How To Seduce A Duke by Kathryn Caskie

Author:Kathryn Caskie
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2010-03-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Courage. That was all she needed to regain control of her future with Quinn.

Sadly, though, as Rogan led her into the dining room toward the refreshment table, Mary knew she sorely lacked that important commodity.

“Odd.” Rogan was scanning the bustling room in earnest. “I do not see Quinn in here, either. I was sure he’d be fetching Lady Tidwell a libation.”

A glass of wine. Yes.

What did it matter if her constitution had little tolerance for spirits of any sort? The smallest amount had the power to make her all muddleheaded. But tonight, it might be just the thing to boost her bravery.

While Rogan was distracted with the task of peering through the crowd to locate his brother, Mary took the opportunity to extricate her arm from the duke’s steel-banded grasp.

“The night is mild and the house is very close this evening,” she told him. “Do you think it likely that he and Lady Tidwell stepped outside for air... as you, yourself, had earlier suggested we do?”

“Yes, perhaps so,” he murmured distractedly as his gaze flitted this way and that about the room.

“Shall we each collect a glass of wine and venture into the courtyard to join them?” She raised her brows, as if her suggestion had been innocently conceived.

Rogan turned and pinned her with his gaze. “Wine? Oh, quite right.” He started for a footman, who was circling the dining room balancing a silver tray filled with goblets of claret, but he stopped suddenly and turned around to look back at her.

“Your Grace? Would you like me to assist you?” She served him a gentle smile.

“Y-you will wait here for me, will you not?” The expression on his face seemed altogether too serious for the words he had spoken. “I shall return in but a moment.”

Mary tilted her head to the side and considered his peculiar reaction.

Did he really think that the moment he had turned his back to her she would dart off into the courtyard to woo Quinn? “I’ll not step from this spot, Your Grace. I promise you. I shall not leave.”

“Very good, Miss Royle.” His expression brightened.

Mary watched as he hurried through the throng to reach the footman, who was now on the farthest edge of the dining room.

What an odd gentleman.

Just then, her sisters appeared beside her.

“Such a dull gathering, is it not?” Elizabeth raised her own goblet of wine to her lips and took a sip. “When Lady Upperton mentioned quitting the musicale, I encouraged her to do so as soon as possible.”

“So, are you ready?” Anne quizzed. “Lady Upperton’s carriage already waits at the door.”

“Leave, now?” Mary glaced at Rogan just as he lifted two goblets from the footman’s silver tray. “Oh, no. I am not yet prepared to leave. I have yet to speak with Lord Wetherly.”

Anne leveled an annoyed look at her. “Well, do go and bid him farewell now, please if you must.”

“Do, Mary.” Elizabeth raised her wineglass and gestured about the room. “There are no bachelors here. Look about.

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