Desiring Lady Caro Read Online Free PDF Page B

down. She wouldn’t welcome his touch, and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms to comfort her. Rarely had he felt so helpless. “They will agree his manners toward you are poor, but we have no proof of anything else.” Why was she being so difficult? “Don’t you understand how vulnerable you are if you stay?”
    She remained standing, staring out through the doors as if she couldn’t believe what he’d told her. “I’m not a victim. I won’t be.”
    He ran a hand through his hair, a habit that he’d developed since meeting Caro. “Sit down, please. We must decide what to do.”
    “My lady.” His aunt’s majordomo, La Valle, bowed. “The Duca di Venier is here to see you.”
    Horatia took a breath. “Did he say what it was about?”
    “No, my lady.”
    Rising, she shook out her skirts. “Very well, show him into my study and tell him I shall be with him directly. Place two footmen inside the door.”
    He bowed again. “Yes, my lady.”
    Horatia turned to them, her face tight with worry. “This cannot be good. The duke has never come here before. Caro, my dear, you may have run out of time. Make your plans.”
    Back straight, Horatia went to meet the duke.
    When Huntley turned back to Caro, her countenance was alive with tension. She glanced at him. “What could he want?”
    Rapidly reviewing their options, Huntley said, “Let me take you back to England.”
    Her eyes flew open like a wild animal ready to flee, yet her voice was firm. “No.”
    That was obviously not a good suggestion. Very well, then, not England. He rapidly reviewed the places he could escort her to and not cause a scandal or have them be forced into marriage. Caro wouldn’t appreciate that at all. Where? “Paris is an option.”
    Caro strode the length of the balcony and back, skirts snapping around her ankles. After a few moments she stopped. Her lips set into a line. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”
    He kept his voice even. “Not one I can see.”
    She blinked rapidly, then picked up her cup and sipped. “Very well. When would you like to depart?”
    Horatia returned to the balcony. Small lines bracketed her lips as she tightened them. Her fine eyes flashed in anger. “You’d better leave as soon as possible. The duke was here to make a formal offer for your hand on the behalf of his grandson, the Marchese di Venier. It was not an offer he was prepared to see refused.” She took a breath and continued, her voice grave. “I told the duke it was impossible for you to marry the marchese as you were already betrothed to Huntley.”

CHAPTER 3
    “Y ou told him what? ” What in God’s name was Godmamma thinking? She knew Caro couldn’t marry. She rubbed her forehead and couldn’t bring herself to meet Huntley’s steady gaze. “Surely there was another way.”
    Her godmother picked up a cup, then frowned at the now cold pot of tea. “Well, my love, he was insistent that you marry his grandson, and you are two and twenty.”
    “What,” Caro asked, though not sure she wanted to hear the answer, “does my age have to do with it?”
    “The duke would not have believed you have no wish to marry.” Her godmother fiddled with a bangle on her arm. “Add to that what Huntley told us about the young man’s temperament.”
    “ Temperament! ” Caro clenched her fists. “The man is a beast.”
    Horatia nodded. “Indeed, so it just”—she took a breath—“well, it seemed the prudent thing to do at the time.”
    “Prudent?” Caro resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead tilted her head back to gaze at the ornately painted ceiling. The happy, frolicking cherubs weren’t helping.
    “Yes, of course.” Her godmother smiled as if it all made sense. “You must see how fortuitous having Huntley here is. He was the perfect excuse.”
    Why did this have to happen now? Her life had been going so well. Caro drew a breath and glanced at him. His countenance showed not even a hint of what he was thinking. It