Page 81 of How to Ruin a Duke

“Do you like it?”

“No,” he said.“No, I do not like it.Iadoreit.Iloveit.I wish… I am enthralled, and you cannot possibly give this to me when Ventnor was willing to breach the ducal citadel in hopes of convincing you to work for him.”

“I cannot work for Mr.Ventnor if I’m moving to Manchester.You truly think my prose is acceptable?”

Emory rose but remained by the sofa.“My lady—Edith—did you hear what I said?I read the opening lines of this masterpiece and jumped to the worst possible conclusion.Then I took my leave of you, convinced you meant me ill.Had I not confronted my mother with my suspicions, I might have started untoward talk about you.Revenge should be beneath every sensible man, but I had a plan, you see.I am mortified to add that becoming inebriated figured prominently in this plan.”

“I would have liked to have seen that.”

His smile was crooked and dear.“Do you forgive me?”

“For what?You entertained an erroneous theory, Your Grace, but you assembled all the relevant facts before taking action.I admit I was puzzled by your silence, but then, I did not—I do not, that is to say—have any expectations where you are concerned.”His explanation made sense and allowed Edith to part from him on friendly terms.

So why was she blushing and all but stammering?

“I have expectations of myself,” he said, coming near and possessing himself of her hand again.“When I leap into bed with a woman, and she with me, and we are compatible in every detail of our natures, right down to both of us being untrustworthy in the presence of Italian cream cake, then I expect myself to offer for that woman.I would not have risked intimacies with you otherwise, my lady.The consequences are too momentous.Not to put too fine a point on the matter, I will follow you to Manchester and sing maudlin ballads beneath your window—at midnight—if that will win your favor.”

Edith forced herself to hold his hand lightly.“You erred in assuming I would write a slanderous book about you.I erred in allowing you to leave without establishing how things stood between us.I told myself I wanted only an interlude, a memory, but I was not honest.”

He covered her hand with his.“Is that still all you want?”

What did she want?A month ago, the answer was simple: A decent post for herself, a future for Foster.

Now?She wanted much, much more.“I want to sit beside you in your curricle the next time you race to Brighton, I wantGod Save the Kingat midnight, I want,”—she kissed him—“more of that, and the pleasures that follow.”

“And if I singGod Save the Kingat midnight only for the woman wearing the Emory tiara, are you still interested?”

That question occasioned more kissing.When Edith recalled that the drapes were open, and the parlor was visible to anybody peering over the garden wall, she drew back enough to rest against Emory.

“Yes, Your Grace, I am still interested.”

“Yes, you will be my duchess?What about the blandishments of Manchester?”

“Who will rescue me from dread, fiendish rodents in Manchester?Who will arm-wrestle me for the last piece of cream cake in Manchester?Who will help me polish my next book in Manchester?”

Emory tucked an arm around her waist and walked her to the sofa.“Have you a title for that book, the one that paints me in such a flattering light?”

“Not a flattering light, sir.An accurate light.I thought I might call it,How to Rescue a Duke.”

Rather than assist Edith to take a seat, Emory settled in the corner and pulled her into his lap.“I think we should begin your research on the third volume in the trilogy.”

Sitting in his lap was a novel and cozy experience.Edith scooted about until she found a pillow to wedge against the armrest.“Athirdvolume?Have you more interesting incidents to regale me with, Your Grace?Whatever would the title of this third volume be?”

Emory waited for her to settle.“The third volume will be for private reading only, and will outshine the other two for its wit, passion, and sheer cleverness.That tome will be titled,How to Ravish a Duke.Perhaps you’d like to explore the topic with me now?”

“Such a topic will require much study, Your Grace.”

“Then we’d best get started, my love.”

And so they did.