How to Ruin a Duke by Grace Burrowes

Author:Grace Burrowes [Burrowes, Grace & Romain, Theresa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grace Burrowes Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

“His Grace lacks the two essential qualities of a gentleman about Town—wit, and a tailor with an imagination.”

From How to Ruin a Duke by Anonymous

For a woman who could spew three hundred pages of unrelenting calumny, Lady Edith felt like eiderdown in Thaddeus’s arms. When he’d first collided with her outside the publisher’s offices, she had nearly bounced off of him like one of those lap dogs that doubles its perceived dimensions with an abundance of hair and yapping.

She was too slight for the pink atrocity of a cloak she wore, and she did look pale and tired. Success as a satirist was apparently a taxing business.

“Is this a ploy?” he asked her, a hand under her pointy elbow. “Are you attempting to extort my sympathy by feigning weakness?”

Furious blue eyes glared up at him. “I am not weak, I am famished. I have not eaten since the day before yesterday. I wanted cab fare for my appointment with Mr. Ventnor in case it rained. A woman resembling a drowned rat hardly inspires confidence in a prospective employer.”

Not a drowned rat, but a cornered cat. One who hadn’t seen regular meals or a warm fireplace in some time. How to Ruin a Duke was rumored to be in its fifth printing. Lady Edith’s appearance and the success of the book were facts in contradiction.

Thaddeus was constitutionally incapable of ignoring facts in contradiction.

“Perhaps a meal will improve your manners,” he said, guiding her several doors down the street. The neighborhood was going seedy about the edges, but the inn looked respectable enough.

“I cannot be seen to sit down to a meal with you in public.” The edge of ire had left her speech. She was reciting a rule rather than scolding him.

Her scolds had been impressive, considering she’d presumed to scold a duke who could ruin her.

“You march around London,” he said, “like a supervisor of the watch. You neglect adequate nutrition. You insult a peer of the realm without batting an eye. You can share a trencher with me at an obscure establishment such as this. The pubs and inns always have the best food, and as it happens, I am hungry as well.”

She closed her eyes, doubtless marshalling some sham of martyrdom.

“My objective was to seek you out today,” Thaddeus went on. “I was surprised to find you at Ventnor’s, because he is not your publisher. I thought perhaps he could send me in the right direction though. Instead I find my quarry landing almost literally at my feet. This has put me in a better humor.”

She opened her eyes. “One shudders to think what your version of a poor humor is. I will eat with you, for two reasons. Firstly, because I need food. Secondly, because I suspect you will not leave me in peace until you’ve aired whatever daft notions have resulted in your pestering me with your presence.”

Clever alliteration had been a signal characteristic of the prose in How to Ruin a Duke.

Thaddeus held the door for her.

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