Unmasking the Earl by Elizabeth Keysian

Author:Elizabeth Keysian
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Published: 2017-05-14T18:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ned had been much too long without a woman.

It was not due to lack of opportunity—he could have offered his services as a lover to any number of his female acquaintances, and would doubtless have been accepted. Even in his guise as a servant he knew he’d turned a few heads. He’d caught even proper ladies running their eyes over his physique, calculating his proportions and his looks, and finding a sum which apparently pleased them.

Nevertheless, the fire, the loss of Georgiana, and the awful rumors of her fate had eaten away at him, taken away his interest in the pursuit of pleasure.

But Cassandra Blythe had reawakened his passion. She was not the sort he was usually attracted to—indeed, was the complete opposite. No quiet, gentle, compassionate and sensible miss was Cassandra. She was proud, headstrong, misguided, at times idiotic… And she’d reignited a fire within him he’d thought quenched forever.

It was the next morning, and he looked at his reflection in the mirror, wondering what the day would bring. Boundless joy…maddening frustration…or deep sorrow?

He scraped a razor over the stubble on his cheek. It was fortunate he’d become so good at shaving himself. There was no one here who could do it, and Cassie would probably rather cut his throat than shave him, after the liberty he’d taken with her last night.

Though his mind had yelled at him that he was behaving like the worst kind of man, his body had been completely taken in. Cassie was beautiful, with that porcelain skin and those hazel eyes, and the shining bronze-colored curls she pinned up and hid away from admiring eyes. Her lips, her feminine curves, were everything he could wish for in a lover.

What would she be like as his lover? He didn’t know what Wycherley had taught her—hell, he didn’t want to know. But it was such a shame for a diamond of the first water to be learning the lessons of love through bland theory—or worse, calculated seduction—rather than from genuine affection and ardor.

Ned could certainly teach her a thing or two—if she’d let him.

Which she wouldn’t. He’d already played that card.

Not a good idea, anyway. They might not suit in the long term, and he certainly did not want to be forced into matrimony with a woman so far below his own status. That would only complicate his life. Probably.

“So, hands off,” he concluded, testing his chin to make sure it was smooth, then swilling the razor about in the basin to get rid of the shaving soap.

On the other hand, what did it matter that she was stubborn, misguided, and opinionated, when she was capable of such sublime passion? When the very thought of her made his heart pound and fired his blood?

Julian Carnforth was a very lucky man.

He shook his head at his reflection and backed away. No, Mr. Carnforth had set his cap at Lady Lucy.

Cassie had been on a fool’s errand asking Wycherley to show her how to seduce the oblivious man.

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