The Duchess of Love by Sally Mackenzie Read Free Book Online Page A

walkway.
    The man grabbed her shoulders to steady her. “Are you all right, miss?”
    Who was he? He was slightly above average height, well dressed—Venus would swear his clothes came from London—and moderately handsome. Hmm. Did he look like a duke?
    Mr. Valentine appeared behind him.
    Oh.
    Venus felt rather like she had at the pond, completely unable to draw an adequate breath.
    She’d dreamt of him again last night, of his shoulders and chest and, ah, other naked parts. She’d felt his light, brief kiss over and over, and she’d wished— yearned —for something more, though she’d no idea what more there was. She’d woken hot, feeling as if her skin was too tight, her sheets all twisted.
    And now she saw him with clothes on. He was just as handsome in his snowy white linen, dark coat, and doeskin breeches.
    And with his knowing, laughing eyes.
    She snapped her mouth shut as he bent to whisper by her ear. “She’s pretty, but not as pretty as you.”
    Damn it, her jaw dropped again.
    â€œYes, yes,” Ditee was saying. She sounded oddly flustered. Venus swiveled her head to look at her sister more closely. Good God, was Ditee blushing?
    â€œI’m fine,” Ditee said, stepping back out of the man’s hold. “I’m so sorry, sir. I wasn’t looking where I was going. I hope I didn’t do you an injury?”
    â€œOf course not, Miss …?”
    â€œI believe this is Miss Aphrodite Collingswood,” Mr. Valentine said, “and her sister, Miss Venus.” He bowed. “And we are, as you’ve probably surmised, the Duke of Greycliffe and Mr. Nigel Valentine.”
    â€œHow do you do, sir—your grace,” Venus said, since Ditee seemed to have lost her tongue.
    The duke glared at Mr. Valentine, who gave him an odd look in exchange. Then Greycliffe nodded—well, it was more a jerk of his head than a nod—and bent to save Ditee’s book from the pavement. He glanced at the title and smiled as he handed it back to her. “You are reading Horace, I see.”
    Oh, dear. Venus glanced at Mr. Valentine by her side. Would he jump into the conversation and start discussing classical matters, distracting Ditee’s attention from the duke? That would be disastrous.
    â€œOh,” Ditee said, taking the book. “Yes. Thank you. Do you know the work?”
    â€œIndeed. Horace is one of my particular favorites. I believe I’ve read everything he’s written many times over.”
    Ditee’s face lit up in a way Venus had never seen before. It made her even more beautiful—as the stunned expressions on the men’s faces proved. “Oh, that is wonderful, your grace. Then perhaps you can answer a question that has just occurred to me.”
    Thank God the duke admired Horace. Now if she could just keep Mr. Valentine out of the conversation, all would be well.
    Not that she wished to have the annoying man to herself, of course.
    â€œMay we escort you to your destination, ladies?” Mr. Valentine asked. “Then you and, er, my cousin can continue your discussion, Miss Aphrodite.”
    Ditee glanced at Venus and then at the duke. “Oh, yes, that would be very nice. We were just on our way to Mr. Fenwick’s store to purchase ribbon.”
    This was a day for Venus’s mouth to be constantly agape. Ditee hadn’t ripped up at Mr. Valentine or told the men how she’d been forced to shop for silly gewgaws. She’d never heard her sister sound so pleasant.
    â€œSplendid. Then let us proceed.” Mr. Valentine offered Venus his arm while the duke and Ditee walked on ahead.
    Venus’s fingers trembled slightly as she placed them on Mr. Valentine’s sleeve. She could almost see his naked arm beneath the cloth, and she remembered very distinctly how it had felt wrapped around her in the water—
    She waved her hand in front of her face. She could not think about