Dusky Duke and the Gypsy Pirate Princess Read Online Free PDF Page A

apologize for the slip, my lady.”
    The small child nodded; accepting his repentance. Greyson gaze was drawn back to the rocks. How was he going to find out her name?
    He felt another tug. “My name is Abby Williams, and this is my little sister Maggie. I’m five and she is three and this is our little brother, Blue. He is one. And we are Gypsy Pirate Princesses, ‘cepting him of course, cause he’s a boy.”
    Greyson stooped down until he was eye level with the girl who was talking. Abby Williams – she said her name was Abby Williams. Greyson noted the similar coloring between this child and Miss Prudence Williams. The same blonde hair and same blue eyes. The sound of the feet in the hallway. The children’s voices.
    “And the Lady Pirate Princess, what is her name?”
    The children turned and looked in the direction he was pointing. “Honesty Williams.” Both girls nodded their heads as if imparting a great revelation. Greyson’s smile lit up his face. He thought about hugging these two little girls until they squealed.
    The five-year-old Abby continued, “She is our big sister, and she taking care of us while Pretty tries to catch a beau, cause daddy says we ain’t coming back to town again til I is old enough to go through all this hoopla. He says the boys can come themselves, no one worries about their reput . . ations, or nothing.”
    “We are going home next week, and daddy says that he misses us like fire in his letter,” added the younger one.
    “But mama says, Pretty not doing so good cause she is shy, and True thinks she likes Lord Byron, but he ain’t ask.” Both the girls nodded their heads importantly again.
    Greyson chuckled. He should talk to little girls more often; they were just founts of information. The toddler popped his thumb in his mouth and sucked noisily.
    “You are going home to where?” the girls looked at him blankly. “Where do you live?” he rephrased his question.
    Abby flapped her arms up and down and explained patiently as she could, “At our house.”
    “We got a home here too,” Maggie added.
    “But we are going home to our other house soon,” added Abby. “I want ta go home, but Just and Val say they don’t cause they didn’t get to go to Buckingham Palace or drive the phaetons through the park like the young bucks and Pretty told them they can do that when they come back.”
    Greyson noticed the voices had quieted in the rocks and he could see a hired coach moving toward them. He knew he was out of time.
    He stood up as Honesty Williams followed by four boys and one more girl walked toward him. Greyson knew he should feel guilty for what he was about to do . . . but all was fair in love and war. He met the group head on. Many of them carried wooden pirate swords.
    Greyson smiled, and extended an invitation to her. “I would like very much to invite you to visit the Buckingham Palace gardens with me tomorrow. We could meet here, then travel together to the gardens and have a picnic.”
    “I can’t possibly,” Honesty interrupted, “I am responsible for watching the children.
    Greyson bowed his head to hide his quick smile, “If you accept, then of course all of your siblings are more than welcome to come too.” He watched in delight as the older boys head popped up at his extension of the invitation to include them. “I hear the maze at the gardens is extraordinary this year, and not to be missed if one has the chance to see it.” Greyson watched the silent signals being passed between the siblings. He recognized the signs that the eldest was winning and was about to turn him down. “I thought I would drive my pair tomorrow. The boys might like a turn at handling the reins.” Greyson managed to stifle his glee as the battle quickly turned in his favor.
    Honesty nodded her acceptance of his offer, as the troop shouted their happiness. The hired coach stopped next to them. Greyson spent the next several minutes helping the Williams load into the