My Fair Temptress Read Online Free PDF

graceful penmanship marching its way down the pristine white page. “I’ve planned every lesson with care.”
    With a frown, Nevett took the book from her. “Planned…you said you were going to cultivate his instincts.”
    “Absolutely, but flirting is a fine art.” She waxed enthusiastic on this, her area of expertise. “He must know how to flirt in every situation, how to flirt with an unknown yet desirable lady in the lending library…how to judge a lady’s station in life and therefore her suitability as a prospective mate. This is no small project, Your Grace. It took me eighteen years to learn the subtleties of flirting, all of which I must teach your son by the end of the Season.”
    Nevett donned his glasses and read her first entry aloud. “Week 1: Test Lord Huntington to see if his command of basic social skills are tolerable. Improve if necessary.” With a frown, he looked up. “He knows some of it, or at least he used to, before he went to”—loathing filled his tone—“France.”
    “With all due respect, Your Grace, that he could lose his skill in France seems unlikely.” A light smile played around her lips. “The French I have met seemed not only experts at the art of light romance, but at the same time extraordinarily pragmatic about marriage and fittingness.”
    Nevett handed back her journal. “They have corrupted him.”
    In her experience, corruption involved more dire cruelty and carelessness than Huntington had shown. But she kept that information to herself.
    In a whiplash tone, Nevett asked, “How are you going to make sure he doesn’t fall in love with you ?”
    “With…me?” She laughed. It had been a very long time since she had been under the misapprehension any man loved her. “Your Grace, I can’t imagine anything more daunting to a man than discovering that every languishing glance, every coy compliment has been paid for by his father.”
    “You’re right.”
    Caroline suspected few people had ever heard those words from the duke of Nevett.
    He surveyed her critically. “That gown is last year’s fashion. To play the part, you’ll need to wear different garments.”
    She looked down at the plain blue skirt. “Sir, this is the best I have.” The best by far, provided by Lady Bucknell.
    “Very well, I’ll provide what’s needed. My butler will arrange for you to visit a couturiere for day wear. We’ll add more as necessary.” With his gaze, Nevett dispassionately weighed and measured her. Then his eyelids drooped, and he tapped his fingertips together. “We’ll do as they do in the nursery. We shall teach Jude by arranging situations such as he will encounter in society. Tomorrow the park. The next day, an encounter in the lending library.”
    She knew she had to take her role as a teacher seriously, so she made her protest respectfully yet with great seriousness. “I will assess Lord Huntington tomorrow in the park. The next day, I’ll start his training according to my schedule.”
    At this contradiction of his plans, Nevett’s eyes bulged, and his voice rose. “What?”
    Hastily, she backed off. “If that’s all right with you, Your Grace, that’s what I’ll do.”
    He picked up Adorna’s letter and studied it. Then he nodded, and in a grudging tone, said, “Yes. Well. Yes. Of course. You’re in charge.”
    “Yes, I am,” she said faintly. Although she didn’t quite believe it herself.
    “How long do you think it will take you to get him whipped into shape?”
    “I don’t know, sir.”
    He gestured impatiently, his hand rolling as he urged a reply.
    She guessed, “If we work together every day, perhaps a fortnight for afternoon affairs, more for evening events.”
    “The duchess will host a small party with a few of his cronies and a few select young ladies.”
    “Who won’t object to my presence among them, I trust?”
    Nevett’s lip curled haughtily. “The young ladies will do as they’re told.”
    Caroline hated to break it to