Desperate and Daring 01 - Desperate and Daring Read Free Page B

house.
    “I have no dowry, Mr. Calder. I have nothing to offer a husband in that regard. Only myself. I only had one season before my father took ill. After his death, we discovered… all the debt, and since then, it was been a slow slid into—” Hell , she wanted to say, but she refrained. “I have no prospects for a husband, yet have a great need of one. His grace can save me and my family.”
    Mr. Calder’s expression was unreadable, except for a small line between his brows. “My condolences,” was all he said and then, “I’ve been given the task of discovering whether or not you would be a suitable wife before the duke arrives,” he said carefully.
    Heather felt her cheeks go scarlet. She had never been so embarrassed and ashamed of her life than she was right now. How did she get here? She wondered feebly. “Oh?” was all she had the ability to say. Now he would think she was a simpleton as well as destitute.
    “An interview of sorts,” he added. He was clearly uncomfortable now, too.
    “I see,” she answered numbly.
    He pulled a notepad and pencil from his pocket.
    Heather wanted to laugh again. It was absurd, the whole situation ridiculously absurd, and yet, here she stood. She watched his face as he frowned down at the open notepad. The meager light glinted off the lenses of his glasses and that line appeared again.
    “Are…are you in love?” he asked nervously.
    “I beg your pardon?” Her throat tickled with the urge to laugh. Perhaps she should add insanity to the list of reasons she couldn’t find a husband, as well. He looked up at her and the urge died. He was so serious, his eyes earnest as they caught hers. They were so very blue. She felt her breath catch again, the same as when she had first seen him.
    “The duke wants to be assured you are not presently in love with someone so that he can be assured of your complete affection and devotion.” His eyes pinned her.
    “Oh, um… no.” Oddly, she felt like she just lied, but only because presently she couldn’t stop looking at Mr. Calder, and she couldn’t stop thinking how very handsome he was. But none of that meant she loved him, it was just a simple observation of his attractiveness.
    “No?” He questioned.
    Her heart began to beat a little faster. “No. My heart is claimed by no one.”
    He bent his head and scribbled on his notepad.
    She was curious to peek at what he was writing. This was the most awkward, humiliating, and sad day of her life. Heather supposed she should be grateful that things were moving forward despite the duke not being present. Perhaps Mr. Calder would be easier to convince than an elderly man with a reputation of being terrifying.
    “Have you any deformities?”
    “No,” she answered quietly.
    “All your teeth?”
    She smiled in answer. He looked up and then nodded, immediately returning his attention to his notes.
    “You’ve a beautiful smile, Miss Everly,” he said suddenly without looking up.
    The compliment caught her off guard and for some reason, pleased her. Her reaction to him was strange, and she didn’t understand why he had such an effect on her when, up until now, no gentleman ever did.
    He finished writing and looked up. “Do you like music?”
    She bit her lip in thought. “Doesn’t everybody?” She laughed. He immediately started writing and Heather frowned in worry. Did she say something wrong? “I haven’t had the pleasure of attending many operas, but I do enjoy the sound of a string quartet, especially the violin. I love the sound of the violin.”
    He stopped writing and looked up at her. Heather didn’t know what to make of his expression. It looked as though he was about to say something. He simply looked at her, and again, her pulse took off into an erratic beat. The way his eyes roamed over her face made her feel warmer in her skin.
    “The violin?”
    She nodded once.
    “Do you play?”
    She shook her head. “Not the violin. I’m proficient with the