When Seducing A Duke by Kathryn Smith Read Free Book Online

it was London air, and that made it lovely all the same.
    While the footmen collected their luggage, Rose and her mother continued up the steps to the house. The door was opened by Westford, the butler, who greeted them both with a polite but genuine smile. “Lady Marsden, Lady Rose. Delightful to see you again.”
    Inside the house, Rose’s heart began to pound a little harder. Would Grey meet them? Or was he away from home? Perhaps he was still at Saint’s Row, in the bed where she left him…
    “Camilla, Rose!”
    A tremor raced through her at the sound of his voice. Only he would be so familiar as to call them by their Christian names. Her parents had insisted upon the intimacy, especially after he saved them. It was more than most married couples allowed, but somehow, it seemed right to grant him such liberties.
    He came through the hall dressed in dark gray trousers and matching coat. His shirt and cravat were snowy white, stark against the tan of his skin. His dark hair was brushed back from his face, and the mask he’d worn last night was no where to be seen.
    He felt comfortable enough with them to show his scar.
    It was a jagged white line that ran from just above his left temple all the way down to his jaw. It was about a quarter of an inch wide, but it wasn’t the scar itself that was disconcerting, it was how he came to have it.
    He walked up to them, greeting her mother first. Rose just stood there, staring stupidly as Grey took her mother’s hands and kissed her smooth cheek. She didn’t hear what they said to each other; she couldn’t think over the rush of blood in her ears.
    And then, Grey turned to her, offering an embrace that could only be described as brotherly. “Rose, I’m so glad to see you.”
    Looking at him, she could tell that he meant it. He was happy to see her. He also had no idea that he had seen her just that morning. He didn’t know. Face-to-face with her, holding her in his arms, how in the name of all that was holy could he not recognize her as the woman he had made love to the night before? Did her hair not smell the same? And what of her scent? Did she no longer smell of spring rain? Or had it all been a lie?
    How could he not know her? Was it so impersonal for him that he didn’t recognize his lovers when he saw them? Mask or no mask, surely he could tell. She recognized him without his mask. She would know him anywhere.
    Had she completely misjudged his attraction to her, his feelings for her?
    Or perhaps, she thought a little bitterly as she stepped out his embrace, she was simply getting what she deserved for deceiving him in the first place. Perhaps she should be happy that he didn’t recognize her. She should be thankful right then and there that despite his obvious desire for her, she’d made no more of an impact upon him than the women he used to take pleasure with and then cast aside.
    And she was thankful. Then she wouldn’t have to explain why she’d done what she had done. If he didn’t know her then he couldn’t be upset with her when she failed to show up for the tryst the following week.
    And make no mistake, she was not returning to Saint’s Row.
    Chapter 4
    “L ady Hilbert requests the pleasure of our attendance at a tea at her home next week,” Rose said, scarcely looking up from the soft pink invitation in one hand as she placed a delicate teacup back into its saucer with the other.
    Since it was just the three of them taking tea in the parlor, Grey used the intimacy as an excuse to watch her openly, a faint smile upon his lips. He’d meant it when he told her he was glad to see her. She was like a ray of sunshine after a week of rain. Thanks to his lovely companion of the night before he was able to enjoy the sight of beautiful Rose without the onslaught of unslakable lust and longing that usually hung over his head at their meetings.
    Not that his desire for her had lessened. It hadn’t. In fact, his mystery lover had only served to deepen the