An Apple Pie for a Duke Read Free Page A

philosophical publications and political works. In that
particular moment, Gigi did not care for intellectual books. She had
spotted just what she had been looking for in a shelf by a window.
    The
Sultan one
novel was titled. Captured another. Abbey
of Shadows a
third.
    “ Well,”
she heard her mother say. “Having been to France myself at the
actual time, I cannot deny
that the aristocracy over there did have certain---”
    The
door flew open.
    A
tall figure in a dark blue overcoat and high hat of the exact same
colour, both of the finest cut, entered the shop, followed by another
tall gentleman of similar attire, though not quite as formidable as
the first.
    “ Ah,
yerrs... dear little shop,” the figure drawled lazily. “Need gift
f’ m’ little sister, seventeen she'll be. What d’girls stick
‘noses into these days, huh?”
    Gigi
felt her bowels constrict. She had heard that voice before. Something
about it made her feel very strange inside. But where had she heard
it?
    It
came to her just as the tall figure turned around to face her.
    His
black eyes were gleaming like those of the devil. They had an almost
exotic slant to them.
    He
watched Gigi as if she were his prey.
    Gigi
felt soaring heat rush into her head. She stared at him like a rabbit
stares at a snake.
    It
was he ! HIM !
    For
fives years it had been his face she put to the heroes in her
novels! For five years it had been him she was seeing in her
most secret dreams! HIM ! Dominic!
    His
face was a little darker than was the fashion but who cared about
fashion when that face was so perfectly... well, what is it?
    Perfectly
perfect!
    Dominic
St. Yves, The Duke of Surrey, stood before her in all his glory, most
likely come to shoot her in the head.
    “ Look,
Darl, here's y’ng lady,” he hissed through his perfect teeth.
“Why d’nt ask her?”
    With
a few steps he was directly in front of Gigi. She could even smell
him. Her heart was racing uncontrollably.
    “ Well,
Miss, ‘t’d you ‘commend f’ grl ‘f y’r age? In’cent,
like y’self, ‘presume? ‘thing very comme
il faut ? ”
    Gigi
stared at him in utter disbelief.
    The
other man coughed, obviously embarrassed by the duke’s behaviour.
    He
addressed Gigi's mother and aunt who had hurried over when they saw
their protégée coming
under attack by a man. “ Lady
Tarly, would you be so kind as to introduce us to the other ladies. I
believe I haven't made their acquaintance.”
    Gigi's
Aunt appeared to have awoken from a terrible nightmare.
    “ Of
course, of course,” Lady Tarly panted. “This is my sister-in-law,
Lady Cartwright, and her daughter, Miss Cartwright. May I present to
you the Earl of Darlington, and eh, His Grace the Duke of Surrey.”
    “ The
long lost Countess Rivendon! Enchanté . ” Lord Darlington bowed
deeply.
    The
sublime creature looming over Gigi slightly backed away and
transferred its attention to the rest of the group. This time, he
snarled.
    Is
he really snarling? Is
that snarling?
What does a black panther do when conversing in polite society? I
have no idea.
    “ Yerrs,
yerrs... blief 've bin ‘troduced to La’y Tarl’, howd'you do...
can't ‘member ‘ving pleasu’f meeting you, La’y Crtwrght,
‘though ‘blief 've bin ‘quainted with late mother, ‘ven't
you. Yerrs... I'm Surrey.”
    Somehow
the duke still managed to sound lazy even though he was definitely snarling.
    It
was fascinating!
    Strange
how anybody could even understand what he was saying. But above all,
the way he
spoke to Gigi's mother and aunt was incredibly discourteous!
    That
was not at all the way to address a lady much older than oneself.
    W hy
don't they expel him from the shop, chase him out with a broom? Why
do they keep talking to him, the silly old goats? Why doesn't anybody
do anything? They should shun him, cut him, refuse him, right now!
That man is dangerous and impossible and most certainly a rake and
very, very perfect!
    Instead,
the shopkeeper stood behind his