Son of a Duke Read Online Free PDF

quite quickly in fact, that this was more than just an adjustment, and his life really may never be the same again.   She was beautiful.   Well, not beautiful in any normal manner.   In fact, she looked like she could put him in his place faster than make him buckle at the knees with want.   Both options sounded vastly appealing though.  
    She stood in the middle of an absolute mess.   There was what looked like the remains of some kind of shrubbery strewn across the floor.   Why shrubbery would be in a ballroom, he had not a clue.   But a herd of society's finest had done their best to maim the poor plants.   Maids and footmen were gathering the fronds in piles growing almost too large to hold.   Others were carefully picking up shards of glass, broken champagne flutes and plates.   More were crawling over the platform in the rear where he had entered earlier that evening.   The ballroom had looked quite lovely then.  
    Miss Quinton was currently folding yards of a sheer, blue fabric, carefully placing it on a table away from the dirt and spilled liquor.   Her white hat and apron were as starched and perfect as if nothing out of the ordinary had transpired that evening.   The corners of her mouth were slightly turned up.   Why?   He did not know, but for some odd reason, he really wished to find out.  
    He felt Alec staring at him as he stared at Miss Quinton.  
    "Hurst, indeed."
    "Do not do it, Nathan.   You still have time to flee.   She has not seen you yet."
    Nathan glared at him.   "I'm not going to run with my tail between my legs from a mere woman."
    "Who is this, my lord?"
    The sharp tone made Nathan swing his head around.   He stared openly, knowing his mouth was hanging down to his chest and not caring in the least.
    Alec opened his mouth to speak, but Nathan moved first, grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips, "Mr. Black, of Bow Street, Miss Quinton."
    He lowered her hand, letting her fingers slide slowly through his own before fully letting go of her.  
    Alec attempted to hide a laugh under a strained cough.  
    A little lie was not going to hurt things at the moment.   After all, he had just killed a man.  
    Except Miss Quinton did not flinch.
    Nathan straightened fully and smiled his most devilish smile.  
    She cast her eyes down along the length of him and back up.   "Here is the body, Mr. Black."   She turned away from him, gesturing to the dead man on the floor about ten feet away.  
    Nathan frowned.   Deeply.   Had she just given him the once over and then dismissed him completely?  
    He threw a scowl at Alec who just shrugged his shoulders and moved to follow Miss Quinton.   Nathan also moved and found his path blocked by one of the decimated ferns.   He kicked it out of his way and continued on.
    "Be careful, Nathan."  
    He almost jumped out of his skin.   He swung his head to the side to see Jane smiling at him.   Where the bloody hell had she come from, and why was she still here?
    He raised his eyebrows at her, and the crotchety woman stuck out her tongue at him.   He went back to making his way across the cluttered ballroom toward the swiftly moving Miss Quinton.  
    "I apologize for the mess, Mr. Black.   My staff is deeply horrified by such a tragedy and is trying hard to move past it.   They are cleaning up this mess as promptly as possible, so that they may retire for the evening.   And it has been quite a long evening, I'm sure you understand.   I have not allowed them to touch the body, however, in case you may find some clue with it."  
    She stopped three feet from the body and by God, folded her hands behind her back under the starched bow of her apron.   He quirked a brow at Alec, who just shrugged again.   He dared to look at Jane, who winked at him.    
    "Very astute of you, Miss Quinton."   Nathan bent down to look more closely at the body although he knew quite well who it was and what that who was.   Lord Archer had been passing