Page 26 of Diana Adores the Puzzled Duke

Chapter 7

“Amelia,you are quite the saucy vixen, are you not?” Ludlow Russell leaned in and attempted to give Amelia a kiss on the cheek, but she turned away from him. “How you taunt and test me,” he added as he stepped away and turned his back onher.

Ludlow Russell was the Viscount of Berwick and his estate abutted up against the Donnellyestate.

Amelia crossly looked up at Ludlow and snapped her fan in disapproval of his action. “I swear, Luddy, at times you behave quite unlike agentleman.”

“What do you expect? You thwart me whenever I suggest we announce our wedding plans,” he saidangrily.

“I have told you many times. I cannot marry until the Earl is married and his wife is expecting. The family must have anheir.”

Ludlow turned back and leaned in to her and whispered. “I could give you an heir,” he saidsuggestively.

This time she rose from her chair and began pacing. “The succession is not through me, as you wellknow.”

“But you cannot put your life on hold forever, waiting for the Earl to spawn,” Ludlowsaid.

The Viscount was not unattractive. At forty years old he stood tall, but with a head of nearly all white hair. He had a finely chiseled face, but it had a hard edge to it. His eyes were steely grey and that gave him a menacing look when he was angry orupset.

“Then perhaps you should find yourself another lady to torture as you do me. I have explained my situation to you numerous times, but still, you keep taunting me about marriage. What is the bigrush?”

Ludlow sighed and went over to his desk where he opened a leather folder where he kept his current papers. He picked up a paper and walked toward Amelia with asneer.

“But you see, I know how much you love me. We are so alike—two black pearls in the center of aBorgianecklace. Wouldn’t youagree?”

Amelia had to laugh. “Mostlikely.”

He came up behind her and grabbed her by the waist from behind and kissed the side of her neck. She wiggled free and turned tohim.

“What is that?” she asked, pointing to the paper in hishand.

“Ah… My new project.” He waved it in the airseductively.

“Are you going to tell me?” sheasked

“Perhaps. If you are very, verygood.”

“Or very, very naughty,” sheadded.

“Yes, orthat.”

They both laughed. Then he handed her the paper which shestudied.

“I don’t understand,” she said looking up and handing the paper back to him. “A shippingcanal?”

“Yes.”

“Whateverfor?”

“Shipping, of course. The whole of Cambridge County lacks easy access to the North Sea. But with a few well-connected canals to the River Ouse, we could ship our goods cheaply and swiftly to the Wash where we could set up a port and ship abroad for far greater access to the continentalmarkets.”

“And this is your project?” Ameliaasked.

“Yes.”

“And what does this have to do with me? I have no interest, and even less influence to help you achieve thisgoal.”

“Ah, but your brother does,” hesmiled.