The Duke's Dilemma Read Online Free PDF

black eyebrow shot upward. “You have an incautious tongue, miss. I cannot remember when anyone has dared address me so before.”
    Emily raised an eyebrow of her own. “Well how do you expect me to address you, sir, when you sit warm and dry on your fine horse and leave a lady to stand in freezing water? Anyone but a looby would have offered me assistance the moment he rode up.”
    The stranger’s hearty laugh shattered the stillness of the morning. “I beg your pardon, ma’ am. My wits must have temporarily gone begging. I was not aware I was in the presence of a lady . But then one so seldom finds a lady unescorted and knee deep in a lake at this hour of the morning.” So saying, he leaned even farther forward in the saddle, grasped Emily around the waist and hauled her, lamb and all, onto the bank with the same ease as another man might lift a feather.
    Emily set the lamb on its feet, watched it scamper away, and hastily untied her skirts, aware a bold, silver gaze had fastened on her bare legs, then traveled upward to where the bodice of her hand-me-down dress strained across her bosom. A strange, shivery sensation slithered through her. No man had ever before looked at her in such an assessing fashion; whoever this rakish fellow might be, be was certainly no gentleman.
    She picked up her boots and stockings and stared him defiantly in the face. “If you will be so good as to turn your head, sir, I shall finish dressing,” she said peevishly.
    “As you wish, ma’ am.” He shrugged his powerful shoulders negligently. “But I wonder to what avail. I have already seen what you have to offer.”
    Emily gasped, too shocked at this man’s effrontery to think of a ready answer. She quickly pulled on her stockings and boots and stalked away without another look in his direction. Moments later, to her disgust, she heard him ride up behind her. “You are heading in the wrong direction unless you mean to go to the manor house,” he said conversationally.
    Emily plodded ahead. “Not that it is any of your concern, sir, but that is exactly where I mean to go.”
    “You are not from the village then? How odd! You certainly have the look of a country woman.”
    “And you, sir, look amazingly like the Duke of Montford, which only proves how deceiving appearances can be.”
    “You know the duke?” He cantered forward and turned his horse to block her path.
    ” I do not know him, but I have seen him.”
    “And you can easily tell us apart? Now that is truly remarkable. I have been told we look enough alike to be twins.”
    “Hardly!” Emily took in his disreputable appearance. “Although I suppose, by some accident of birth, you could be a shirttail relation of sorts.”
    He grinned. “As a matter of fact, the duke and I did have the same father.”
    Emily stared at him mouth agape. This rogue was one of the former duke’s by-blows. No wonder he looked so much like the present duke. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Forgive me,” she said stiffly. “My remark was most unseemly. Whatever else your shortcomings might be, you cannot be held to blame for the manner of your birth.”
    His grin widened, displaying a multitude of strong white teeth. “Truer words were never spoken, Miss…”
    “Miss Emily Haliburton,” she said automatically, still mortified at the thought of unwittingly casting aspersions on the unfortunate fellow’s lineage. “And you were right in your supposition. I am a country woman. From the Cotswolds, to be precise. I am just at Brynhaven for a fortnight. The duke is hosting a house party.”
    “So I’d heard.” He hesitated. “Of course, I only know the fellow by reputation, but rumor has it he is shopping for a wife.” He stopped short. “Never say you are one of the five…?”
    Emily laughed. “A mudhen amidst the swans? Not likely, sir.”
    “More like a plump little country sparrow, I should say.” His pale eyes raked her with a measuring gaze that noticeably