of the father or legal guardian.”
“And what does that have to do with the Duke of Durbane?” Jack demanded.
“I’m getting to that, but it’s complicated. Suffice it to say that even though the duke and Amy had been legally married, their offspring could have been declared illegitimate.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I know. I can explain the intricacies of the Act, but really, we should do a timeline of some sort so we’re both coming from the same place.”
Jack shrugged. “If you say so. But most of what I know comes from Uncle Ben’s research. And frankly, unlike him, I’m not that interested in proving we’re legitimate descendants of the duke. At this point, I mostly want to understand why that female is visiting me.”
Amelia pushed her plate to one side and rested her elbows on the table. “So…you want to tell me about your visits from her?” She struggled to hide a smile while watching a blush creep upwards from Jack’s neck to suffuse first his cheeks, then his forehead, just as she remembered seeing him blush in the past.
Damn. Where had that last thought come from? She bit her lip and forced herself to pay attention to Jack’s answer.
“No, I really don’t want to talk about my experiences with that woman. Do you want to tell me about your visits?”
“I’m almost positive my uninvited guest is the duke. He looks just like the portraits I’ve seen. And I’m wondering if your visitor could be his wife, since all of our research has centred around those two.”
“That would make sense, yeah.” He shot her an evil grin. “So, are you going to share details about what happens when the duke comes calling on you?”
She bared her teeth at him. “Let’s just agree that each of us is sexually pleasured without being an active participant. Is that fair?”
“Something like that.” His face turned a shade darker red. “I liked it, but I also hated it, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, I know. Frankly, the duke seems to think I’m a courtesan and treats me accordingly.”
“Wait a minute. You’re telling me that this figment of your imagination—or whatever he is—actually believes you’re a hooker?”
Amelia stiffened. “Hooker is a harsh word and not one that the duke would use. But yes, he appears to think I’m in the habit of using sex for my own purposes. Also, he mentioned having had a mistress, so I think we can safely assume he is accustomed to dealing with paramours.”
“This just gets weirder and weirder.” Jack drained his beer and pushed back from the table. He stood and started pacing the small confines of Amelia’s apartment. “We need to do something before this situation gets even more bizarre. Do you have any ideas?”
“Just one, but I’m afraid you’ll think I’m crazier than ever.”
He stopped in mid-pace and stared. “If you have any sort of idea at all regarding this situation, it’s almost guaranteed to sound crazy. So what’s your solution?”
Amelia walked across the room and paused in front of him. “We need to have sex.”
She bit back a smile when she noticed his throat jump as though he’d had to swallow a sudden excess of saliva before he could speak. “You mean us, as in you and me?”
“Exactly.”
“When?” he asked quickly.
“How about this evening?”
“Hey, I’m not objecting, but what good is that supposed to do, other than the obvious?”
“I’m not sure, but it seems to me that it’s worth a try. After all, I’m seemingly being visited by the duke and you’re apparently being visited by Amy Pennycut, the woman he married, and their visits centre around sex. It stands to reason—if there’s any reason to be found in this situation—that we’re supposed to have sex with each other.”
“You know, I’ve never objected in the past when a woman suggested we have sex, but I’m just not sure I can go along this time. What if the duke is here watching?”
Amelia plopped her hands on her hips.
“And what does that have to do with the Duke of Durbane?” Jack demanded.
“I’m getting to that, but it’s complicated. Suffice it to say that even though the duke and Amy had been legally married, their offspring could have been declared illegitimate.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I know. I can explain the intricacies of the Act, but really, we should do a timeline of some sort so we’re both coming from the same place.”
Jack shrugged. “If you say so. But most of what I know comes from Uncle Ben’s research. And frankly, unlike him, I’m not that interested in proving we’re legitimate descendants of the duke. At this point, I mostly want to understand why that female is visiting me.”
Amelia pushed her plate to one side and rested her elbows on the table. “So…you want to tell me about your visits from her?” She struggled to hide a smile while watching a blush creep upwards from Jack’s neck to suffuse first his cheeks, then his forehead, just as she remembered seeing him blush in the past.
Damn. Where had that last thought come from? She bit her lip and forced herself to pay attention to Jack’s answer.
“No, I really don’t want to talk about my experiences with that woman. Do you want to tell me about your visits?”
“I’m almost positive my uninvited guest is the duke. He looks just like the portraits I’ve seen. And I’m wondering if your visitor could be his wife, since all of our research has centred around those two.”
“That would make sense, yeah.” He shot her an evil grin. “So, are you going to share details about what happens when the duke comes calling on you?”
She bared her teeth at him. “Let’s just agree that each of us is sexually pleasured without being an active participant. Is that fair?”
“Something like that.” His face turned a shade darker red. “I liked it, but I also hated it, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, I know. Frankly, the duke seems to think I’m a courtesan and treats me accordingly.”
“Wait a minute. You’re telling me that this figment of your imagination—or whatever he is—actually believes you’re a hooker?”
Amelia stiffened. “Hooker is a harsh word and not one that the duke would use. But yes, he appears to think I’m in the habit of using sex for my own purposes. Also, he mentioned having had a mistress, so I think we can safely assume he is accustomed to dealing with paramours.”
“This just gets weirder and weirder.” Jack drained his beer and pushed back from the table. He stood and started pacing the small confines of Amelia’s apartment. “We need to do something before this situation gets even more bizarre. Do you have any ideas?”
“Just one, but I’m afraid you’ll think I’m crazier than ever.”
He stopped in mid-pace and stared. “If you have any sort of idea at all regarding this situation, it’s almost guaranteed to sound crazy. So what’s your solution?”
Amelia walked across the room and paused in front of him. “We need to have sex.”
She bit back a smile when she noticed his throat jump as though he’d had to swallow a sudden excess of saliva before he could speak. “You mean us, as in you and me?”
“Exactly.”
“When?” he asked quickly.
“How about this evening?”
“Hey, I’m not objecting, but what good is that supposed to do, other than the obvious?”
“I’m not sure, but it seems to me that it’s worth a try. After all, I’m seemingly being visited by the duke and you’re apparently being visited by Amy Pennycut, the woman he married, and their visits centre around sex. It stands to reason—if there’s any reason to be found in this situation—that we’re supposed to have sex with each other.”
“You know, I’ve never objected in the past when a woman suggested we have sex, but I’m just not sure I can go along this time. What if the duke is here watching?”
Amelia plopped her hands on her hips.
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