The Devilish Duke Read Online Free PDF Page B

to confront it. At the time, she’d thought she’d imagined his attention because he was a duke and cut such a striking figure. And all that time, he’d been excited by her presence.
    “I should have trusted my instinct and not tested you that first night.” He paused, glancing downward and then back up at her face. “Was it really dreadful for you?”
    “It was better than Tewksbury.”
    He threw his head back and laughed. “Saved by Tewksbury.”
    “Imagine that.”
    Still chuckling, he pulled her against his chest. “It seems Tewksbury has a purpose in living, after all.”
    “Richard, I’ve never seen you do that.”
    “What’s that?” He rubbed her back.
    “Laugh.”
    “I laugh all the time.”
    “No, you don’t.” She pushed away from him. “You hardly ever smile.”
    “Perhaps you’ll fix that over time.” His lips covered hers again, and now, his palms went to her rear and cupped her buttocks. When he’d finished with her mouth, he pressed kisses along her temple to her ear. “For now, there’s something else you can fix.”
    Her breath caught. “I thought I fixed that this morning.”
    “It needs constant work, I’m afraid.”
    “Then, I’ll have to try again, won’t I?”
    He pushed away from the desk and took her hand. “I’ll leave myself in your able hands, Lady Fallon.”
    As he led her to the doorway, a sound came from outside the manor. Carriage wheels pulling up to the front of the house.
    “Who could that be?” she asked.
    He tugged at her hand. “Simms will deal with it.”
    “If we have visitors, we need to see them.” She pulled him toward the window, where they both looked out.
    As soon as he saw the crest on the side of the carriage, he stiffened beside her, and his fingers closed tightly around hers.
    “Who is it?” she asked.
    “Not her,” he said. “Please, God, not her.”
    After opening the carriage door, the footman let down the stair, and a delicate slipper emerged. A woman climbed down onto the drive. Tall and graceful, she seemed as confident as if entering her own home. After a bit, she lifted her head to scan the house, revealing herself to be a stunning brunette dressed in the latest fashion. Rosalind gasped softly. “Do you know her?”
    “I should.” He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. Finally, he dropped his hand and straightened. “You’re about to meet my second wife’s sister.”
    * * *
     
    The woman was even more beautiful at close range. With long limbs, she managed to wrap herself around Fallon like ivy climbing a trellis.
    “There’s my darling man,” she declared. “It’s been much too long.”
    “Elizabeth.” Fallon set her away from him—firmly enough to convey a message. Don’t touch me. She either missed his intent or ignored it because she continued clasping his hand in both of hers. He stepped aside, forcing the woman to face Rosalind.
    The brilliant smile hardly faltered, but one dark brow arched. “Who would this be?”
    He finally disentangled himself from her and went to Rosalind’s side. “This is my wife, Rosalind, Lady Fallon.”
    “Well, of course, she is.” The woman’s gaze swept to her feet and back up again. “And when did this happen?”
    “I’m sure you know all about it,” Fallon said. “Otherwise, why would you have come?”
    The woman put her hand over her heart, and managed a very lovely pout. “I missed my dear brother and wanted to see how he was.”
    “Well, now you’ve seen,” Fallon said.
    “Rosalind.” The woman removed her gloves and hat, revealing a pile of intricately arranged sable curls. She carefully set her things on a nearby chair. “What a lovely creature. I’m sure the two of us will be great friends.”
    He tugged Rosalind closer to him. “I rather doubt that.”
    “What an old stick you’ve become, Richard.” The woman—Elizabeth—nearly forced her way between Fallon and Rosalind and swept her to a