The Hunt Club Chronicles Bundle by Heather Boyd Read Free Book Online Page A

over the side of the mattress. “Below stairs. They stink of white smoke.”
    Uncomfortable with standing naked before the duke, Henry grabbed a pillow and set it before his groin. “If you will excuse me, Your Grace, I’ll be on my way.”
    As Henry passed the duke, breath churning with anxiety, His Grace caught his arm. “Get back into bed. I cannot have you prowling the house in that state. The coachman might return at any moment.”
    Henry hesitated. Being found in such a state by another man without clothing to hide his desire would be risky to the duke’s reputation. As much as the duke might wish him ill, Henry would not cause him to be unfairly accused of involvement with a sodomite.
    The duke’s thumb stroked over Henry’s arm. He glanced sideways and caught his master gazing at his bare bottom. Startled, he turned so the pillow stood between him and Byworth. “I think, perhaps, I should be on my way before you send for my executioner.”
    The duke tugged Henry toward him. “No executioner. You’re much too handsome for the long drop.”
    Henry’s mouth fell open.
    The duke tugged his arm again, sending Henry staggering toward the bed head. “Get your ass back in bed, Stackpool, before I do something incredibly stupid.”
     Henry dove under the sheets, hiding his erection as best he could. Yet his heart thudded with the knowledge that Byworth knew his inclinations and didn’t care enough about them to raise a fuss.
    A surge of relief passed through his heart. He may not have to leave Grantley Park . He may not need to live in fear that his employer would learn of his inclinations and dismiss him any longer. He’d still have to take great pains to remain respectful and keep his desires well hidden. However, even with those conditions, a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He smiled suddenly, then schooled his features to polite subservience again.
    “Tell me how you came to be at Lewes’ estate?”
    The duke’s calm question whipped Henry from his ruminations. He licked his lips, debating whether he should keep secrets. Given the duke knew of his nature, and hadn’t thrown him out, he elected to tell the truth. “We met at the village tavern, and he invited me to join him at his hunting box.”
    “Invited? That doesn’t sound like the Duke of Lewes I’m acquainted with.”
    Henry grimaced. “Perhaps invited was too mild a word, but to refuse him would have drawn attention. I had intended to slip away unnoticed later.”
    The duke scowled. “After he, and his cronies, had their way with you?”
    Even after all this time, a hot flush crept over Henry’s cheeks at the subject. “Lewes never touched me that way. I wasn’t agreeable to his demands.”
    The duke stared. Usually his appraisal caused only a momentary rush of desire that he could control, yet today there was an odd edge to the glance. Eventually, the duke nodded and glanced away. “You should rest. I’ll have your clothes returned after Brown launders them.”
    Henry sat up. “Don’t launder them. Bring them to me.”
    “No.” The duke stood. “I’ll not bring that stench up here.”
    “Please, Your Grace, you can throw them out the window when I’m done but I must see them now. It’s very important.”
    Although the duke frowned, he left the chamber while Henry fidgeted to get comfortable. He hoped that his suffering had been worthwhile. He hoped he hadn’t lost the duchess’ diary.
    The duke hurried in, arm held before him, and tossed a messy pile of cloth to Henry. He quickly found his waistcoat, ran his hands over the lining, and touched paper. “Thank heavens.” Henry pulled the torn pages from a slit he’d cut and made a stack on the bed. “The duchess’ diary, Your Grace, sans cover. I’m afraid I had to excise the sheets.”
    The duke plucked the pages from the mattress and shuffled through them. “Did you read any of this?”
    “Other than determining the authenticity of the handwriting, I did not.