Page 16 of An Inconvenient Duke

Dani shook her head, saying nothing. She was done with discussing dukes of all kinds, boring, dashing, or otherwise.

“Tell me more about these lectures of yours, Danielle.”

No, she really didnotwant to.

“Who all attends?” Harriett’s eyes sparkled. “Anyone mad, bad, and delightful to know?”

“No one of note.” Another dodge, another prick of guilt… She shrugged as if the answer were the most obvious thing in the world. “Canals, you know.”

“Well, perhaps I’ll accompany you next time, then. What’s to be the subject of the next lecture?”

Her mind whirled to come up with a topic that her aunt would never suffer through—“The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.”

Harriett blinked, stilling for a moment. Then she slowly set down the roll and knife. “My dear, you really need to get out more.” Daintily wiping off her fingertips, she muttered, “Unless you’re seeking a husband in the canal business.”

Dani smiled and reached for the pot to refill her aunt’s cup of chocolate.

A knock sounded at the door, and Drummond cleared his throat. “My lady.” He nodded at each of them in turn. “Miss. You have a visitor.”

“A visitor? At this hour?” Harriett straightened in her chair, offended at the notion that someone would dare call so early. “The clock only just struck eleven!”

“Yes, ma’am. I told him that you didn’t accept visitors until after one o’clock, yet he insisted.”

“Well, send him away!” She gestured in the air with her cup. “Whoever it is can return at a decent hour.”

“Marcus Braddock, my lady,” he explained, a touch of awe lacing his voice. “The General His Grace the Duke of Hampton.”

Six

Harriett’s cup sank slowly to the table and clattered against its saucer. “Oh my.”

Oh no. Dani’s heart leapt into her throat. Until this morning, Marcus had the consideration to respect her wishes not to call at her home. But now she would have to receive him because Harriett would never send away a duke. Especially notthisduke, given how he was currently the talk of the town. Drat him! The sly devil most likely knew it, too.

Her hand tightened around her cup. “I’m—I’m not feeling well. Suddenly. Must have been something I ate.”

Harriett glanced at her empty plate. “But you’ve had nothing but a berry and a few bites of toast.”

And was terrible at lying, apparently, except about canals. She placed her hand on Harriett’s sleeve. “I do not wish to entertain him, Auntie. Not today.”

“He’s come at dawn, my dear. A military man arriving at dawn never portends good news.” She set her napkin on the table and rose, oblivious to the true time on the mantel clock. “Whatever brought him here must be important. Come along.”

Dani had no choice but to follow her aunt out of the morning room and into the drawing room at the front of the house, with its wide double bay windows and sky-blue wallpaper, its sapphire-blue brocade settees and matching Aubusson rug…and now with a very imposing general turned duke waiting by the white marble fireplace.

She paused, struck by the sight of him. He’d been handsome at the party, dressed in his evening finery and perfectly adorned, not a single strand of hair daring to stray out of place. But this…Good heavens. He wore tight buckskin breeches beneath a maroon redingote showing traces of dust. His black hair was mussed and his cheeks flushed from the morning air. His whole appearance had the effect of looking as if he’d been out riding and just happened to impulsively think of paying a call. With his stance solid and wide-legged, one hand clenched into a fist at the small of his back, Dani had never seen a more commanding man in her life. He was simply breathtaking.

And dangerous.

He faced them as Harriett swept toward him, reaching out both of her hands in a too-familiar greeting. “Duke!”

Marcus winced at her use of his title, although her aunt didn’t notice as he sketched her a bow. “Viscountess, you’re looking lovely this morning.” Then his dark gaze moved to Dani as she entered the room far less enthusiastically than her aunt. “And you as well, Miss Williams.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.” She bobbed a curtsy. Unease rose inside her at his surprise visit, although she strongly suspected that he wanted to continue their conversation from last night, this time without fear of being interrupted by other guests or the very convenient end of the waltz. “It’s a pleasure to see you this morning.”

His eyes gleamed, recognizing that for the lie it was. “My apologies for both the hour and my disheveled appearance. I was out riding and decided to stop by. I hope you don’t think me rude for calling on you so early.”

“Is it early?” Harriett made an exaggerated show of looking at the long case clock in the corner. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Dani couldn’t stop the roll of her eyes, but she also saw the answering amusement in Marcus’s. Her aunt hadn’t fooled him for a second.