The Temptation of the Duke (Regency Romance) by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Author:Jerrica Knight-Catania
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical romance, regency, regency romance, wetherby brides, regency family
Publisher: Jerrica Knight-Catania

Twelve

Evan barely left his study for the next two days, except to relieve himself on occasion and, of course, to sleep at night. Not that he was sleeping terribly well these days. Not after all that had happened. Not after watching Grace climb aboard a carriage, that had yet to return. He’d seen the footmen loading the carriage with a large trunk, but he’d not imagined it would be for her. The look of her staring out the window at him as she drove off had haunted him perpetually ever since. His heart constricted just thinking of it.

Damn. He needed another drink.

He pushed off out of his soft leather chair and strode across the room to the sidebar. As he poured a large tumbler full of brandy, he continued to try to puzzle out this horrific situation he was in. It bothered him that he didn’t give a rat’s arse about finding Lady Alicia with her footman lover. It should have bothered him, shouldn’t it have? So why was he more upset at Grace leaving London? Was it that he didn’t get the opportunity to scold her for her actions? He never did get to say his piece after all, beyond his curt note that read, Stop.

He threw back a swig of brandy and took pleasure in the painful burn that etched its way down his throat.

You know full well why you’re upset she left.

He tightened his fingers around the glass, and part of him worried he might shatter it in his hand.

“Shut up,” he said to the voice in his head. “I’m not upset she left. I’m not.”

Liar.

Another gulp. “Be. Quiet.” Damn, was he really standing here talking to himself? Is this what he had come to?

Admit it.

“No.”

You’ll not be happy until you do.

“Who cares about being bloody happy? Besides, how happy would I be if I married the poor girl, only to have my mother make our lives miserable?”

Are you so weak a man that you let your mummy control your life?

“Damn you!”

“Somerset, what in heaven’s name is going on in here?”

Evan looked up to find his mother standing in the doorway, her beady eyes wide and scrutinizing. “You are to knock before you enter my private study!” he roared, unable to get hold of his temper.

“Do calm down, Somerset,” she said, clearly unaffected by his foul mood. “I’ll not take up much of your time, but I thought you might like to know…” She straightened to her full height and sucked in a breath. “Your fiancée has disappeared.”

He ought to have felt some kind of alarm at this news, but he didn’t. Only curiosity, really. Perhaps a little excitement. “Disappeared, you say?”

“Her father believes she’s attempting to elope to Gretna Greene with…with…” His mother could hardly bring herself to say the word, and when she did, it came out on a choked breath of air, “a footman.”

Part of Evan wanted to dissolve into laughter, and another part wanted to whoop and holler with joy. How rich! She’d eloped.

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