A Duke For All Seasons Read Online Free PDF Page B

Wiggins will show you to your room.”
         The housekeeper dropped a shallow curtsey.
         “Cobb.” Sebastian nodded sharply to his butler. “When the lady is ready, bring her to the stables.”
         Arabella smiled at Sebastian, hoping to rekindle some of the spark they’d shared at The Peacock’s Tail. “You know how I look forward to seeing you ride, Your Grace.”
         He inclined his head in a stiff gesture that thanked her for remembering the servants were watching, but his sensual smile showed he'd caught the double entendre in ‘ride.’
         Ever correct. Ever lordly. Even in his amours , the duke was mindful of his station. Once in bed, would he still maintain such tight control or would he lose himself in heat and friction and animal passion? Just once, she wished she could see him driven beyond his ability to be in full command of himself.
         He disappeared into the great house, leaving her in the care of Mrs. Wiggins and Cobb. She trailed them through the big double doors.
         Sebastian’s country home was as elegant and formal as the man himself. The foyer was tiled with Italian marble, clearly designed to impress. Arabella followed Mrs. Wiggins up a curved staircase to the guest quarters, asking about the general layout of the great house and the great people who’d lived in it as they went. The chamber she was assigned would have suited a princess.
         “Ring for an abigail when ye’ve the need of one, miss.” Mrs. Wiggins indicated the bellpull on one side of the sumptuous four-poster.
         Bella thanked her as the woman left, but she was perfectly capable of dressing herself. She stripped out of her traveling ensemble and pulled on the forest green riding habit, whose shoulders were graced with epaulets a la militaire . Her fingers flew to hook the gold frogs marching down the bodice. She had to hurry if she was going to find Sebastian’s library and filch the envelope.
         She stole out of the guest suite and padded down the staircase, wary of servants. She had to locate the library before she was discovered by Mr. Cobb and ushered out to the stable. Fortunately Mrs. Wiggins had given her a detailed description of the ground floor and Bella was able to slip unnoticed through the long hall bedecked with fading tapestries. She padded into the sun-splashed library at the far southern corner of the house.
         The room smelled of must and books and vaguely of Sebastian’s unique scent. She spied the stack of books on the edge of the massive burled oak desk. Without hesitation, she skittered over to it and opened the Don Giovanni libretto. To her dismay, the seal was broken and the envelope empty.
         “Looking for this?” Sebastian stepped from behind the door, dangling a sheet of foolscap before her. His eyes were dark and hard.
         And sad. And in his sadness lay her only hope.
     

 
    “If a prospective mistress presents troubling aspects, end the association at once. If a gentleman wishes a life filled with complications, he should seek a wife.”
    ~ A Gentleman’s Guide to Keeping a Mistress
     

Chapter 6
     
         “Let me explain,” Arabella said, backing toward the desk. “It's not what you think.”
         Sebastian looked at the crumpled missive. “Oh? What do you think it is, then? A guest list for Napoleon's next ball?”
         “I mean ...” Her thoughts darted furiously, more florid than a Mozartean cadenza and as damnably difficult to get a handle on. What could she possibly say that wouldn't make the situation worse? “You don't understand.”
         “Pray enlighten me.” He approached with the stealth and menace of a hunter. “But be warned, madam. I will suffer no more lies from you.”
         “I haven't lied.” The edge of the desk bit into the back of her thigh just under the crease of her bottom. “I'm only the courier. I know nothing about the contents of the