The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke Read Free Book Online

must, Duchess," he answered.
    "About time you did," she said tartly. "Gallivanting around Egypt digging in the dust is no occupation for a man of your background." She studied him thoughtfully. "You've changed."
    He laughed. "I should hope so in ten years."
    "It was May Week your final year at Cambridge that I last saw you."
    "May Week? Did we dance, your grace? I think not, or I would definitely remember it."
    "Hah! Perhaps you haven't changed as much as I thought. You are still very much your father's son." She frowned sternly at him, but he gave her a wicked smile in return, and, to Margaret's astonishment, the cantankerous old duchess actually blushed like a girl. "Don't waste your charm on me, young man. There are three beautiful young ladies here. Use it on them."
    He returned his gaze to Margaret. "An excellent suggestion," he murmured.
    Margaret opened her mouth to tell him not to waste his charm on her either, but Cornelia must have sensed her intention, for she quickly spoke. "Will you be able to attend Carnival with us before you return home, Lord Ashton?"
    "I'm afraid I can't, Lady Kettering. I must return home, and my ship leaves this afternoon. But it's a tempting offer. This is a beautiful home." He turned to Margaret. "The gardens are quite lovely, wouldn't you say, Miss Van Alden?"
    He was watching her like a cat watched a mouse hole, and she felt her scone disintegrating into crumbs in her nervous hands. "What? Oh, yes."
    "Particularly the maze," he added.
    Heavens! Was he going to tell everyone? Margaret reached for her coffee, but she was so jittery, she knocked over the cup. Coffee spilled across the white tablecloth and onto her dress. Everyone looked at her in surprise as she fumbled for her napkin.
    "Margaret, what on earth is the matter with you this morning?" Henry asked, noting the flush in her cheeks and her agitated movements.
    "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, feeling the amusement of the blue eyes watching her. "I do seem to be all thumbs this morning. I can't think what's come over me."
    "Perhaps fresh air is what you need," Lord Ashton suggested. "A walk in the maze, perhaps?"
    Margaret jumped to her feet. "Oh, no, I really don't think so," she managed to say and fled from the room without another word.
    Henry watched her go, bewildered by her odd behavior. Margaret was normally so self-possessed.
    He hadn't seen her blush and stammer like that since she was thirteen years old. He glanced at Ashton, who was staring at the empty doorway with an amused smile. Henry's bewilderment gave way to hopeful astonishment. Could it be? he wondered. Could it be that a man had finally struck her fancy?

    The Duchess of Arbuthnot was better than Burke's when it came to information about English society. Margaret suspected Lord Ashton was nothing more than another suitor out to marry a fortune, and given what had happened last night, she wanted information very badly. Forewarned was forearmed.
    She found the duchess alone on the south terrace. After a few desultory comments about the beauty of the blooming azaleas and the success of last night's ball, she slowly led the conversation to the subject she really wished to discuss.
    But the duchess was an astute woman, and all Margaret's maneuvering was wasted. "Hah!" the older woman said, looking at her with undisguised amusement. "Think Ashton might be the man to finally suit your bill, young lady?"
    Margaret abandoned her attempt to be subtle. She'd never been good at it anyway. "I think he might suit my father's, Duchess," she answered with complete candor. "He has a title, doesn't he?"
    "Don't turn up your nose and talk of a title as if it's a disease. It won't do, Margaret."
    Margaret bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way."
    "Didn't you?" Her good humor restored by the apology, the duchess eyed Margaret with something akin to affection. "Poor child. You American girls are an astonishing lot. So brazenly forthright, and yet so naive." She shook her