The Trouble With Being a Duke Read Online Free PDF Page A

must have been in the way she carried herself—she simply didn’t possess the same degree of aloofness as the rest of the guests.
    Like Lady Snowdon and her daughter, she must have arrived late, for he had not seen her in the receiving line—he would have remembered if he had. And then she turned her face toward him and smiled, a smile so full of inner purity and goodness that for a moment he forgot to breathe. “Casper,” he muttered, jutting his chin in the mystery woman’s direction. “Who is that?”
    “Who?” Casper asked, straining his neck as he tried to find the person to whom Anthony was referring. “There are a lot of people present—you’ll have to be more specific.”
    “The woman over there by the pillar, just to the left of the orchestra—the one in the yellow gown.”
    Casper moved his head a bit and then his eyes suddenly widened. “I’ve no idea, Anthony, but if you don’t ask her to dance, then I will.” He frowned as he turned to face his friend. “Forget what I said—I’ll ask her to dance regardless of whether or not you do.”
    Anthony was just about to protest when he felt someone pat him on the shoulder. “You’re looking sharp as always.” Turning his head, Anthony found Winston smiling back at him.
    “A miracle, really,” Anthony remarked as he stopped a passing footman so Winston could take a glass of champagne. “I’ve never understood why jackets have to be so bloody snug. If I had it my way I’d have a looser one made, though I do believe my valet would have an apoplectic fit.”
    “It’s not so bad,” Casper said. “One does get used to it, you know.”
    Anthony found himself tugging at his cravat. “It’s restrictive, that’s what it is. I’ll wager that most gentlemen here are finding it a nuisance, but they’re too cowardly to do anything about it—keeping up appearances and all that. In fact, I think I’m going to take my jacket off. I’ll be the most comfortable man here and consequently the envy of one and all.”
    “Don’t you dare!” came a soft female voice. Anthony groaned. It was Louise, who’d made her approach together with her husband. “You know how important this is to Mama—you will not cause a scandal by allowing the guests to see you in a state of undress.”
    A state of undress?
    “It’s just a jacket, Louise. I would still be wearing my shirt and cravat.” He turned to her husband. “What say you, Huntley?”
    Glancing at his wife, whose firm expression suggested that she’d taken it upon herself to defend the laws of fashion come what may, Huntley replied, “I believe I must concur with her ladyship on this, Kingsborough.” He leaned a bit closer to Anthony and whispered, “One must pick one’s battles wisely.”
    “I heard that!”
    “Perhaps that was my intention,” Huntley said, eyeing his wife, whose countenance had turned to one of suspicion.
    Anthony shook his head and turned to Winston. “Where’s Sarah? I haven’t seen her since the two of you arrived earlier in the day—she hasn’t taken ill, has she?”
    “Oh no, not at all,” Winston replied. “She was detained by Lady Deerford at the refreshment table. With little desire to hear about her ladyship’s latest acquisition, I wasted no time in excusing myself, so here I am.”
    “Latest acquisition?” Casper asked. “Is she perhaps a collector?”
    “Surely you must have heard,” Anthony said, surprised that such a bit of information might have slipped by his friend.
    Casper responded with a blank stare.
    “It doesn’t look as though he has,” Winston murmured, sounding intrigued.
    “That hardly seems possible,” said Louise as she turned to her husband. “How could he not have heard?”
    Huntley shrugged.
    “Heard what?” Casper hissed, looking all but ready to pummel the lot of them if that was what it would take to get the information out.
    Anthony wondered how much longer he could keep a straight face. He and his siblings were