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Clearly, Nick was being outmaneuvered.
He probably should have eaten some breakfast before he came charging over to the baronet’s house. Last night’s brandy still sloshed in his belly and it wasn’t mixing well with the inferior sherry.
Only one thing to be done.
Drink more.
Nick poured another glass of sherry, willing his hands not to shake again before the damnably perceptive Miss Tombs.
She sashayed to the windows and flung the curtains wide.
He winced in the sudden slash of sunlight.
“Oh, I do hope you didn’t overimbibe last night, Lord Hatherly,” she said with a sugary smile, her voice dripping with false concern. “I’ve heard you rarely venture out of your house in the daylight.”
Her dimples were truly impressive.
They’d be lethal if she had any idea how to use them.
“Does your father often lock you in libraries with strange gentlemen to become better acquainted, Miss Tombs?”
“Only with gentlemen who were foolish enough to allow themselves to be gambled away.”
“The duke didn’t know what he was doing.”
“That doesn’t help our plight, now does it? He mucked everything up.”
“I think it was your father that did the mucking.”
“Well, the two of them landed us in this steaming mess.”
“A poetic turn of phrase, Miss Tombs.”
“An appropriate one, Lord Hatherly.”
Her eyes sparked with intelligence, wit, and... displeasure.
She was as unhappy about the situation as he was.
Intriguing.
“You don’t want to marry me,” he stated with surprise.
Marriageable ladies had been heaving themselves at him since he came of age. They were usually willing to overlook the family curse of lunacy in pursuit of the title... and the handsome devil that came with it.
“Congratulations.” She rolled her eyes. “Give the marquess a prize.”
He hadn’t noticed before what an unusual shade her eyes were. More intensely green than blue, with flecks of gold around the irises.
“Why don’t you wish to marry me?” he asked.
“Don’t sound so surprised, my lord.” She folded her arms over her chest. He couldn’t help noticing that the motion mounded her breasts over her bodice enticingly.
She had nice breasts. Generous and lush for such a slender frame.
“It’s not the usual response I receive from young ladies.”
“I’m supposed to swoon at your feet, is that it?”
