The Seduction by Laura Lee Guhrke Read Free Book Online Page A

head. "But you came to ask me about Ashton."
    The duchess settled back in her cane chair. "I can't tell you very much. I know a great deal about his family, his background, and his boyhood, but I haven't seen him in over ten years, so there's very little I can tell you about the man he is now."
    "What do you know?"
    "He isn't married, I can tell you that. Second son, of course. His older brother inherited the title first, but he died nigh on two months ago."
    "I remember. His death caused quite a sensation. He shot himself, didn't he?" Margaret wondered if that fact might deter her father and Cornelia from the possibility of Ashton as a potential husband. "Could there be some insanity in the family?" she asked hope- fully.
    "Nonsense!" That emphatic answer dashed Margaret's hopes for an easy excuse. "The late earl shot himself because he couldn't pay his debts. Simple as that. A rather stupid man, a bit of a coward, but he was sane enough." She paused, then said, "I remember Geoffrey and Trevor as boys. As different as chalk and cheese, they were, even then."
    "What do you mean?"
    "Geoffrey was always the traditionalist, forever concerned with his image, vain as a peacock. Trevor was a rebel, always defying the rules, getting into scrapes. Even as a boy, Trevor was a law only unto himself."
    Margaret could well believe that. "He doesn't seem a very honorable man to me."
    "Nonsense," the duchess answered with unexpected vehemence. "He takes after his father, that's all. I ought to know. I—" She broke off, then cleared her throat and said, "I was well acquainted with the family. Their father was quite charming in his youth, rather a rake, and had a way with the ladies. But, as he grew older, Jonathan learned the importance of tradition and restraint. As I said, I haven't seen Trevor for many years, but he does take after his father. He's an honorable man, I think, although his reputation is not spotless by any means."
    Margaret decided to get to the point. "Does he have any money?"
    The duchess frowned with disapproval. "Really, Margaret, must you be so blunt?"
    "I want to know."
    "I won't lie to you, my dear. Trevor has always been rather a detrimental."
    Margaret had been in England long enough to know what that meant, and it confirmed her suspicions about Trevor St. James. "A detrimental," she murmured with a satisfied nod. "A man all the ladies are mad for, but who has no money. I thought as much."
    "You'll never get yourself a husband, Margaret, if you continue to reject every man who has less money than you do." The duchess sighed. "It isn't as it was in my young days," she mourned. "Not a gentleman in all of England today has the money his father had. With the economic conditions, you can't expect it of them."
    Margaret did not want to debate the issue. She quickly asked another question. "If Ashton was so concerned about the estates, why did he leave England and stay away so long? I would think he'd want to stay close by after their father died, help his brother run things."
    "You really don't understand English gentlemen at all, do you, my dear?" With that enigmatic reply, she leaned forward and patted Margaret's arm affectionately. "You will discover that they are fiercely proud. Geoffrey didn't want any help, and Trevor couldn't stand playing second fiddle, especially when it was no secret he thought his brother a prize fool. There was also a woman, of course."
    "I see. An actress, perhaps, or an opera singer?"
    "No, no, no. Lady Ashton, I'm talking about."
    Margaret was shocked. "He had an affair with his brother's wife?"
    "That is the story, although, I must confess, I rather doubt it myself. In my opinion, Lady Ashton is a vain and capricious flirt. But Geoffrey believed the affair to be genuine, and he cut off Trevor's income from the estate, which had been left in his care by their father. He also banished Trevor from the house and refused to recognize him in society. The whole matter caused quite a sensation,