Aurora by DG Rampton

Author:DG Rampton [Rampton, DG]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Clean Romance
Published: 2022-04-03T14:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Three

“I beg your pardon?” said Rothworth, too greatly stunned to articulate further.

“Don’t you see? We can say that I’m your mistress, for then we will be able to join the house-party,” Aurora explained excitedly. “You yourself said my uncle toad-eats you, and if you showed up at his door expecting to be admitted he would never deny you. In fact, he would probably be delighted to have caught himself a duke!”

“I feel remarkably like a carp all of a sudden,” he declared with a scowl. “And no! Under no circumstances will I allow you to masquerade as my mistress.”

“I will, of course, need suitable clothing,” Aurora said meditatively, paying him no heed. “A mistress’s wardrobe must be more daring than anything I possess. Perhaps I could lower the bodice of my dress . . . no, that won’t do! I suppose your mistresses are always dressed in the finest silks and muslins?”

“You make it sound as if I have a harem of them at my disposal,” he snapped. “I assure you, I do not!”

“No, of course not – that would be wasteful.”

John guffawed behind his hand, and even Rothworth was drawn into an unwilling smile.

“Wasteful is not the first word that comes to mind,” he said dryly.

“But it is applicable,” she insisted. “There must be only so many mistresses to go around, and for you to take more than your fair share wouldn’t only be wasteful, but selfish as well.”

“Since I pray never to find myself in such an alarming situation, you may absolve me of guilt on both counts.”

She smiled irrepressibly. “Yes, I imagine it would be most uncomfortable. If I were a man, I would certainly restrict myself to one partner at a time and avoid unnecessary complications.”

“I never know what outrageous thing you’ll say next,” he groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

“Well, I suppose you should be glad of it! How dull life would be if one always knew what others were going to say. But we were discussing what I’m to wear! I think a red silk dress would be just the thing – you do like red, don’t you?”

“What man doesn’t, but . . . ”

“Good!” she cut him off. “I believe I saw one earlier through the window of the dress-maker’s shop. And if it proves to be unsuitable, we can always drive to Guildford tomorrow and buy something there. Something daring! Or do you perhaps prefer your mistresses dressed more discretely?”

Rothworth was momentarily fixated on the thought of Aurora in a low-cut, red gown, and had to fight to dislodge the image from his mind.

“I refuse to discuss the subject further,” he said irately.

“But surely it wouldn’t do your reputation any favours if I turned up looking like a dowd?”

“My reputation is not what concerns me in regard to this preposterous plan of yours! If you imagine I’d willingly subject you to the kind of attention you’re bound to attract if you enter that house as my . . . as a

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