The Duke in Denial (Scandal in Sussex) Read Online Free PDF

poured negus into two punch glasses.
    “Your Grace, allow me.” A gloved hand, embellished by a complex design of rosettes, stretched before him and picked up one of the glasses.
    He lifted his eyes and recognized the immaculately dressed woman before him. “Lady Arabella.”
    She smiled and handed him the glass. Their fingers touched as she gave it to him, and he flinched with a cold sense of dread. He looked down, startled to find that her gown clung to her body, as if dampened. Her bosom curved before him, emphasized by her high waistline and the tightness of her dress. She coughed and arched her eyebrow.
    “Did I see you chasing your top hat outside?”
    He froze. Clearly nothing had eluded her.
    She leaned toward him, revealing more of her cleavage. “It will be our secret.”
    “I saved it. I mean . . .” He paused. Now was not the time to go into how the army captain had rescued it for him. He glanced back, expecting to see Dorothea’s pale face, but found the space between them had already filled with onlookers.
    “You rescued it?” Lady Arabella laughed again. “How heroic of you.”
    “No, no. It was not my heroism.”
    Her eyebrow lifted again, controlled, and she murmured, “You are too modest.”
    He dropped his gaze and picked up the second glass. The drink was warm to his touch, and he inhaled the smell of wine, lemon, and nutmeg.
    “For me?”
    He swung his gaze back to Lady Arabella.
    She smirked. “You mustn’t look so horrified at the prospect. I saw you approach with Miss Carlisle.”
    “Oh.” He relaxed his shoulders and composed his face, irritated she had read him so easily.
    “There’s a rumor that you intend to marry her.”
    His gaze darted up.
    “Of course, I wouldn’t believe it. You are too sensible. Even though I cannot understand how you allow her and her brother to live in that townhouse.” She tossed her head.
    For a moment, Sebastian thought the violent gesture might disturb her elaborate coiffure, but her hair remained intact. Evidently her lady’s maid was talented.
    Her gown swished as she moved nearer him. “Miss Carlisle is charming. But she was far too close to her ex-fiancé. There are rumors about her. It is my duty to warn you since we have always been such friends. I hope we may remain close.”
    He blinked. “Rumors?”
    “I’m sure you wouldn’t want a bride who had been spoiled. You deserve the very best. Somebody with more discretion and patience.”
    “I see.”
    And he did see. Though if Dorothea were spoiled, then it was only because his cousin had not lived to marry her. He could not fault her that. Restraint with women came easily to him, but he knew other men did not possess that quality. He would not be surprised if Reynolds and Burgess had acted without caution during their engagements.
    “I would never want to interfere.” Lady Arabella’s eyelashes fluttered as she gazed at him.
    He nodded, conscious that her ladyship would never have looked at him like that when he was still a country squire. “Only your sense of duty compels you to tell me this.”
    “Indeed.”
    He pondered her words, still taken aback. But then Lady Arabella was not known to be shy. Unlike other debutantes in her season, Sebastian knew she had refrained from seeking a husband at once, doubtless comforted by the scale of her father’s fortune. She now reigned over the season. Her unmarried status, experience, and relative youth would yield her an even bigger prize.
    Lady Arabella smiled. “I see we understand ourselves perfectly.”
    “Indeed.” Sebastian returned a tight smile. His voice deepened as he said, “But I hope I can trust you not to spread any further rumors about Miss Carlisle.”
    Lady Arabella’s hand rushed to her chest. “Naturally, Your Grace. I am the picture of discretion.”
    The corner of his lips rose at her indignant gesture. He bowed, careful not to spill his drinks, and returned to Dorothea. His heart hammered, outraged on her