AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 1
December 15th, 1811.
Robert woke up surrounded by red satin sheets. He rubbed his eyes and turned his head to see a beautiful brunette sitting at the vanity, brushing out her hair. Her silk red dressing gown gaped open to reveal her enticing décolletage.
“Good morning,” she murmured, noticing his intense stare.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Robert said in a rugged voice. “Why are you up?”
“Because it’s mid-morning and I am hungry,” she answered, still staring at her reflection. Vanessa loved her reflection more than she loved anything else. She could spend hours staring into it.
“Well, maybe I am hungry too.” Robert stood from the bed and sauntered toward her. He stopped just behind her, his hips at her eye level in the mirror. “But not for food.”
Vanessa glanced at his reflection and licked her lips, clearly aware of what he was hungry for.
“Well?” he asked, placing his hand on her hair and rubbing it slightly.
She turned to him and stared at his raging erection. She licked her lips again. “I guess I could overlook breakfast for this,” she said in a sultry whisper, still staring at his crotch.
“Indeed, you could.” Robert started directing her head to where he wanted her when a knock sounded at her door.
She drew away, irritated, and stalked toward the exit. “What’s wrong?” she asked the invisible entity just beyond the room.
Robert sat on the edge of the bed, staring at his mistress’s curvy, inviting form. Her bottom was swaying, asking for his hands to touch her and for his—
She closed the door with a decisive click. “It’s for you,” she said, confusion wrinkling her brows.
Robert took an envelope with his father’s seal on it and groaned inwardly. The Duke of Rutland rarely sent his summons, and when he did, he expected a prompt response. Robert tore into the envelope and read a few lines of the text he knew he’d find there. His father almost always used the same wording when he wrote to him.
Come to my study at once. There is an urgent matter to discuss.
That was all. No introduction, no goodbyes, no loving words. Just a cold and efficient summons. Robert stood and walked toward the chair with his clothes draped over it and started drawing on his shirt.
“You are leaving?” Vanessa pouted prettily. “What about my breakfast?” She looked mournfully at his deflating erection.
“We’ll have to reschedule.” Robert drew on his pants. “The duke is expecting me.”
“How long will you continue jumping at his every word?”
“As long as I depend on him financially. Which means, as long as he is the duke.” Robert put on the rest of his clothes efficiently. When he was done, he walked up to Vanessa and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. “I’ll come when I can.” With these parting words, he walked through the door.
He hadn’t lied to Vanessa when he said that he depended on the duke as long as he lived. Most of his assets were from his father’s estates, though Robert was the one who ran most of them. He also had several business ventures of his own. He loved the land, and he loved a challenge, so he always looked for ways to enhance their financial situation, even if it didn’t need enhancing.
But Rutland was his father. As distant and cold as he was, Robert truly admired him. Rutland had a one-track mind. If he did something, he did it with his full concentration, without wavering. He stuck to the routine and never broke it. He was a truly remarkable person. Unfortunately, he never concentrated on his son and only looked for him when he needed something. Which meant that he needed his son now. And although Robert would never admit it aloud to anyone, he looked forward to these moments.
Robert reached his father’s townhouse in half an hour and immediately walked to the study. He knocked three times and entered without waiting for an answer, just like he had been instructed to do since childhood. His father claimed he had no need for distractions and meaningless pleasantries.
The duke was sitting behind his grand mahogany table and dictating something to his secretary. Robert waited for him to finish. Finally, the duke let his secretary leave and gestured for his son to take his place.
“Clydesdale, you are right on time.” Rutland had always called his son by his title, never his name. Not even when Robert was a child. “So, I gather my note reached you at your mistress’s.” He paused for emphasis. “Again.”
“What do you want me to do? Be celibate?” Robert raised his eyebrow.
“No.” The duke looked at his son thoughtfully. “I want you to get married.”
Robert’s eyes widened. It was the last thing he expected to be discussing today. He was seven and twenty. Much too young to marry by many gentlemen’s standards. Of course, he had been willing to marry much earlier when he had fancied himself in love. Now, however, that was not the case.
“Why?” he asked.
