breath. Although, thanks to the duke’s greeting she at least knew which of the twins she’d been conversing with for the past several minutes.
Reaching for a ceramic mug and pouring himself a cup of coffee, Gabriel eyed his brother speculatively. Upon entering the breakfast room he’d instantly spied Lady Penelope sitting with Rafael, smiling at something he’d just said. Astonishingly, he’d felt an immediate spark of irritation; and not because he’d already cautioned his oft-times impetuous, rakehell brother regarding the Earl of Beckford’s innocent young daughter, but because he’d felt a rather peculiar flicker of emotion that could only be described as… jealousy. Considering that he’d never before experienced that particular emotion, at least not in regard to a woman, it was decidedly disconcerting. But then Penelope Houghton was hardly a woman. She was eighteen, little more than a child, which only made his uncharacteristic reaction all the more troublesome. Unfortunately, however, her stunning countenance and all too womanly curves were making that deuced hard for him to keep in mind.
Even now, with those thoughts in mind, he was hard-pressed to keep his eyes from straying in her direction and lingering upon her striking profile, just as they had the night before. “So, tell me Rafael, what is it that has you up and about so early this morning?” he asked, forcibly redirecting his errant gaze as he sat back in his chair and turned his attention to his brother.
Rafael looked to him with a curious expression, a forkful of eggs hovering just inches above his plate.
“I only ask, as it isn’t like you to leave your bed any earlier than you have to.” A look passed between them then, as his brother read the unspoken question in his eyes.
Casting a quick, sidelong glance at Penelope, Rafael’s expression shifted into a knowing smirk as he turned his gaze back to Gabriel. “Oh, I’m fairly certain you can guess the answer to that yourself, Gabe,” he replied with a devilish wink, before forking the bite of eggs into his mouth.
Gabriel stiffened slightly. “Can I?”
Rafael nodded, swallowing his eggs and then taking a sip of his tea before responding. “Tis this wonderfully refreshing country air, of course,” he answered with a broad smile. “That is what you would have guessed, is it not?”
Noting the thinly veiled amusement reflected in Rafael’s jovial tone, Gabriel frowned in irritation, knowing precisely what his brother was thinking. Unfortunately it was an all too accurate assumption; and knowing his brother, one he was certain to be ribbed mercilessly for once they were alone. As for him of all people to display even the merest hint of jealousy, or anything even remotely similar to that particular emotion, was without doubt a most unique occurrence and not one his provoking younger brother would simply choose to ignore.
Somewhat perplexed by the rather incongruous comments and peculiar looks passing between the duke and his brother, Penny turned her attention to her plate and managed to swallow a small bite of ham.
“You’re not eating?” Rafael asked his brother as he shoveled another large mound of eggs onto his fork.
The duke glanced toward the sideboard disinterestedly. “Maybe later. For now, I’ll simply enjoy my coffee,” he replied. “Besides, it appears that you are eating more than enough for the both of us, as usual,” he added glibly, raising his cup to his lips.
Lord Ashcroft merely grinned as he swallowed his eggs and then reached for one of the raspberry tarts he’d added to his plate. “Nothing wrong with a healthy appetite. Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Penelope?”
Penny looked up from her plate. “No, certainly not,” she concurred with an affirming smile.
“Yet you’ve hardly touched your breakfast,” he remarked, looking pointedly at her still full plate. “Is the food not to your
Reaching for a ceramic mug and pouring himself a cup of coffee, Gabriel eyed his brother speculatively. Upon entering the breakfast room he’d instantly spied Lady Penelope sitting with Rafael, smiling at something he’d just said. Astonishingly, he’d felt an immediate spark of irritation; and not because he’d already cautioned his oft-times impetuous, rakehell brother regarding the Earl of Beckford’s innocent young daughter, but because he’d felt a rather peculiar flicker of emotion that could only be described as… jealousy. Considering that he’d never before experienced that particular emotion, at least not in regard to a woman, it was decidedly disconcerting. But then Penelope Houghton was hardly a woman. She was eighteen, little more than a child, which only made his uncharacteristic reaction all the more troublesome. Unfortunately, however, her stunning countenance and all too womanly curves were making that deuced hard for him to keep in mind.
Even now, with those thoughts in mind, he was hard-pressed to keep his eyes from straying in her direction and lingering upon her striking profile, just as they had the night before. “So, tell me Rafael, what is it that has you up and about so early this morning?” he asked, forcibly redirecting his errant gaze as he sat back in his chair and turned his attention to his brother.
Rafael looked to him with a curious expression, a forkful of eggs hovering just inches above his plate.
“I only ask, as it isn’t like you to leave your bed any earlier than you have to.” A look passed between them then, as his brother read the unspoken question in his eyes.
Casting a quick, sidelong glance at Penelope, Rafael’s expression shifted into a knowing smirk as he turned his gaze back to Gabriel. “Oh, I’m fairly certain you can guess the answer to that yourself, Gabe,” he replied with a devilish wink, before forking the bite of eggs into his mouth.
Gabriel stiffened slightly. “Can I?”
Rafael nodded, swallowing his eggs and then taking a sip of his tea before responding. “Tis this wonderfully refreshing country air, of course,” he answered with a broad smile. “That is what you would have guessed, is it not?”
Noting the thinly veiled amusement reflected in Rafael’s jovial tone, Gabriel frowned in irritation, knowing precisely what his brother was thinking. Unfortunately it was an all too accurate assumption; and knowing his brother, one he was certain to be ribbed mercilessly for once they were alone. As for him of all people to display even the merest hint of jealousy, or anything even remotely similar to that particular emotion, was without doubt a most unique occurrence and not one his provoking younger brother would simply choose to ignore.
Somewhat perplexed by the rather incongruous comments and peculiar looks passing between the duke and his brother, Penny turned her attention to her plate and managed to swallow a small bite of ham.
“You’re not eating?” Rafael asked his brother as he shoveled another large mound of eggs onto his fork.
The duke glanced toward the sideboard disinterestedly. “Maybe later. For now, I’ll simply enjoy my coffee,” he replied. “Besides, it appears that you are eating more than enough for the both of us, as usual,” he added glibly, raising his cup to his lips.
Lord Ashcroft merely grinned as he swallowed his eggs and then reached for one of the raspberry tarts he’d added to his plate. “Nothing wrong with a healthy appetite. Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Penelope?”
Penny looked up from her plate. “No, certainly not,” she concurred with an affirming smile.
“Yet you’ve hardly touched your breakfast,” he remarked, looking pointedly at her still full plate. “Is the food not to your
Similar Books
