Duchess in Love by Eloisa James Read Free Book Online Page A

splendid,” Carola said. Her face was quite happy now.
    He bowed. “If you will excuse us, Your Grace, Lord Bonnington. Lady Perwinkle will likely expire if I don’t find her a place at the top of the line.”
    She, Carola, and Esme shared a table for supper, and Gina had to admit that Esme’s Bernie Burdett—though boring as a pumpkin—had remarkably good-looking features.
    â€œHe has lovely hair, don’t you think?” Esme whispered when the gentlemen had gone to fetch something to eat. Her face was alight with wicked laughter. “It’s soft as silk!”
    â€œEsme! Don’t say that out loud!”
    â€œYou should feel his arm,” she said irresistibly. “We found ourselves alone earlier in the evening, and he’s pure muscle! Although it is truly his profile that excels.”
    â€œBeauty is not an important attribute in a man,” Gina said primly.
    â€œYour Sebastian is remarkably handsome,” Esme pointed out.
    Gina couldn’t help but smile. “But that’s not why I love him.”
    â€œNo?” Esme had that wicked look again.
    â€œNo,” she said. “Sebastian will make a wonderful father because of his character, not because of his profile.”
    Her statement seemed to surprise Esme into a thoughtful silence. But Gina sighed, despite herself. She and Sebastian never found themselves alone…he was far too watchful of her reputation to allow such a thing. She had no idea whether he had a muscled arm. She drank some more of her champagne, watching the bubbles moodily. Why didn’t her fiancé ever relax his rules a trifle? It wasn’t as if she was some green girl, just out of the nursery.
    â€œYes, I will, thank you,” she said to the footman offering another glass of champagne.
    Sebastian, who had just returned to the table, frowned. Esme cut in. “Be careful, Gina. Your”—she paused wickedly—“your guardian is watching your every sip.”
    Sebastian got the pained look with which he invariably responded to Esme. “I was merely going to point out—”
    â€œâ€”that bosky behavior is unbecoming in a lady,” she finished, in a perfect imitation of his lofty tones.
    Gina picked up her glass, feeling rebellious. “When you are my husband, Lord Bonnington, you may forbid champagne in the house.”
    Sebastian cast Esme a glare and contented himself with silence.
    Gina rose, determined to make her fiancé break a few more of his sainted rules. “Oh my, I think you may have been right,” she said sweetly. “I fancy I drank a wee bit too much wine and I need a breath of fresh air. It is so desperately stuffy in here!”
    He had risen the moment she did and was already standing at her side. She cast a smile over the table, meeting Esme’s eyes. “Do continue without us,” Gina said. “I really couldn’t say how long we shall be. I feel so dreadfully…stuffy!” Carola choked back a giggle and Esme broke into a clear peal of laughter. Bernie looked around, bewildered, and said, “What? What?”
    They skirted the tables and walked down the stairs into the long drawing room, and through the open French doors onto the gardens. Sebastian halted as soon as they reached the pavement outside the windows.
    Gina pulled on his arm. “Shall we go for a walk, Sebastian?” To her ears, her voice sounded velvety smooth.
    He disengaged her hand and looked at her. She was dismayed to find his mouth clamped into a tight line. It was Esme, she knew. For some reason, she drove him to distraction with her teasing.
    â€œI don’t know what you’re doing,” he said frigidly, “but I greatly dislike being an object of amusement.”
    â€œWe weren’t making fun of you,” she replied.
    â€œYou were,” Sebastian retorted. “You and Lady Perwinkle and that trollop, Esme Rawlings!”
    â€œYou