An Improper Duchess by Amanda McCabe

Author:Amanda McCabe
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-03-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Melisande was lost in the world Gray created with his words. A strange, exotic world she had only read about, dreamed about, but which seemed to be right there before her now, thanks to him.

He was not at all what she expected him to be. She had been in the midst of the ton for too long perhaps, and it had made her cynical about people, about their hopes and dreams and motives. She had begun to think everyone and everything was artificial and selfish. She had built up an armor herself, to hold away any foolish longing for something more, until complete ruination seemed the only solution.

But as Grayson Sanbourne spoke of his time in the islands, she could see the light of real, deep passion in his eyes. She heard the love of ideas and knowledge in his words. She had first assumed he was the usual sort of young Society nobleman, spoiled, careless, debauched, only to find that he was so much more.

And she was dangerously drawn to him, this handsome, extraordinary man years younger than herself. Or maybe it was merely the wine, the firelight, the blanket of silencing snow outside.

“Then what have you been doing since you returned to England?” she asked.

Gray laughed. A wave of his hair fell over his brow, and Melisande wanted to smooth it away. He looked so much freer with his hair and clothes awry. Sensual, like a pagan lord.

“I have been trying to organize all the specimens and notes I brought back with me,” he said. “But my family duties have taken up too much time.”

Melisande sighed. “I know well how duty can overtake so much else. Until we don’t know who we are apart from that, deep down inside.”

He gave her a piercing glance. “Exactly so. That was why I went away in the first place, to try to find out who I am. Now that I’m home, my family wants to put me back in their box.”

“That will never work,” Melisande said with a laugh. “Once we have glimpsed precious freedom, we will only want to fly away again.”

“What happened to you, Melisande?” Gray asked quietly. He watched her so intently it felt as if he reached out and touched her, drew her close. Part of her felt that old primitive instinct to flee, to not let anyone see her. Yet part of her only wanted to be closer and closer to him.

Feeling vulnerable, she rose from her chair and went to the fire to take up the poker. As she stirred at the kindling, she could sense that he watched her.

She made herself give a careless laugh. “La, but what happens to any of us? We learn to fulfill the roles we are given.”

“Who gives us those roles?” he said. His tone was light, as if he merely made whimsical conversation, but Melisande could somehow sense that his question wasn’t whimsical at all.

“What is your place, Melisande?” he said.

The poker slid from her fingers to clatter on the hearth stones.

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