Scandal And The Duchess by Jennifer Ashley Read Free Book Online Page B

around the last curve of the drive and pulled to a halt in front of the main door. Steven stepped off the back of the cart, slipped the man a few coins, and then helped Rose descend.
    Steven shouldn’t suddenly feel better with her warm weight against him, shouldn’t want to stop in the act of helping her down to press a kiss to her lips. Then again, that was what an engaged couple in love might do. Wouldn’t be odd at all.
    Steven knew that his kiss wouldn’t stop with a light touch. Not by a long way. He had to content himself with a caress to her waist, or else he’d lose control. Regretful, but there it was.
    The front door was locked, but Rose had a key. Even as she turned it, the door was wrenched open from the inside, making her lose hold of the key. “Ma’am!” the footman who stood on the threshold exclaimed. “I mean, Your Grace.”
    The footman was a tall lad, dapper and good-looking in his kit, as the footmen of great houses were meant to be. Many were hired more for their looks than their wit, Steven had learned by experience. His brother Patrick had tended to hire impoverished but well-schooled young men to help in his household—they’d been terrible footmen but had regularly discussed mathematics and classical thought with the brothers, which had been the point.
    This footman seemed to be of the decorative but dim variety. He stared at Rose as hard as the steward had done, but with less guilt in his eyes.
    “Tell the duke Her Grace has arrived,” Steven said to him in his commanding-officer voice.
    The young man dragged his gaze from Rose, blinked at Steven, then snapped to attention. “His Grace is not at home. Sir.”
    “It’s all right, John,” Rose said. “I’ve only come for a few things I left behind.”
    John blinked some more, indecision warring in his eyes. He seemed respectful of Rose, even happy to see her, but he must have been given strict instructions regarding her admittance.
    Steven softened his tone. “No one needs to know you let us in,” he said. “Her Grace has a key, and you never heard us.”
    John stared at them a little longer before Steven’s words penetrated. “Ah.” His face flooded with color. “Yes, sir, that will be what happened.” He stepped aside and opened the door wider. “Welcome home, Your Grace. If you don’t mind me saying so, ma’am, it’s a fine thing to see you back.”

Chapter Five
    The house opened its arms to welcome Rose. She looked around with fondness as they started up the wide staircase, which rose gracefully in the open hall all the way to the top of the house. Portraits of dukes and duchesses and their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, great-aunts, reprobate uncles, dogs, horses, and even a few cats covered every inch of the walls. Charles had introduced them all, telling Rose a funny story about each one. What had been intimidating to her at first glance had turned into a gathering of family.
    Steven studied the surroundings with less enthusiasm. His eyes were bloodshot, his face a bit puffy, and by the way he’d massaged his temples during the journey, Rose knew he had a bad headache.
    “His Grace really is not at home?” Steven asked John as the lad followed them. “Or is that a polite fabrication?”
    John had a slight difficulty with the word
fabrication
, but he finally understood. “No, it’s not a porky—I mean, a lie, sir. His Grace went up to London on business, so housekeeper said. Not expected back until tomorrow.”
    “Good,” Steven said. “Thank you, lad. Now, remember, you have no idea we’re here.”
    “None at all, sir.” John shot him a grin. He gave Steven a hero-worshiping look for another moment, before he realized he’d been dismissed. “Right. It truly is good to see you, ma’am.” He bowed to Rose and ran back down the stairs with athletic grace.
    “He must make quite an impression on the duke’s guests,” Steven said once the lad was safely away. “As long as he stands still and