The Scandalous Duke Takes a Bride by Tiffany Clare

Author:Tiffany Clare [Clare, Tiffany]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781466814929
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2014-02-24T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

The duke and the dowager countess? Never could I dream up a more unlikely pair. Or maybe we have all imagined it and it’s always been right before our eyes, but we’ve refused to see anything beyond friendship. All men must be forgiven for their transgressions, for they simply cannot refuse the plump fruit placed directly in their path without first sampling the fare.

Mayfair Chronicles, August 1846

“Wilson.” Hayden greeted the butler with a nod. “I would assume your mistress is in.”

“She is, Your Grace. Let me show you to the study.”

“The study?” Hayden paused to look at the butler.

“Lady Fallon already entertains in the parlor.” The man motioned toward the study.

If Warren had beaten Hayden here, he couldn’t allow the man to stay long.

“Excuse me, Wilson, but I need to see Your Ladyship immediately. The matter is urgent.”

He walked ahead of the butler before any disagreement could pass the older man’s lips and stormed through the parlor door with the grace of a bull in a museum of artifacts.

“Jez, I thought we could—” He halted mid-step upon entering the room. “And here I thought Mr. Warren was paying you a visit.”

“Hayden.” Jessica came forward, hands out in greeting, which he didn’t hesitate to take. “I wasn’t expecting you for a few hours—for our walk.” She didn’t sound convinced that he’d planned to show up at all. “What a delightful surprise to have you here now. Let me introduce you to Miss Camden.”

So this was the woman Leo had been spending an inordinate amount of time with. Hayden tipped his hat as the lady stood from the settee. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he said. “I must apologize for barging in as I did.”

“Miss Camden,” Jessica said, “this is my dearest friend, the Duke of Alsborough.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, too,” the young woman said with a curtsy. Her eyes were a deep brown, which matched the color of her hair, and her smile was quite charming.

“Where, might I ask, is Leo?”

Miss Camden’s brow wrinkled as she took her seat again. “I haven’t heard from him since he left the Carletons’.” She looked up at Hayden, and the flicker of anger and sadness was nearly enough to floor him. “Please don’t tell him I’m here. I’m not ready to see him. And it’s only fair for him to suffer a while longer for what he’s done.”

“You should join us, Hayden,” Jessica cut in, pulling him farther into the room. “I might as well explain Miss Camden’s presence.”

“I didn’t intend to intrude,” he said, wondering if his and Jessica’s conversation would have to wait till Miss Camden left.

Jessica motioned toward the settee with a smile. “Please, I insist you stay for tea.”

He didn’t argue and took a seat near Miss Camden wondering what trouble the women were brewing.

“I’ve invited Miss Camden to live here for a while. At least until Warren decides to exercise his right as the new earl and remove me from my home once and for all.

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.