Last Duke Standing by Cheryl Bolen

Author:Cheryl Bolen [Bolen, Cheryl]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Regency romance
Publisher: Harper & Appleton
Published: 2019-01-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

“I’m not going with you to visit an actress.” Wycliff folded his arms across his chest. “I have Louisa to consider.”

Alex had been in the process of handing his hat off to Harry Wycliff’s butler when he snapped it back. “But Sophia Langston might be culpable in . . . a certain . . . sibling’s death.”

“Why can you not go alone?”

“Lady Georgiana thinks that might send the message that I’m interested in securing Mrs. Langston’s affections.” He felt like a lad hiding behind a woman’s skirts, but he could hardly say that the actress could want to transfer her affections to him because of his strong resemblance to Freddie and because he was a duke. That would make him sound conceited.

Wycliff eyed him quizzically, a smirk on his face. “She does, does she? You know what I think?”

“As close as we are, Harry, I am not privy to your thoughts.”

“I think Lady Georgiana Fenton has developed a tendré for you. She’s jealous of Sophia Langston. I also believe—and Sinjin agrees with me upon this—you and Lady Georgiana are well suited for each other.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “We’re consoling one another. We each lost a loved one. Reading anything more into it could tarnish the lady’s reputation.”

“It would take much more than that to tarnish her upstanding reputation. She’s the unblemished daughter of a marquess. Louisa assures me she’s intelligent, too, and Louisa’s an excellent judge of character. Lady Georgiana Fenton would never ruin herself by making unsound decisions.”

Alex could not purge his mind of the ferocity of Georgiana’s passion. Would she ever allow herself to give in to it? God, but he wished he could be the fortunate recipient.

He started to walk away. “Then I’ll see if I can persuade Sinjin to accompany me.”

“We’ll meet this evening at the Palace of Westminster?”

“I’ll be there.” The military funding bill was very important to him.

* * *

As it happened, Sinjin was not at home, nor was his wife. Alex would have to go alone to see the actress. He knew from Freddie’s papers that his brother had set up Mrs. Langston in an older house in St. James. Though he always preferred to ride his horse—and a wonderful specimen of horseflesh Fleetania was—he decided to arrive at Mrs. Langston’s place in the ducal-crested coach. He only hoped the poor woman wasn’t seized with apoplexy when a man who so resembled her former lover arrived in the former lover’s coach.

Sophia Langston’s house clad in the red bricks so prominent a century earlier was much more impressive than what he’d expected. Its Palladian embellishments of fan-shaped windows and white pediments over the doorways and windows gave it a sophisticated air. He was relieved there were no other gentlemen’s coaches in front.

As befitted his rank, his coachman knocked upon the lady’s door, and when it was answered, he presented Alex’s newly printed card. Alex hoped to God she didn’t mistake him for Freddie.

A moment later, the butler returned and nodded to the coachman, signaling that Alex would be welcomed by the woman who had long been the toast of the London stage.

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