The Duke of Christmas Past Read Online Free PDF Page A

stepped close to the house
and pressed against it. The cool damp stucco was rough beneath his
gloved hands.
    "Did you see the Duke of Cumberland lead Miss
Kirkhoven from the gallery?"
    "Yes! Where do you suppose he's taking her?"
    The girls had to be speaking of the Honorable Anne
Kirkhoven, the youngest daughter of Baron Wotton of Boughton
Malherbe, for she seemed to be the duke's desire of late.
    "Somewhere improper, by the look on Lady Wotton's
face."
    The girls giggled. More like screeched, with the way
the sound offended his ears. He was glad when they hurried to the
French doors and back inside, taking their cackling with them.
    "You do realize you can't fix the future by hiding
out here."
    Donovan jerked around, startled.
    Past Duke stood a few feet behind him. The light
surrounding the specter was sure to draw attention to Donovan's
hiding spot. The thought of being found in the shadows sent his
senses reeling.
    In two strides, he reached Past Duke's side and
slammed the man against the building, unable to control his rage or
his sorrow. "What sorcery is this? What demon are you?"
    Their eyes locked for several seconds, and then Past
Duke was gone. Sweat beaded on Donovan's face and his hands
trembled. Had Past Duke really been here? Had his sanity completely
left him? Now to make haste and—
    He turned to see Past Duke straightening his jacket.
Would he never be rid of the ghostly irritant?
    "That was quite rude, considering I'm trying to
help."
    Disgust and frustration had him quacking. "Help how?
By showing me what I've missed over the past few years? Letting me
see my sister again, knowing her fate? And Tess… That's cold and
heartless. I have no intention of helping me torture me."
    "You can't leave. If you do, the future won't be
fixed."
    "Oh, but I can. If I don't talk to anyone, avoid
people altogether — if I do nothing, I can't make the same mistakes
again." Donovan puffed out his chest and smirked.
    A solemn expression clouded Past Duke's face. Sadness
swallowed the light in his eyes, even seemed to dim the halo
surrounding him. "Unless doing nothing is what messed up the future
in the first place."
    Donovan raked his fingers through his hair and
cursed. "This is madness. You obviously haven't the slightest
notion why I'm revisiting Christmas Eve 1812, either. Thus proving
my point that this is a dream — a nightmare. So what I do — or
don't do — will have no bearing on events that have already
happened… things that can't be undone."
    Sparks flashed through Past Duke's eyes. "Did I not
prove anything by striking you in the leg earlier? I should be very
happy to kick you on the other shin to convince you that you are not dreaming."
    Donovan narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't advise that.
My leg still—"
    He broke off. His left shin did hurt. Surely that was
just a trick of the mind, wasn't it?
    The obnoxious apparition tapped his index finger on
his chin. "Hmm… there's a paradox in there somewhere."
    Did it matter if this was a dream, if it was real?
Delia was here. She was laughing and happy… and alive. And Tess.
How he'd missed her friendship over the years. What could it hurt
to play along if it meant a few more moments with them?
    Donovan met Past Duke's gaze. The man — ghost —
certainly appeared to be considering a kick to Donovan's leg.
    Of course he is. He's me, after all.
    "This would go much faster if you'd just tell me what
I'm supposed to fix."
    "Don't you get it? It isn't about snapping fingers
and barking out orders to get the results you want. There are real
consequences for the decisions you make and the actions you
take."
    The ghost duke's words struck him like a knife. "I'm
well aware that Delia's death is on my hands."
    "No, Delia made the decision to run away. We are all
responsible for our own actions. Until you realize that, you will
be stuck in the torturous world you've created for yourself," Past
Duke said.
    "Enough with the riddles. Just tell me what I have