Two Notorious Dukes by Lyndsey Norton Read Free Book Online Page A

and calling her name loudly. He stepped out and
left the maid to it.
Chapter 3
Tresses and tantrums
    Robert ran down the stairs and flew into the
drawing room, slamming the door behind him. ‘What
the hell is going on!?’ he demanded of Lady Verity. ‘I
stand in a room and listen to barely veiled threats of
violence against the smallest woman I have ever seen
and then I’ve just heard her scream as if she was on the
rack!’
    Lady Verity turned from the table and handed
him a very large brandy. ‘I knew you would need that. Is
she awake yet?’ He shook his head as he gulped the
spirit down.
    ‘I now know who screamed the other night!’
Argyll said softly from the fire place, where he was
standing poking at the fire with an iron.
    ‘What she needs is protection.’ Lady Verity said
harshly. ‘I was hoping one of you would offer.’
‘And just how would we do that?’ Argyll asked in
astonishment.
‘Darling, you are both influential men. You sit in
the House. I’m sure you can deal with one small
woman.’ Lady Verity sighed. ‘She needs somewhere
quiet, away from London, where she can recover.’
‘Recover from what?’ Robert demanded in
exasperation.
‘From the despicable treatment she has received
at the hands of the Craanford’s!’ Lady Verity said in such
a way that both men looked up at her in surprise. ‘That
poor girl has been beaten and abused. She lost three
babies and that blackguard Alexander wouldn’t be any
different.’ She sighed and went to the fire. ‘She needs
somewhere quiet, where she’s protected.’
‘I have a nice little estate at Hertfordshire that
would probably suit.’ Robert said quietly as he slumped
into a chair, ‘I rarely use it.’
‘Did he leave her anything?’ Argyll asked.
‘No.’ Lady Verity said harshly. ‘Edward left her
practically nothing. The title of course would go to
Alexander, but Edward left him everything.’
‘Didn’t he make one proviso for his wife’s
future?’ Argyll asked in shock.
‘Would a man who would beat his wife for
getting pregnant care what would happen to her if he
died?’ Lady Verity asked them scathingly.
‘How do you know all this?’ Robert asked softly.
‘I’ve never even heard of the Craanford’s.’
Lady Verity sighed and stood up. She walked to
the decanter and offered Robert more brandy as she
ordered her thoughts. She poured a good measure for
him and Argyll held out his glass too.
‘Just a hair of the dog.’ He murmured. Lady
Verity stoppered the decanter and went to the window.
‘The Craanford estate is in Ireland and it is an
ancient seat of power in that blighted country.’ She
started. ‘I’m sure you’re aware how difficult it is to
govern there. But the Craanford’s hold a lot of sway
with the people. The previous Earl was a gentleman. I
remember seeing him at court more than once when I
was first married to your father. The gossip was that he
was the most eligible bachelor in London and he
married an acquaintance of mine. She was deliriously
happy with him and she had four sons from him, but
only the first one survived infancy. When Edward grew
up he was headstrong and spoilt. There was some form
of scandal and he was packed off to England and has
been in London ever since. He was always careful after
that, although rumours abound that he was less than
popular with the ladies.’ She sighed and went to sit
down. ‘Elizabeth comes from a very old family,’ she
looked at Argyll, ‘she is actually a distant cousin of
yours. Three times removed on your mother’s side.’ She
sighed again. ‘It was a very eligible match, Audley was
wealthy and had many properties and he seemed
genuinely captivated with Elizabeth.’
‘Who wouldn’t be?’ Robert muttered and made
Lady Verity smirk again.
‘Precisely!’ She responded. ‘They were married,
but of course, for Elizabeth it was an arranged marriage
and she had no say at all. She was suddenly at the
mercy of the most brutal man I have ever had