Awakening the Duchess by Eva Shepherd

Author:Eva Shepherd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-01-02T20:20:05+00:00

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Arabella smiled back, regretting her earlier petulance. He was doing everything he could to make this easy for her and she was acting like a spoilt child, just because she was confused by her conflicting emotions. So what if she was the only woman in England this notorious rake had no interest in? That was what she wanted. She should be grateful that he did not try to seduce her last night. And she was grateful. So, it was time she acted that way instead of pouting and snapping at him.

She looked over his shoulder and laughed. ‘If I’m to downplay the fact that I’m now a duchess, I don’t think that stationery will be entirely appropriate.’ She removed the piece of paper in his hand bearing the Somerfeld crest, returned it to the small shelf, took a plain piece of paper and placed it in front of him. All the while she tried to ignore the scent of him, all musk and masculinity, and the warmth of his body. She would not think of that now. She would focus on the task at hand, returning to the life she had before she met Oliver.

He dipped his pen in the ink pot and looked up at her expectantly. ‘Right, what shall I write?’

She paced the room, thinking about the best way to convince the manager of the Limelight that they should rehire her. ‘Well, I guess you can put the address of Somerfeld Manor at the top of the page. After all, they already know that I’ve married a duke so there’s no point trying to hide that. I just don’t think I should emphasise it by using stationery bearing your crest.’

Oliver nodded, and his pen scratched across the paper as he wrote out his address. ‘Right, what next?’

‘Well, Dear Mr Hackett might be a good start.’

Oliver dutifully wrote that down.

‘I would like to announce that Arabella Huntsbury is now available for consideration in the part previously played by Arabella van Haven.’

She paused and looked over Oliver’s shoulder as he took down her dictation. ‘That way we’re letting him know I go under another name without actually saying so.’

‘Good idea.’ Oliver finished writing and looked up at her, his pen poised above the paper.

‘I am aware that my wife...’ Arabella paused, finding it difficult to take in that she was referring to herself as Oliver’s wife. ‘My wife has been denied a part in your present production under orders from the new owner, Mr van Haven. Please be informed that Mr van Haven has since returned to America.’

Arabella hoped the manager could understand that that meant her father was far away and would have no direct influence on the Limelight, so they were free to hire whoever they chose.

‘While he has forbidden Miss van Haven from appearing at the Limelight, he did not forbid my wife from appearing, so I urge you to consider hiring her.’

Oliver wrote that down, but then his pen continued to scratch along the page.

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