Lord Love a Duke Read Online Free PDF

eyes the
color of the sea they would soon be near at East Bourne. When
viewed this closely, she noticed a dark ring encircling the blue,
their icy color providing a startling contrast to his lightly
tanned face and raven black hair. She felt her blush deepen as he
continued to watch her. It seemed the carriage had gotten smaller
with the presence of his tall, muscular, and broad-shouldered frame
taking up both space and air.

    "Tell me, Lady Juliet, when did you so
mature? It seems the last I noticed you were a tomboy in pigtails,
chasing frogs and causing mischief with my sister. Now you seem to
have left adolescence behind with Miranda. She carries herself with
far less grace and aplomb than you."

    She fluttered her lashes down in
embarrassment, not realizing the alluring nature of her action. Her
lips turned up with a slight grimace. "You have been occupied with
affairs of more import than your sister's friend as I have not worn
pigtails nor chased frogs for some years now, Your Grace. Miranda
and I are of an age, which you well know, having been tormented by
basically having two younger sisters each summer for the past
fifteen years."

    "I think my true torment may have yet to
begin," he murmured to himself. He slapped his hands on his knees
and opened the door to exit, his abrupt shift in weight causing the
carriage to lurch. Juliet, perched on the edge of her seat, lost
her balance and pitched awkwardly into the Duke's lap. Mortified,
she sprang up only to fall out the door he had only just opened,
landing on the ground and on her bottom in an unceremonious heap.
Jonas quickly stepped down and offered his hand to pick her up,
making sure to surreptitiously admire her exposed and shapely
calves before she rose.

    "I beg your pardon--" they both began.
"Please, go ahead--" they began again in chorus. They both laughed
and he waited for her to speak first.

    "I am so sorry, Your Grace. I lost my
balance on the seat and just kept going out of the door." She
flushed in embarrassment but quickly began to laugh again. “What a
crazed mess I must look,” she lamented, grimacing slightly in
embarrassment. “What were you just saying about grace and aplomb?”
she joked.

    Jonas raised his brows with amusement at her
jest. "Lady Juliet, it is I who owe the apology. I moved rather
suddenly in the carriage and caused your spill. Are you injured?"
She noticed he was still holding on to her hand and she gave a
small tug to free herself from his grasp. She looked over her
appearance, brushing at spots of dirt on the pale silk of her
travel dress.

    "I seem no worse for wear, save my pride
over my less than graceful exit from the carriage. Perhaps there is
still some gangly tomboy lurking in me after all," she added wryly.
She turned at a sound and saw Miranda and the Duchess approaching.
She nodded to the Duke and begged him excuse her as she went to
help her friend.

    There is nothing gangly nor boyish
anywhere on that form , thought Jonas. He
shook his head slightly and gave a soft chuckle. He had no business
thinking about his sister's friend in that manner and resolved to
stop his wayward thoughts from progressing any further. If he were
to survive the fortnight without lust-filled ideas, he should begin
now. He walked back over to the boy holding his hat and horse and
quickly mounted, placing his hat securely on his head.

    "Shall we, ladies?" he called before turning
his back on the trio. The best way to forget his ridiculous
thoughts was to put the lady out of his sight.

Chapter Seven
Lovers and madmen have such seething
brains, such shaping fantasies, that apprehend more than cool
reason ever comprehends.

William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's
Dream, Act 5, Scene 1

    Seated back in the ducal
carriage with Miranda and Her Grace, Juliet tried in vain not to
look out the window and stare at the Duke. Thankfully she had
outgrown her childhood crush of him, and she rationalized that
admiring the man he had become was in no