AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She recognized the face of the man who had walked into the bedchamber, and he was not the man she had been waiting for. This was Lord Frampton’s brother, the Duke of Curton.
A known rogue with a dreadful reputation for owning a gambling hall in Covent Garden, she had only seen him at a distance at balls. She’d always been discouraged from speaking to him, and it was plain in the way he looked at her, he had no idea as to who she was.
“God’s wounds,” he said again, turning on the spot and covering his face. “I did not see that…”
“Didn’t see what?” she spluttered. “Your eyes definitely looked downward.”
“Well, what do you expect when I find a lady undressed in here?” he snapped. His voice was deeper than she had expected it to be. He turned back to face her, showing just how tall his figure really was. He was broad shouldered too and lithe in body. The moment his eyes fell on her, he turned away again, covering his face. “God’s blood. Does my brother know you’re here?”
“No.” Her one word was enough to make him turn back to face her, his eyes wide.
“What did you say?”
“You should go. Now.” She waved a hand at the door. There was still a chance everything could work out as she wished it to if he left now.
“Happily!” He reached for the door, yet before he could take hold of the handle it moved. “Oh…”
“Oh no,” Marina muttered. She stepped back, trying to put herself behind the bedpost though little good it would do to hide herself.
The Duke practically leapt across the room as if he was looking for a hiding place, but he was out of time. The door was flung open.
At the front of the group was Caroline with an innocent expression.
“I wonder what is in here?” she asked. Clearly, she’d enlisted many other guests to join her self-led tour, for a group of people followed her with two ladies and three gentlemen. “Oh my!” Caroline’s voice was overdramatic when she saw Marina then her eyes fell on the Duke, and this time, genuine shock bled into her voice. “Oh dear…”
“Well, well,” one of the gentlemen said as he looked between the two of them, “we seem to have come upon quite the tryst.”
Marina looked down, seeing the way she held her gown over her body barely covered up anything. Her corset was on show, the tops of her breasts too, not leaving much to the imagination.
One of the ladies sniggered behind Caroline as silence stretched out.
The next thing Marina knew, a sheet was bundled over her. She looked up to see the Duke of Curton had crossed the room toward her. He had grabbed the bed sheet and tossed it in her direction.
“Cover yourself up,” he ordered then turned to face the others. “I think you’ll agree that this is a private moment.”
“Private? Ha! Not anymore,” one of the gentlemen laughed. The Duke merely took a step forward. He must have had a threatening expression, though Marina could not see it from her position, for the group all flinched and stepped back.
“Let us leave, now,” Caroline said to the others in a rush. She exchanged one panicked glance with Marina, and in that look, Marina knew exactly what her friend was thinking.
I know. It is the wrong brother.
“Go!” the Duke ordered again when one of the ladies did not hurry but angled her head, trying to get another glimpse of Marina. The moment they were out of the door, he grabbed it and thrust it shut hard, making the door wobble in the frame.
Marina slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling her body quite crippled.
What have I done?
Her eyes flicked up to the Duke. He was leaning against the door, his hand thrust into his dark brown hair, pulling at the tendrils in stress. He was shaking his head repeatedly.
“Pray, wake, and tell me this is a dream,” he said to himself.
“It is no dream.” Her words plainly angered him, and his eyes shot open, revealing an intense dark blue color.
“Whoever you are…” he paused, stepping away from the door, “you will dress yourself and meet me in the hallway. This needs to be discussed.”
“Must it?” she asked, but he didn’t say anything in answer. He flung the door open, stepped out, and slammed it behind him again. “Oh God,” she muttered as she dropped the bed sheet and began to dress.
The plan has gone horribly wrong indeed!
