How to Dare a Duke by Erin Grace

Author:Erin Grace [Grace, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Erin Grace

Chapter 12

As the carriage bumped along through the crowded London streets, Olivia couldn’t help but lean forward and peer through the windows at the endless activity surrounding her.

Anything to take her mind off her blackmail situation.

After all, the scoundrel may not even be a servant, but any one of those faces out there could be the person threatening to kill her husband and bring her scandal out before society.

She felt suddenly overwhelmed at the prospect of tracking down the blackmailer within such a crowded city.

She’d been to London only once before, to accompany an older lady from Twillham to visit her ailing sister for a few weeks. Though they had taken a public stage for the most part of the trip, followed by a hack to get to Cheapside, it had been one of the most exciting times of her life.

Now all she could think about was how much danger Adam was in, not that she could tell him. Not only did the blackmailer threaten immediate retribution if she told anyone, given her marriage predicament, but also her husband might not even believe her.

“I hope you like the townhouse, Clara.”

“Hmm?” Distracted, she glanced across to where her husband appeared to be watching her with some amusement.“Oh. I’m sure I shall. And, if it is anything like Greymore, I’m bound to get lost between my bedroom and the dining room.”

A wicked glint sparked in his eyes. “Of that, I would be pleased to ensure you get to your bedroom.”

A smile, unbidden, creased her lips. Warm flushed to her cheeks as she could feel the weight of his stare.

He was flirting with her?

She supposed that wasn’t something uncommon between two newly married people. But theirs was not a true marriage, only an agreement of sorts. To be simply amicable had been everything she’d hoped for.

And now…now, she couldn’t recall the exact moment when something had changed between them.

But, despite the growing fondness between them, she was still Clara in his eyes. No point in deceiving herself. And, after speaking with Reynolds, it was clear there were many things Adam was keeping from her.

Though, honestly, what had she expected?

Perhaps that was for the best. For if she could prove her identity, he was going to release her from their marriage. To encourage his affections and confidence would be unfair and only cause him further pain.

But, to her surprise, it was her own heart aching as she looked back out the window.

She’d wanted her freedom and his, didn’t she? To prove who she really was?

And who was she? The daughter of a man who’d done naught but lie and deceive people all his life and force her mother from the family home with his cruelty. And, yet, she was also the deceiver, no better than her father, who’d married under false pretence for the sake of a family she never really had.

Oh, she had been such a fool.

Despondent, her thoughts wandered back to the situation at hand.

She sat back, inhaled a deep breath, and clutched her reticule tightly.

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