Duke of Scandal Read Free

something when another heavyset woman Sam didn’t know interrupted them both, whispered in her ear, and scurried off.
    Lady Ramona gave him one more slight curtsy. “If you will remain here, your grace, I shall be back momentarily.”
    â€œThen naturally I’ll stay rooted to the spot in high anticipation,” he replied.
    For a moment she didn’t know whether he meant that sarcastically and if she should respond, then obviously decided against comment. With a rather unsure smile, she turned and left him, disappearing into the crowd.
    Sam rubbed his tired eyes, his impatience returning. His goal for tonight was to find a woman to seduce, not to become disenchanted and turned completely impotent by meeting a Frenchwoman, someone he’d dislike on principle and would never consider bedding no matter how sexually attractive she might be. With it would come too many painful memories of a past he longed to forget. Sometimes living up to his title proved so very fatiguing, no doubt furthering his continued bad luck where women were concerned. He needed to get this so-called meeting he’d reluctantly agreed to done quickly, then make the necessary excuses and take his leave in search of a more tempting venue.
    Then he saw the angel in gold. No, not an angel as Colin had described, for she was surely the same creature his friend had seen earlier, but an exotic goddess of rare beauty and haunting blue eyes.
    It had to be the glint of her shimmering gown thatimpressed him first, drawing immediate attention to her tall, shapely form, as it was certainly designed to do. The rich fabric sparkled in candlelight, beckoning him to gaze upon her outlined figure of stunning distinction—long, slender legs that rose to gently rounded hips, a narrowed waist and lifted breasts that would fill a man’s hands—and then to a face that could only be described as one of pure, godly perfection.
    He stared, enthralled, and for a timeless moment the vision rendered him dumbstruck.
    She must have sensed his distraction, his surprise at the flawlessness of her beauty, for such women always could. Suddenly, as she neared him, one corner of her full, pink lips lifted into a knowing, wry, pleasure-filled smile. Of course she would offer him an amazing self-assurance, even defiance. She was French, after all. An intoxicating enchantress who used her assets. And she certainly had assets—of which he wanted no part.
    Regaining his coolness, he clasped his hands behind his back, then purposely straightened his shoulders and stiffened, putting an invisible barrier between them. She stopped directly in front of him, next to Lady Ramona, who fairly preened with delight, all eyes in the vicinity focused on the three of them.
    Sam mistrusted her immediately for no real reason he could define, and smelled her—pure vanilla and spice—the instant Lady Ramona began her introduction.
    â€œMy lord duke,” the matchmaking busybody piped in gleefully above the din of the orchestra, “may I introduce the Lady Olivia Shea, formerly of Elmsboro, now of Paris. Lady Olivia, his grace, the Duke of Durham.”
    â€œYour grace,” she murmured, with a curtsy, extending her gloved hand.
    Her voice matched her appearance, an unusual, husky mix of sensuality, drama, and intrigue, carrying only a trace of an accent from her lips to his ears.
    Sam reached out and wrapped his fingers around hers, tightening his grasp just enough to let her know that he’d be nothing to play with, that he remained the stronger of the two in this little rendezvous the Lady Olivia Shea had planned.
    Aside from a slight narrowing of her eyes, she didn’t appear to notice his attempt at superiority. Her skin felt warm beneath the satin of her gloves.
    The music drew to a stop as he murmured, “Lady Olivia, I’m enchanted.”
    Lady Ramona clasped her palms together in front of her bosom. “Well, then, I’ll leave you