The Brooding Duke of Danforth by Christine Merrill

Author:Christine Merrill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-03-06T13:42:26+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Benedict had never noticed how beautiful the rain was.

He had first become aware of it while staring up at the roof of the Comstock conservatory after Abigail Prescott had proved to him how little he knew about women and about love. How had an inexperienced girl managed to shatter his control so completely, breaking through barriers that it had taken years to build with a touch of her hand?

It explained much about the barely understood fears he’d had when he had offered for her in London. He had thought to get her properly married and spirited away to the Danforth country property before the process of seduction had even begun. He would be teacher, she would be student. The doors to his heart could be opened slowly as he grew accustomed to the companionship of the woman who would share the rest of his life.

He had not imagined an apt pupil that would surpass his teaching before they’d even reached the final lesson, stripping him naked to the soul with a kiss.

She had ruined him. Reduced him to one of those lovestruck fools who stared at darkening windowpanes and imagined the raindrops on them were diamonds, then wished he could collect them to lay at his lady’s feet. When Lenore saw him, she would laugh out loud.

And he would laugh with her, for he did not care what she thought.

‘You look to be in an exceptionally good mood, Your Grace.’ He could tell that it was Lady Sanderson speaking without even turning around. He could hear the sound of her restrung pearls slicking together as she toyed with them.

‘I had a very satisfying afternoon nap,’ he said, trying not to look as smugly happy as he felt.

‘I was given to understand that you had gone to your room to read a book,’ she said. Her tone was probing and bordered on impolite interest.

He turned away from the window to address her directly. ‘I did. And when I finished it, I fell asleep.’ He made a point to avoid lying, even about such small things as this. He had, indeed, read the final chapter before going down to the conservatory. And there had been a brief but delicious nap, as well, taken in the arms of the beautiful woman who had loved him to completion.

‘Well, it has done you good. You are positively brimming with vitality,’ she said with a knowing grin.

‘Thank you,’ he replied, making a mental note to police his moods even more closely than he had before. It was one thing to be in love and quite another to look like it. If he wished to keep Abby free of the gossip she detested, he would have to school himself not to sigh over raindrops until their second engagement had been announced in The Times.

‘Lady Beverly had a nap as well,’ Lady Sanderson added.

‘How fortunate for her,’ he replied.

‘But it must have been very short. When the games started, she was seen hurrying down the bedroom hall, away from her own room,’ Lady Sanderson said, staring at him as if she expected a response.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.