How to Tame Your Duke Read Free

drunkard or night dustman, and the corgi rose to the tips of his paws, ears trembling. Olympia crossed his long legs and placed his right hand at the edge of the desk, fingers curling around the polished old wood. “I have no inkling, I’m afraid, who caused the death of your father and”—he turned a sorrowful gaze to Luisa, who sat with her eyes cast down—“your own husband, my dearest Luisa.” This was not entirely a lie, though it was not precisely the truth; but Olympia had long since lost all traces of squeamish delicacy in such matters. “One suspects, naturally, that the murder must have occurred by the hand of some party outraged by Luisa’s official recognition as heir to the throne last summer, and her subsequent marriage to . . . I beg your pardon, my dear. What was the poor fellow’s name, God bless his soul?”
    “Peter,” Luisa whispered.
    “Peter, of course. My deepest apologies that I was unable to attend the ceremony. I felt I would not be missed.”
    “By the by, that was a jolly nice epergne you sent,” said Stefanie. “We absolutely marveled on it.”
    “You are quite welcome,” said Olympia. “I daresay it has all been packed safely away?”
    “Miss Dingleby saw to it herself.”
    “Clever Miss Dingleby. Excellent. Yes, the murders. I thought to send for you myself, but before I could make the necessary arrangements, word had reached me . . .”
    “So quickly?” asked Emilie, with her clever eyes.
    “There
are
telegraphs, my dear. Even in the heart of Holstein-Schweinwald-Huhnhof, I’m told, although in this case the necessary communication came from a friend of mine in Munich.”
    “What sort of friend?” Emilie leaned forward.
    Olympia waved his hand. “Oh, an old acquaintance. In any case, he told me the facts of this latest crisis, the . . . the . . .”
    Luisa looked up and said fiercely: “My attempted abduction, do you mean?”
    “Yes, my dear. That. I was gratified to learn that you had defended yourself like a true daughter of your blood, and evaded capture. When the papers reported the three of you missing with your governess, I knew there was nothing more to fear. Miss Dingleby would know what to do.”
    “She has been a heroine,” said Luisa.
    Olympia smiled. “I had no doubt.”
    “Well then,” said Stefanie. “When do we begin? Tomorrow morning? For I should like to have at least a night’s sleep first, after all that rumpus. I declare I shall never look at a piece of licorice in quite the same light.”
    “Begin?” Olympia blinked. “Begin what?”
    Stefanie rose from her chair and began to pace about the room. “Why, investigating the matter, of course! Finding out who’s responsible! I should be more than happy to act as bait, though I rather think it’s poor Luisa they’re after, God help them.”
    “My dear, do sit down. You’re making me dizzy.” Olympia lifted one hand to shield his eyes. “Investigate? Act as
bait
? Quite out of the question. I shouldn’t dream of risking my dear nieces in such a manner.”
    “But something must be done!” exclaimed Emilie, rising, too.
    “Of course, and something
shall
be done. The Foreign Office is most concerned about the matter. Instability in the region and all that. They shall be conducting the most rigorous inquiries, I assure you. But in the meantime, you must hide.”
    “Hide?” said Emilie.
    “Hide!”
Stefanie stopped in mid-pace and turned to him, face alight with outrage. “A princess of Holstein-Schweinwald-Huhnhof does not
hide
!”
    Olympia lifted himself away from the desk and gathered his hands behind his back. “Of course, there’s no point hiding in the ordinary manner. These continental agents, I’m told, are unnaturally cunning in seeking out their targets. Simply sending you to rusticate in some remote village won’t do. Your photographs are already in the papers.”
    Stefanie’s hands came together. “Disguise! Of course! You mean to disguise us! I