Desperate Duchesses by Eloisa James

Author:Eloisa James [James, Eloisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General, Historical, Love Stories, Man-Woman Relationships, Historical Fiction, Regency Fiction, Nobility - England
ISBN: 9780060781934
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2006-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

R oberta greeted the news that her father had just arrived and was waiting for her in the drawing room with a feeling that could only be described as near hysteria. Surely not. He couldn’t do this to her!“Is he alone?” she asked, trying in vain to school her features into calm.

“I believe the marquess has a companion,” the footman replied, his face not yielding even a flicker about that companion.

Of course he wasn’t alone, she thought, despairing. Of course Mrs. Grope was with him.

“Is the duchess in her chambers?” she asked.

“I wouldn’t know, your ladyship. Would you like me to enquire of Her Grace’s maid?”

“Yes, please.”

Unfortunately, he reported a few minutes later that the duchess was playing chess with the Duke of Villiers, although she promised to join Lady Roberta at her first opportunity.

She had to decide what to do. Figure out how to make her father leave. It was like a musical beat in her head. He had to leave, leave, leave.

“Please send Lord Gryffyn my compliments and ask him if he would meet me in the library,” she said to the footman.

He hesitated. “What shall I tell the marquess, your ladyship?”

“Please convey my apologies. Tell him I am not ready to receive visitors. I shall attend him at the earliest possible moment.”

It didn’t help when Damon burst into laughter on hearing her request.

“Help you get rid of your father? An uncharitable act, and not worthy of a member of the family of Reeve.” He gave her a lofty look.

“Please,” she said. “Please! You have no idea what he’s like. He’s going to ruin everything.” Tears were threatening.

“What can I possibly do?” He frowned at her. “No crying. Thoughtless rakes like myself can’t bear to see a woman cry; it reminds us of all those we left weeping on the roadside.”

She couldn’t even manage a smile at his foolery. “It’s not that I don’t love him,” she said, gripping her hands together. “It’s just that he’s eccentric. He doesn’t care what people think.”

“Not at all?”

“Never! He never has. You’ll see what I mean when you meet him. Mrs. Grope is only the latest of the courtesans with whom he has been passionately in love. She has lived with us for the past two years.”

“Mrs. Grope?” Damon asked with some interest. “Is there a Mr. Grope still?”

“I have no particular belief in the existence of Mr. Grope. Except…”

“Who would choose that name on its own? I agree entirely.”

“Please take me seriously,” Roberta said, dropping into the couch. “I simply cannot stay in London if my father is here. Please!”

Damon sat down beside her. “Am I allowed to call you Roberta yet?”

She sniffed. “We shouldn’t.”

“Kissing cousins,” he said, dropping a kiss on her eyebrow.

“You really shouldn’t do that.”

He ignored her. “What’s so terrible about your father, then?”

“Mrs. Grope,” Roberta said, “is something of a liability in terms of my reputation.”

“There are liabilities and liabilities. One would think that Teddy would be a liability, for example, but his presence in my home doesn’t seem to have put off the matchmaking mamas a bit.

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