Sweet Surrender (Mercers of Montana Book 1) Read Free Page A

and serene whether faced with a salty sailor, a rude king, or a handsome groom.
    "He is handsome." Lady Dubuque had a knack of reading Olivia's mind. "I quite like the Wild West, don't you?"
    Olivia held her breath until she was sure the dark-haired man hadn't heard anything. He led them down Main Street at a slow pace, as if to show them everything Virginia City had to offer. Lady Dubuque flicked her lace gloves at points of interest: the imposing facade of the bank, the bay window displays of the millinery shop, and the quaint front of a bakery with its tantalizing aroma of cinnamon and honey.
    Olivia pouted. "What I don't like is the reputation of my fiancé."
    "My dear, hearsay is for the ignorant. My years of correspondence with dear Abigail make me certain he is a perfect match for you. Though I've never met the man himself, I can assure you he is of clean heart and gentle soul."
    The groom turned and gave her chaperone a sardonic smile.
    The old lady flashed a bright smile in response and shrugged. "We all have our crosses to bear. I've heard Lady Dubuque is quite proper until she speaks. She dabbles most shockingly in her deceased husband's investments, and she claims associations with the most indecent types."
    He turned toward her and opened his mouth to say something, but words failed him.
    Olivia stifled a giggle and lowered her eyes. Catching a glint of silver, she gasped. A wicked hunting knife was strapped to his thigh. While most men carried pistols or even shotguns, there was something eerie about a man armed with nothing more than a short blade. It spoke of a close confidence with death, an agility that could sidestep bullets, and the strength to look an opponent straight in the eye. She shivered and raised her gaze to find the smile had vanished from his face.
    "Pardon me," a cultured London accent made her stop in her tracks.
    Olivia turned and blinked in the bright afternoon sun. She was not imagining things. A handsome man tipped his shiny black hat at her. His white-blond hair was sculpted in slick waves, and his long suit coat was tailored to perfection. He bowed to Lady Dubuque, replaced his hat with a tap of a gloved hand, and went on his way with a charming smile. It was impossible to miss that he was a man of breeding and means.
    Lady Dubuque sighed and pressed her palms lightly against her cheeks. "Lord Allen, I believe."
    Olivia bit her lip. "I've heard that name before."
    "Yes, a very eligible bachelor. Finest family, in line to be the next Duke of Elmore. I believe he met with Dub a few times. I wouldn't be surprised if he has chosen investment properties here in Montana."
    Lord Dubuque, before his passing, was legendary for his business acumen and uncanny investments. He had the Midas touch, and Lady Dubuque made it her personal mission to enjoy his earnings as well as check in on his myriad investments. The freedom of her widowhood and fortune allowed her to travel all over the world.
    Olivia admired Lady Dubuque's courage as she shirked polite society and went where she willed. The upper circles of London society were shocked by her claiming acquaintances with the working classes: everyone from shipping moguls to spice traders, diamond miners to cattle ranchers.
    Working up the courage to ask her chaperone for an introduction to Lord Allen, Olivia watched him stride away. A few feet down the street, he stopped and heartily shook hands with an old-timer in dusty overalls. The man held rolled plans under his arm, and she assumed he was an employee, a foreman of sorts. Still, the well-bred man spoke easily with the other and clapped him on the shoulder as they laughed.
    The groom turned to Lady Dubuque, his voice gruff. "He’s investing, buying up gold mines. Rumor has it he wants to bring an industrial setup to Virginia City."
    For a moment Olivia's heart fluttered. What would it be like to marry an English duke, yet live here in the Wild West? She imagined it would be the best of both worlds: