Deceiving the Duke by Leighann Dobbs

Author:Leighann Dobbs [Dobbs, Leighann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-08-27T07:00:00+00:00

15

“You’re remarkably cheerful this morning,” Mother remarked, seated across from Morgan with her back turned toward the carriage driver.

Lucy, seated beside him, leaned closer, staring at him as if he was a specimen in a museum. “Are you humming?”

The large, blue bird squawked from her perch on Lucy’s arm, tethered to her wrist by a cord to keep her from flying out of the open carriage. “Giddy!”

Lucy nodded. “Quite right, Antonia. I think he is a bit giddy this morning.”

Squashed in the corner with his knees drawn up to his chest, Gideon rolled his eyes. By now, they’d all prayed for the bird to learn another word. Any other word. Personally, Morgan was trying to teach the parrot to say, ‘Let’s go for a walk.’ At least that way, he could buy himself a few moments of peace and quiet.

Lucy leaned closer once more, as did the bird. The yellow streak around Antonia’s beak made her look as though she smiled mischievously. He raised a hand to ward her away, in case she decided to peck out his eye or something equally sinister.

The parrot canted her head this way and that as she examined him. She made an odd, purring coo. “Giddy,” she pronounced. She made it sound as if he was on his deathbed.

Lucy sat back, taking the blasted bird with her. Why had he ever bought the parrot for her? Antonia had been nothing but a headache from the moment he’d brought her into the house.

His sister added, “It’s odd for you to be so cheerful after such a late night. I think I heard you come home around three of the morning.”

Morgan raised his eyebrows. “And what were you doing awake at that hour?”

She gave him a dazzling smile, the kind even brighter than her sunny yellow dress. “I had an idea for a story. I had to write it down, of course.”

“Of course.”

He leaned back against the leather squabs.

Unfortunately, Lucy didn’t drop the topic. “You never offer to join Mother and I when we visit Phil.”

“Neither does Gideon.”

Giddy raised his hands. “Don’t bring me into this.”

Lucy ignored them both. With a sly smile, she asked, “After such a late night yesterday, should we hope that today is an especially happy occasion? The kind with a proposal, perhaps?”

Morgan choked on his own tongue. “I beg your pardon?” he spluttered.

Diagonal from him, Gideon grinned. “Yes, Morgan, is there a proposal in your future?”

He glared at them both. Although Mother said nothing, he noticed that she attended to the conversation a little too closely for his liking. “Don’t be daft. I’m only joining you as a courtesy, to thank her for joining us at Vauxhall Gardens the other day.”

“That was nearly a week ago, dear,” Mother pointed out helpfully.

Lucy added, “And you were off with her on your own for a particularly long stretch then, as well.”

Do not blush. Whatever you do, do not blush. He felt the heat plague his cheeks nonetheless.

Thankfully, the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the lofty St.

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