that she most missed her mother. She had only the vaguest idea of what to expect. The day before her wedding, Mrs. Lawton had called upon her privately, and offered to explain the marriage duties. It had been an intensely awkward discussion, couched in vague generalities, and allusions toward doing one’s duty. Rather than prolong their mutual embarrassment, Penelope had instead assured her mother’s friend that she did indeed know what was expected, and Mrs. Lawton had seemed relieved to have the discussion cut short.

Not that she was entirely inexperienced. There had been those stolen kisses exchanged with Stephen Wolcott. Kisses that had been pleasant, and had left her vaguely yearning for something more. But before she could decide whether she would grant him further liberties, Stephen Wolcott had disappeared. And in the five years since, no other gentleman had stirred her feelings.

And there was the knowledge she had gleaned from the natural history tomes that she and Harriet had discovered in her father’s library, and spent one afternoon giggling over. Not that she expected that knowledge to be of much use to her. After all, as creatures of reason, surely humans had evolved beyond the primitive instincts that governed the members of the animal kingdom.

Her thoughts chased themselves in circles as she paced her chamber until she heard a rap on the door.

“Enter,” she said, wincing as she heard her voice squeak.

Marcus stepped through the door, and her breath caught in her chest. He wore a silk robe of midnight blue, which exposed the strong column of his throat, and emphasized his broad shoulders. A quick glance revealed that his legs were bare, and her eyes quickly rose back to his face as she realized that he was naked under that robe.

Her heart began to beat furiously. Was she really ready for this?

Marcus crossed the room slowly, and the warmth of his gaze kindled a warmth within her.

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