dressed in trousers and a partially unbuttoned shirt, his black mood undiminished. A half bottle of port since Venus left hadn't help lighten his mood.
"I can smell sex in this room. I'm not asking you for details. Only what you did to offend her."
"That's the damned nib. I didn't do anything. It's people like you, my dear gambling maniac, who had to bet on this. I don't need incentive to bed a woman."
"You told her about the wagers?" A hint of incredulity colored her voice.
"I couldn't avoid it. She'd hear soon enough tomorrow. I thought at least she should be warned."
"And now you're drinking away your sorrows."
"No, I'm not." Each word dripped with affront.
"It look to me as though you are."
"Well, you're wrong."
"She walked away from you and you can't stand it."
"I'm not that vain, and you know it."
"So why are you sullen, like a little boy who's lost his favorite toy?"
He mockingly tipped his head. "Just put the knife in and twist it, Peggy. Be my guest."
"Why do you like her?"
"I don't like her," he gruffly muttered.
"Let me reword that. What tantalizes you?"
He grimaced. "I'd like to tell you to fuck off."
"But I'm right."
"She's unlike all the rest. There. Happy?"
"And you're intrigued."
"You might say that. A day too late, a ha'penny short . . ."
" I'nvgoing to see her tomorrow."
"And you'll make everything right. You are a damned romantic, Peggy."
"I always have been, I don't deny."
"But then I'm not interested in romance."
"Men never are, until it's too late."
"Jesus, Peggy, don't play matchmaker. I'm intrigued aybe , but not demented. The day I willingly take a
wife will be the day I sail to the moon. Promise me you
won't interfere."
"Very well," she reluctantly murmured. "I promise." Although the sun was breaking over the horizon, the
library was still clad in shadow. Otherwise Jack might
have seen the duchess's crossed fingers.
TH SPRING DAWN WAS MUCH TOO BEAUTIFUL
for her sour mood, Venus thought, descending from her carriage at the gate to her home in Belgrave Square. It should be overcast, with a pelting cold rain and the hint of snow in the air.
But nature overlooked the resentments of puny man and the warm sun rose in a brilliant golden haze, illuminating the world in shimmering splendor. The fresh new leaves on the trees gleamed, the fragrance of early roses filled the air, and even in her chafing resentment, she couldn't help but stop to admire the glorious blooms on the wisteria climbing up the wall trellis.
The door opened as if her staff were on alert for her return, and her butler stood framed in the opened portal. "Good morning, Miss Duras ," he murmured with a punctilious bow. "Did you enjoy your evening at Grove-land House?"
"Yes, Charles," she said, turning away from the splendid flowers. "Thank you."
"Chocolate is waiting in your bedchamber, mademoiselle."
"I'll need bathwater."
"Very good, my lady."
"And something hearty for breakfast. I'm famished."
"Perhaps the chefs special scrambled eggs with caviar. He received the fresh mushrooms from France yesterday."
"Some Provencal sausage, too."
"And strawberries with cream?" Charles suggested, familiar with his mistress's tastes.
"Perfect," she said with a smile. "I adore you, Charles. You know my every mood."
When her breakfast was delivered, shortly after her maid had finished drying her after her bath, Charles had seen that the chef included her favorite yeasted sugar cake with creme fratehe , as well.
She ate the sugar cake first, seated at a small table near the open windows, and then the scrambled eggs, savoring the pearly caviar as it slid over her tongue. She drank two cups of Mexican chocolate with raw pilonci-Uo sugar, a great favorite of hers, and picked daintily at the strawberries swimming in heavy cream.
The delicious food helped to soothe her resentments, as did her refreshing bath and the lush spring morning. She was able to review the evening with less
"I can smell sex in this room. I'm not asking you for details. Only what you did to offend her."
"That's the damned nib. I didn't do anything. It's people like you, my dear gambling maniac, who had to bet on this. I don't need incentive to bed a woman."
"You told her about the wagers?" A hint of incredulity colored her voice.
"I couldn't avoid it. She'd hear soon enough tomorrow. I thought at least she should be warned."
"And now you're drinking away your sorrows."
"No, I'm not." Each word dripped with affront.
"It look to me as though you are."
"Well, you're wrong."
"She walked away from you and you can't stand it."
"I'm not that vain, and you know it."
"So why are you sullen, like a little boy who's lost his favorite toy?"
He mockingly tipped his head. "Just put the knife in and twist it, Peggy. Be my guest."
"Why do you like her?"
"I don't like her," he gruffly muttered.
"Let me reword that. What tantalizes you?"
He grimaced. "I'd like to tell you to fuck off."
"But I'm right."
"She's unlike all the rest. There. Happy?"
"And you're intrigued."
"You might say that. A day too late, a ha'penny short . . ."
" I'nvgoing to see her tomorrow."
"And you'll make everything right. You are a damned romantic, Peggy."
"I always have been, I don't deny."
"But then I'm not interested in romance."
"Men never are, until it's too late."
"Jesus, Peggy, don't play matchmaker. I'm intrigued aybe , but not demented. The day I willingly take a
wife will be the day I sail to the moon. Promise me you
won't interfere."
"Very well," she reluctantly murmured. "I promise." Although the sun was breaking over the horizon, the
library was still clad in shadow. Otherwise Jack might
have seen the duchess's crossed fingers.
TH SPRING DAWN WAS MUCH TOO BEAUTIFUL
for her sour mood, Venus thought, descending from her carriage at the gate to her home in Belgrave Square. It should be overcast, with a pelting cold rain and the hint of snow in the air.
But nature overlooked the resentments of puny man and the warm sun rose in a brilliant golden haze, illuminating the world in shimmering splendor. The fresh new leaves on the trees gleamed, the fragrance of early roses filled the air, and even in her chafing resentment, she couldn't help but stop to admire the glorious blooms on the wisteria climbing up the wall trellis.
The door opened as if her staff were on alert for her return, and her butler stood framed in the opened portal. "Good morning, Miss Duras ," he murmured with a punctilious bow. "Did you enjoy your evening at Grove-land House?"
"Yes, Charles," she said, turning away from the splendid flowers. "Thank you."
"Chocolate is waiting in your bedchamber, mademoiselle."
"I'll need bathwater."
"Very good, my lady."
"And something hearty for breakfast. I'm famished."
"Perhaps the chefs special scrambled eggs with caviar. He received the fresh mushrooms from France yesterday."
"Some Provencal sausage, too."
"And strawberries with cream?" Charles suggested, familiar with his mistress's tastes.
"Perfect," she said with a smile. "I adore you, Charles. You know my every mood."
When her breakfast was delivered, shortly after her maid had finished drying her after her bath, Charles had seen that the chef included her favorite yeasted sugar cake with creme fratehe , as well.
She ate the sugar cake first, seated at a small table near the open windows, and then the scrambled eggs, savoring the pearly caviar as it slid over her tongue. She drank two cups of Mexican chocolate with raw pilonci-Uo sugar, a great favorite of hers, and picked daintily at the strawberries swimming in heavy cream.
The delicious food helped to soothe her resentments, as did her refreshing bath and the lush spring morning. She was able to review the evening with less
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