Sins of a Duke Read Online Free PDF

to physical embarrassment earlier, the wisest course of action for himself would be tocall the meeting a draw and stay as far away from her as possible.
    However strong his resolve to be untouched by any of this, the rest of the Griffin clan remained annoyingly attentive. The moment he convinced Shay to go away, Zachary and Caroline appeared. At least they served to distract him from the damned princess.
    “It’s as bloody hot as Hades in here,” Zachary complained, tugging on his elegant white cravat and clearly doing his damnedest to avoid talking about anything significant.
    “Of course it is,” Sebastian returned, keeping his back to the dance floor and whomever Princess Josefina might be dancing with. “You know how Lady Elkins feels about air from out-of-doors.”
    “At least you could have the good grace to sweat, Seb.”
    It was his internal temperature that troubled him tonight. “I’m a duke; I don’t sweat,” he offered. “Go dance with your wife.”
    “I’m keeping you company.”
    “You’re keeping an eye on me, you mean.”
    “All I’m saying is that Shay and I wrestled for it, and I lost.”
    Beyond Zachary’s shoulder a pair of cabinet ministers hovered, red-faced and sweating. Sebastian swiftly hid a frown of his own before it could alter his expression. Truthfully, after that slap he’d thought he would be mobbed with members of Parliament, all of them convinced that he must be weakening and that the Elkins ball was the time and place to attack. He only hoped one of them would anger him—he had a great deal of ire bottled up and waiting to explode.
    “Your Grace,” a sweet, feminine voice cooed behind him, “surely you might take pity on a poor miss without a partner for the quadrille.”
    Setting an amiable expression on his face, he turned around. “Lady Frederica. You look lovely this evening.”
    The young lady curtsied, all burgundy gown and coiled blonde hair and impossibly long eyelashes. “Thank you, Your Grace. That’s very kind of you.”
    “I would be pleased to escort you to the refreshment table, my lady, but I won’t be dancing again this evening.”
    He knew the rules, and he knew how to use them to his advantage. He’d danced with the princess, but that could be seen as a clear exception. If he danced with Lady Frederica, however, every other lady present would with good reason assume he would be just as willing to partner with them. By refusing the first request he received, they should likewise all understand that he wished to be left alone.
    He knew why they pursued him, but for God’s sake, after four years they should realize he had no intention of remarrying. The only way he could make it more clear was to hang a sign around his neck, and that would ruin his cravat.
    Lady Frederica reddened. “Of course, Your Grace. An escort would be welcome.”
    Very well, so now he would have to chat with a few of the other stubborn, marriage-hunting females prowling about tonight. It was still better than having to dance with them—and far easier to conclude.
    And that was a good thing. He had enough on his plate this evening. As he looked up, he caught Princess Josefina gazing at him. Their eyes met, and she swiftly turned away. If she knew what was good for her, she wouldn’t protest when he sent her home all by herself. Because calm as he might look now on the outside, inside he felt just short of a predatory lion. And this lion intended to keep his pride intact.
     
    “How was your evening, daughter?”
    Josefina handed her cloak to her maid, Conchita, and made her way into the room her father had commandeered for his office. “It was abysmal,” she said, sinking into the chair across the desk from him. “I don’t know where you heard that the Duke of Melbourne would be able to help you forward the development of Costa Habichuela, but I found him to be aloof, rude, and arrogant.” Well, not aloof, perhaps, but definitely the other two.
    She still fairly