Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean

Author:Michelle McLean
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency;duke;second son;heir;sisters;family;alliance;marriage of convenience;marriage;botany;research;plants;greenhouse;weddings;wedding ball;galas;bride;fiance;fiancee;engagement;rivals;rivalry;best friends;betrayal;Pride and Prejudice;socialite;mothers and daughters;mothers and sons;Historical Romances;Victorian Historical Romance;Regency Historical Romance;Women's Historical Fiction;Historical British Fiction;Historical Fiction;Genre Fiction;Entangled publishing;Amara;new romance book;popular romance book;single title romance;stand alone romance book;2022 Romance book;books with a Happy ending;HEA;How Not to Marry a duke;How Not to Marry a Duke by Tina Gabrielle;Tina Gabrielle;Beach Reads;New Beach Reach 2022;Books like Bridgerton;Bridgerton type book;Sexy Historical books;Sexy Regency book;Regency book with Sex;Historical book with sex;Bridgerton;duke;duke romance;regency romance;London;Michelle McLean;Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean;Four Weddings and a Duke
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2023-03-04T20:51:54+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Alex watched the sisters as the cards were dealt out. Nigel he preferred to ignore entirely whenever possible. Though even he had to admit the man had been on his best behavior so far. A rare occurrence for him. For Alex also, if he were being honest. At least when he was in Bainbridge’s vicinity.

Lavinia spread her newly dealt cards out in her hand and shuffled them about, matching up all of the suits, he supposed, as he did the same in preparation for the first trick. Alex hadn’t played in a while, but whist was an easy enough game. Drop the largest card of the suit being played on the pile and you’d take the pile, scoring points for your team. Not normally something that required a great deal of his mental acuity. Especially if one had a good eye and was able to pay enough attention to the cards their partner dropped in order to give the team as a whole the best advantages.

Probably a good thing as, between his never-ending rivalry with Bainbridge and the neglected experiments that needed his attention, his focus was not exactly at his best.

Lavinia dropped her first card, the ten of Spades, which Kitty followed with the six, and Bainbridge followed with the nine. Alex was forced to play the four of Spades as that was the only card of that suit he held, which left Lavinia winning the pot. A circumstance he wouldn’t begrudge, if it weren’t for her partner.

“Excellent, Livy,” Bainbridge said. “Keep that up and we might find ourselves with a fair purse full of coin.”

Alex cocked an eyebrow, dropping a Queen on the Jack of Hearts Bainbridge had laid down. “Better not get too boastful too soon,” he warned the other man as he scooped up the pile. “It could lead to your downfall.”

Bainbridge waved him off. “The cockier the better, I always say.”

Alex took a deep breath and blew it out. “I know. You’ve been saying it for the better part of two decades.”

Kitty’s eyes widened. “You two have known each other that long?”

“Oh, indeed,” Bainbridge said. “Ever since our school days. More to the point, he’s been my greatest rival since before we needed the assistance of a razor in the mornings.”

“I don’t know that I’d say greatest rival,” he said drily. “You are a superb researcher, Bainbridge. All I do is play with my plants all day.”

Lavinia fumbled her cards, Kitty frowned slightly as if she couldn’t quite understand why the conversation was focused on the men in the group, and Bainbridge snorted.

“He does much more than that, Livy dear. He is, in fact, one of the most knowledgeable experts on grafting botanical species in England.”

Lavinia raised her brow. “I am aware. His Grace has been most gracious in sharing his research with me. You seem quite peeved by his expertise, Nigel. Oh, and we win again,” she said with a huge grin as she scooped up the last round of cards and made a note of the points she and Bainbridge had won.

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.