The Reluctant Duke by Carole Mortimer

Author:Carole Mortimer [Mortimer, Carole]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, General, Love Stories, Adult, Aristocracy (Social Class) - England, Businessmen, Aristocracy (Social Class), Administrative Assistants
ISBN: 9780373129881
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Cathy wanted to meet Lexie.

‘Your concern is admirable,’ he drawled dryly. ‘So you don’t have any objections to meeting her?’

‘I’ve just said that I don’t,’ Lexie answered slowly, warily, not at al happy with the chal enge she sensed in Lucan’s at itude.

He nodded. ‘In that case there’s no problem with my having accepted the Bartons’ invitation for both of us to join them for dinner this evening.’

Lexie’s only outward show of emotion at that statement was the curling of her hands into sts at her sides. Hands that clenched so tightly her nails were digging painful y into her palms.

Have dinner with the Bartons? With Cathy Barton—a woman Lexie was becoming more and more convinced was the Cathy Wilson she had known and been friends with al those years ago.

She swal owed hard. ‘Is it a good idea for us to go out in this weather?’

Lucan gave a rueful shrug. ‘I think we’re going to have to if we want to eat something other than toast.’ He gave a pointed glance at the empty plate in front of Lexie, with several toast crumbs stil on its surface.

‘We stil have Cathy’s casserole from last night,’ Lexie reminded him.

He grimaced. ‘I doubt that’s going to be very appetising when it’s already been warmed up once and left.’

Lexie was starting to feel more and more as if she were standing in quicksand rather than snow.

‘We could always go to the pub in the vil age, I suppose,’ Lucan continued lightly. ‘Although that might be a lit le insulting when I’ve already accepted John’s invitation.’ He quirked dark questioning brows.

‘Why don’t you go?’ Lexie encouraged, her voice brit le. ‘I’m not real y hungry after eating toast, and I’m feeling a lit le tired, too, after my walk this morning. I’l probably just read for a bit and then have an early night.’

‘An early night sounds good.’

It also, Lexie thought warily, sounded slightly threatening when Lucan said it in that sensual y husky voice.

She looked at him searchingly, sure she saw a glint of laughter lurking in the darkness of his eyes before it was quickly masked. Could he possibly be playing with her? If he was, then he had chosen the wrong woman to play with!

‘You have to go to the Bartons, Lucan,’ she insisted. ‘It would look rude if neither of us showed up after you’ve accepted the invitation.’

He shrugged. ‘I’ve never had a problem in the past with people thinking I’m rude.’

‘I can personal y vouch for that,’ Lexie mut ered disgustedly.

‘And it isn’t a problem for me now, either,’ Lucan continued dryly. ‘But if it bothers you…’

‘It doesn’t,’ she assured him quickly.

‘Then I’l telephone and make our excuses.’

She gave an impatient shake of her head. ‘That isn’t very fair, when Cathy has probably already started cooking for you.’

‘For us,’ he corrected pointedly.

‘You’re the one that’s important,’ Lexie reasoned derisively. ‘After al , I’m just an insigni cant PA—a temporary one at that. Whereas you’re the local celebrity. The il ustrious Duke of Stourbridge,’ she added tauntingly.

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