Deceived Read Online Free PDF

Cally.
    â€œAs one!” Aurora responded, finishing the pledge of allegiance they had made up as children and repeated whenever they did something together that they considered important.
    â€œThen it is settled,” Cally said, her eyes sparkling.
    â€œYes,” Aurora agreed.
    â€œAnd you shall be the duke’s duchess,” George chuckled. “What a treat London society has in store for it.”
    â€œI shall be a wonderful duchess,” Cally told him. “I shall have all the beautiful gowns I want! And jewelry! And I shall dance till dawn every night with all the handsome gentlemen!”
    â€œFirst, however,” her brother reminded her, “you will have to produce an heir for the duke. That will be your primary duty. It is your insurance should Valerian Hawkesworth ever find out you are not who you should be, little sister.”
    â€œFiddlesticks, George! It will make no difference if he finds out one day. He will have St. Timothy anyway. There is plenty of time for babies, and being stuck in some country mansion just as isolated as our island home is not my idea of being a grand duchess. Any woman can have babies! I want to go to London and see the king! Do not distress yourselves. I shall make my duke fall madly in love with me. Then he will allow me to do whatever I want, for he will desire to please me at all times else I withdraw my love from him.” She giggled. “Ohhh, I cannot wait to be a duchess!”
    â€œWhat a heartless little hussy you will be.” Aurora laughed. “You had best not let Mama hear you speaking this way. It will give her a terrible attack of the vapors, I fear.”
    â€œI love Mama,” Calandra admitted, “but it will be so nice not to have her telling me what to do all the time.”
    â€œYou will have the old dowager telling you what to do instead,” her brother teased her.
    â€œAnother reason for staying in London,” Calandra countered.
    And the three of them laughed, while outside the study, a sudden afternoon squall blew in from the sea to pepper the windows with warm rain.

Chapter 2
    T he Duke of Farminster stood at the rail of the Royal George as it made its way around the island of St. Timothy. The only bay suitable for landing was on the far side of the island, away from the shipping lanes. In the last few days he had been treated to all manner of topography as they sailed among the islands of the western Indies. Many of the islands were mountainous, some were flat, but this island seemed to have a broad plain all about it, with a spine of rolling hills in the center running the length of the island. The cane fields were lush and green, and he was not just a little impressed.
    â€œThey’re harvesting. It’s the season,” the captain said, coming to stand by his side. “The island is about eighty square miles in size, about half of Barbados, and smaller than Grenada. Do you know anything about it, your grace?”
    â€œPrecious little,” Valerian Hawkesworth replied. “I know the two families who were given the grant by King Charles were related to mine by marriage. My bride, and her father, are the last of them.”
    â€œThe families kept in touch with England, then. Many of them don’t, y’know. They go native,” the captain noted disapprovingly.
    â€œNo, our branches kept in touch. My father and Mr. Kimberly were at Oxford together, which is how the match came about between myself and Miss Kimberly. Is there a town on the island, Captain Conway?”
    The seaman shook his head. “Nay, your grace. St. Timothy was Kimberly and Meredith property. They grow sugar cane, and nothing else is done with the land. Besides, who would live here, and what sort of business could a man employ his time with on an island like this? Other than the family, and a few bond servants, there are only blacks.”
    The duke nodded in response and gazed out over the blue-green