Deceived by Bertrice Small Page B

duke sweep Cally off to England and her new life without our interference. He will have little love for his in-laws if they land on him too quickly.”
    â€œBut you will be almost eighteen then,” Oralia objected weakly. Aurora laughed. “Oh, Mama, I’m certain there will be someone willing to overlook my vast age in exchange for my dowry.”
    â€œYou are quite impossible,” Oralia said. “I wonder if you will ever find a man to put up with you.” But she smiled as she spoke.
    â€œI’d rather be with you here on St. Timothy” came the reply.
    â€œDoes Aurora’s plan suit you, George?” Oralia asked her son.
    â€œAye, it does,” he agreed.
    â€œThen it is settled,” Aurora said, and they all agreed it was.

Chapter 3
    T he duke’s valet, Browne, awakened him quite early, as his master had requested he do. While the sky was light, the sun was not yet up. The air was warm and quite still for a change. He bathed and dressed quickly, for he was to ride with George and Aurora before the sun became too hot for his inspection. By ten o’clock in the morning George told him the heat would be too much for him, as he was unused to it.
    Browne handed him a deep saucer. “A bit of tea, sir. The cook was kind enough to make it up. The family stock is really quite palatable. We may not be in civilization, but it ain’t bad here but for the heat. I hardly closed my eyes all night.”
    â€œYou’ll be quite used to it by the time we leave, Browne,” Valerian Hawkesworth said with a smile. He drank the fragrant tea, setting the saucer down on a small table when he had emptied it.
    â€œMaster George sent up this hat for you to wear, sir.” Browne handed the duke the broad-brimmed straw head covering, remarking, “It surely ain’t fashionable, is it, my lord?”
    Clapping the hat on his dark head, the duke picked up his riding crop and left his bedroom. In the airy downstairs foyer he found his two companions waiting. He was a bit surprised to see that Miss Spencer-Kimberly was wearing breeches. “You do not ride sidesaddle?” he said.
    â€œOf course not,” she said. “The terrain is rough on the island. It is not some tame London park, your grace. Do all English ladies of fashion ride seated, their leg thrown awkwardly over their saddle’s pommel? It is an extremely uncomfortable way to ride. I firmly believe that is why Cally never took to a horse. She is of a delicate nature, and felt unsafe seated so unnaturally. Still, I could never get her to ride astride. She thought it not feminine.” The look she gave him challenged him to agree with her stepsister.
    â€œI believe,” Valerian Hawkesworth said, neatly sidestepping the issue, “that as we are to be related by marriage, Miss Spencer-Kimberly, that you should call me something other than your grace. I shall call you Aurora, and you may call me Valerian.”
    â€œOh, may I?” Aurora said, her eyes wide, her voice unnaturally sweet. She fluttered her lashes at him.
    â€œSister, behave yourself!” George scolded her. “Valerian isn’t used to your sharp tongue and teasing ways.” He grinned at the duke. “She’s quite a minx, I fear. Papa never quite knew what to do with her. He doted on both the girls, and both are spoiled.”
    â€œI think I know what I should have done with her,” the duke said, his dark blue eyes hard. “I suspect Aurora has never felt a hard hand on her bottom. It reforms the worst jades.”
    George saw the fire in her eyes and said quickly, “We must be off. The sun will be up before we know it! Come along now.”
    â€œI know nothing about sugar except that it is sweet,” Valerian said to his companions. “Tell me about it as we ride.”
    â€œIt’s a never-ending round-robin of labor,” George said. “We have four large fields on this side of the