The Dangerous Viscount by Miranda Neville

Author:Miranda Neville [Neville, Miranda]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, General, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Historical, England, Historical Fiction, Marriage, Nobility, Miranda Neville
ISBN: 9780061808722
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2009-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

“Let me in,” Minerva demanded. “I don’t care if you aren’t dressed. It’s not as though I’ve never seen you in your chemise.”

Diana tried once more to make Minerva go away. “I’m trying to get some peace and quiet, something that seems to be surprisingly difficult considering there are very few people in this very large house.”

Since Min’s banging persisted, Diana descended from her bed, thrust her arms into the sleeves of her dressing robe, and stamped across the room, trailing silk and lace. “What?” she demanded, turning the key and wrenching the door inward.

Minerva almost fell into the room. “I want to talk to you.”

“So I gather.” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at her little sister.

“I don’t want you to marry Blakeney.”

“Because of what he said to you yesterday, after the race? He was just upset because he lost.”

“I know that. But I think it was rather small of him, just because Sebastian beat him. It revealed something about his character.”

“Nonsense. You’ve never liked Blakeney. And you aren’t the one who’d marry him. But you’d certainly benefit. Think what his father could do for you.”

“I don’t care. I’ll manage without him.” Diana couldn’t help a smile at Min’s determined scowl. Yes indeed. Her sister could manage anything.

She wandered over to a low-seated carved walnut chair and sank into the cushioned seat. “I’m still not sure Blakeney will make me an offer,” she said, leaning back and crossing her ankles.

Minerva tossed her head, the fairy-tale profusion of her golden hair contrasting with her fierce expression. “Now you are talking nonsense. He’s hardly left you alone since we’ve been here. When he asks you, please say no.”

“You know how I feel about Blake.”

Except that she didn’t know herself. Not anymore. She feared she was trying to convince herself, more than Min. She’d spent so many nights since Tobias’s death wishing for a companion, wishing for one particular bedmate, imagining the touch of that well-honed sportsman’s body. But lately another face, another body had invaded her daydreams, and her sleep, too.

She’d woken at dawn flustered and perspiring, aching with frustration because she was alone in bed. Because, unlike in her dream, Sebastian Iverley wasn’t there.

“I think you prefer Sebastian.” Minerva couldn’t have been reading her thoughts, surely. Diana blushed at the very idea.

“You know I want to be married again,” Diana said, her shaking voice matching her inner turmoil. “But Sebastian Iverley will never marry. He doesn’t like women. He’s famous for it.”

“That’s rubbish. He likes me and he definitely likes you.”

“I’m not so sure. He avoided me when he first came back to London.”

Minerva was in pursuit of her own train of thought. “Do you know what I’ve noticed about him? He speaks to me as though I were a person of intelligence, not a child or a girl. It doesn’t matter to him that I’m female, even though he has a reputation for despising us. I’ve seen no evidence of it. He just likes me and he cares about what I say and think.

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