Page 26 of Second Duke's the Charm

“I’ll tell you what’s unfair,” Tess grumbled. “The fact that the old Duke of Wansford isstillthe only man I’ve ever seen naked.”

Ellie’s brows rose. “Well, this new duke certainly looks like an improvement inthatdepartment.”

“I heard he didn’t want to be duke,” Daisy said. “That he tried to turn it down.”

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Pfft. Even if it were possible, only an imbecile would do that. And from what I’ve heard, Justin Thornton isfarfrom being an imbecile.”

“It would be better for me if he was,” Tess muttered. “Still, I suppose I have to meet him sooner or later. I wouldhave preferred to do it out of the public gaze, however.Whereis he, Ellie?”

Tess was still searching, when a tall figure in a dark coat caught her eye. Her heart missed a beat, and she reached out and clutched Daisy’s arm.

“Dear God, it’s him! The man from Careby’s.”

“Where?”

Tess sent what she hoped was a subtle nod in his direction. “Over there. Navy blue jacket. With Ellie’s cousin.”

Ellie frowned. “You must be mistaken. The man with Edward is Justin Thornton. The new duke.”

The room seemed to tilt sideways. A cold sweep of dread was immediately followed by an unpleasantly hot flush on Tess’s skin.

“Are you sure?”

Shewas not wrong. Even across the room, there was no mistaking the man who’d kissed her so thoroughly.

Daisy’s eyes widened in dawning horror and amusement. “Wait, are you saying that the new duke is the same man who ravished you against Careby’s library door? Your mystery highwayman?”

Tess let out a sound that was half choked laugh, half groan of dismay. She blinked, praying this was a dream, but nothing changed.

“Yes.”

Daisy let out an unladylike snort. “What are the odds?”

“Incalculable,” Ellie breathed.

Tess was caught between incredulity and a terrible sense of impending doom. Perhaps Daisy’s theory about the universe demanding balance was correct, and this awful cosmic joke was her punishment for having lied about her wedding night?

She didn’t know many obscenities, but the ones she did know raced through her brain.

Shit. Bloody. Buggering Hell.

Thorn. Thornton. She should have made that connection.

“It’s bad, but notthatbad.” Ellie’s calm, reasoned voice cut through her panic.

Daisy snorted again. “How could it be worse, exactly?”

“You might recognize him, Tess, but he won’t recognize you.”

“He might recognize this dress, though.”

“Pfft. Men don’t pay any attention to dresses, unless it’s to imagine removing them. He probably only remembers you wearing something red, not the specifics.”

Tess took a deep breath and forced her pulse to slow. Ellie was right. And she’d been wearing a mask at Careby’s. There was no way the new duke—handsome stranger—could know they’d met before.

She would be cool. Calm. She would greet him politely and show no reaction whatsoever. Her shameful secret was safe.

“I hope you’re ready, because he’s coming this way.”