AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Pray, excuse me.” He abandoned the attempt to find a drink and left the room. Hastening to the door, he stepped out into the hallway, only to hear the Countess was still calling after him.
“Your Grace?”
“Good Lord, she will not rest.” Turning on the spot, he looked for an escape. The staircase nearby offered such an escape route. He reached for it and hurried up the steps as quickly as he could.
Reaching the landing, he turned on the spot, only to hear more footsteps on the staircase behind him.
She follows… I have never known a lady so persistent!
With frantic hands, he reached for the nearest door and tried to open it, but the door handle did not move. He supposed it must have led to a garderobe or privy, for it had been locked tight.
“Damn,” he muttered, moving down the corridor and looking for another door.
“Your Grace?” The Countess’ voice was growing closer now.
Ordinarily, James would have been stern with her. He could frighten people without trying and was certain he could scare the Countess off, but tonight he had been invited to his brother’s house, and he didn’t want to cause trouble. If Neil was already wary of James’ reputation, then he wasn’t going to cause a stir at the ball. What if the Countess cried and ran to the ballroom, telling everyone he’d used her ill? He couldn’t risk it.
Without looking where he was going, glancing over his shoulder, he reached for a second door. This one he was relieved to find was open. Flinging the door wide, he stepped inside.
He was so determined to escape that he didn’t notice at first there was light in the room from a candle. He merely closed the door behind him and pressed his face to the gap. With one eye, he saw the Countess hurry down the corridor, still looking for him.
“Oh.” Someone’s shocked gasp had him turning around.
At last, James realized exactly what situation he’d walked into. He was in his brother’s bedchamber, yet it was not empty.
A young lady stood before him, wearing nothing but her chemise and her corset. She was striking in her beauty with cinnamon-colored hair wound perfectly into an updo, and green eyes so bold and large in her face that as they widened at his entry, they seemed to take up most of her face. Her full lips parted in wonder.
James’ mind worked fast, understanding exactly what was happening. Neil had a lady waiting for him in his room for such night-time lusts and passions, yet Neil was not the one to find her, James was.
“God’s wounds,” James muttered, staring straight at her. It didn’t help that she was beautiful nor that the lack of clothes and well-placed corset revealed a curvy figure that ordinarily would have had James’ blood raging.
“You are not supposed to be here,” she muttered, the surprise making her voice weak.
CHAPTER2
Marina turned and grabbed the gown off the bed, holding it over her body to hide herself.
This was not the way it was supposed to go!
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.
