What to Do with a Duke Read Online Free PDF

not one of them tempts me for even an instant to give up my freedom.”
    Mary shook her arm, impatience creeping into her voice. “But you don’t want to live with Mama and Papa for the rest of your life, do you?”
    â€œI’d rather live with them than Mr. Barker and his mother.”
    Mary waved that away. “All right, I’ll agree Mr. Barker isn’t a suitable candidate for your hand, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a man out there somewhere for you.” Mary grinned. “Perhaps he’s riding into Loves Bridge right now.”
    She would not roll her eyes. She was not ten years old. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one ever comes to Loves Bridge.”
    â€œI don’t know why. We’re not that far from London.”
    â€œOh, come, Mary. You do know why. There’s nothing to see or do here. We’re a sleepy, little, boring village.”
    Boring didn’t begin to describe Loves Bridge. Each day was exactly the same as the one before it. There were never any surprises. How could there be? Everyone knew every little detail about everyone else all the way back to their great-great-great-grandparents. Life was all gossip and weather and sheep. Perhaps if she lived in London, she’d have something to write about.
    But she wasn’t going to Town. And, truthfully, the thought of London made her nervous. She’d never been there, but she’d read about its crowds and noise and filth.
    Mary put her hands on her hips. “How can you say Loves Bridge is boring? What about . . . what about our fairs?”
    â€œWhat about them?” The fairs were enjoyable enough, but only the villagers attended.
    â€œI met Theo at the one last summer.”
    â€œYou didn’t meet him there—you just noticed him there. You’ve known him for years.” Or perhaps it was Theo who had noticed Mary. Whichever it was, the two had been inseparable ever since.
    Mary stomped her foot. “Ohh, you can be so maddening, Cat.”
    â€œYes, I can, so it’s a good thing I have no plans to wed.”
    â€œBut what about love?”
    Cat felt herself flush. Love—the love between a man and a woman—was not something she knew much about. She’d seen Papa catch Mama around the waist from time to time and try to steal a kiss while Mama laughed and pretended to push him away. And Mama and Papa did have ten children....
    It was all exceedingly embarrassing.
    Mary was blushing, too, but for other reasons. “Love is wonderful, Cat. When Theo kisses me . . .” Her eyes grew soft and dreamy.
    Good God. She was going to lose her breakfast if Mary kept this up.
    Frankly, kissing had never sounded the least bit appealing, not that she’d tried it. But having a man’s lips mashed up against hers? Ugh. And how did one keep from bumping noses?
    She did not intend to find out.
    Mary was quite correct about one thing, though—she did not want to live with Mama and Papa for the rest of her life. She just needed to think of some way to avoid that fate that didn’t involve yoking herself to a male. The Spinster House would be the perfect solution, but there was no vacancy. Miss Franklin would likely live there many more years.
    Mary had waltzed back to the cheval glass and was looking at herself from various angles. “You never know what fate has in store for you, Cat. Perhaps the man you’ll fall in love with is standing on the vicarage steps right now.”
    â€œI thought you said he was just riding into the village. He must move very quickly. Loves Bridge is small, but it’s not that small.” Fall in love? That sounded as pleasant as falling into a dunghill.
    Mary glared at her. “Must you be so literal?”
    Someone should keep focused on the real world. “Pardon me. Of course, he’s on the steps—right next to the king of the fairies.”
    â€œOh, you’re impossible. It would serve you