The Other Duke by Michaels Jess

Author:Michaels, Jess [Michaels, Jess]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: indie, Romance, Erotica, Historical
ISBN: 9781502862075
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2015-01-12T08:00:00+00:00

“Great God, don’t you look a fright,” Crispin said as Rafe entered his parlor a few moments later.

Rafe glared at his brother and said nothing as he poured himself a hefty glass of scotch from the sideboard near the fireplace. When he’d taken a gulp, he turned toward his waiting sibling.

“I was almost killed,” he said, then explained what had just happened in the street.

Crispin stepped back in stunned surprise as Rafe finished his story. “My God.”

“Quite,” Rafe agreed as he paused at the mirror above the fireplace to fix himself. Once he had done so, he turned back to Crispin. “But I survived, so…” he trailed off with a wave of his hand.

Crispin shook his head, his frown deep and dark. “Always so nonchalant.”

Rafe smiled, but inside he felt anything but nonchalant about the day’s events. “I refuse to dwell on what might have happened,” he lied.

His brother took a drink and examined him closely. “Very well. Then perhaps you would prefer to dwell on what has.”

Rafe shook his head. “What do you mean?”

“How do you find being a duke suits you?”

Rafe looked over the edge of his tumbler of whiskey and glared at Crispin, whose tone was now laced with sarcasm and whose eyes glittered with the same.

“Did you invite me to your home today to delight in my pain?” Rafe asked.

Crispin shook his head. “You know I could never do that, Raphael. I have had many a sleepless night as I pictured you on this hellish path.”

Rafe wrinkled his brow. “You may be overstating it a bit, Crispin.”

“Am I? You were free as a lark not a fortnight ago, without a care in the world. And now you are surrounded by foolery. Nearly being mown down in the street is almost a metaphor.”

“Crispin—” Rafe began.

His brother ignored him. “I’ve heard via Annabelle and Mama that you’ve been invited to some of those ridiculous Society parties we took so much care to avoid over the years. Is the new duchess dragging you there?”

Rafe stiffened at the way Crispin referred to Serafina. “I thought you liked ‘the new duchess’. If you do not, I think you should hold your tongue. That is my wife to whom you are referring.”

Crispin’s rigid posture collapsed a little and he sank into the closest chair with a sigh. “I like her as far as I know her, yes.”

Rafe frowned. He could see the true concern all over Crispin’s face and he loved his brother for it. Rafe set his drink aside and took the seat beside him.

“It isn’t so bad as all that,” he reassured Crispin softly. “As I settle in, I realize more and more that there is a great deal of responsibility, yes. I have an entail to rebuild thanks to the utterly foolish business decisions of Cyril’s part of the family. I have tenants.”

“You had tenants before, on the Sussex estate,” Crispin sighed.

“Yes,” Rafe acknowledged. “But not like this. There are probably twice as many, if not more, in Cyril’s holdings and they haven’t been treated particularly well over the years.

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