The Duke and the Lady in Red Read Free Page A

side, she came face to face with the man she’d earlier seen kissing the woman in the dance area. That woman was now beaming with happiness and inappropriately nestled against his side. But then Rose supposed in a place like this nothing was completely inappropriate. That was the entire point to it.
    â€œI’ve been taking your name in vain ever since you came up with this ghastly idea to allow women into our sanctum,” Avendale said, clearly disgruntled.
    â€œYet here you are walking about with one of those ladies,” Drake Darling said. “Are you going to introduce us?”
    â€œI fear we have not yet been introduced.” Avendale’s gaze ran over her. “Names are unimportant to me.”
    So he had only a temporary interest in her. Perhaps for just tonight. A tryst, something wicked. She was insulted enough to take offense, but not so much that she wasn’t also flattered. Yet both emotions were schooled not to show. Much more satisfying to make him pay later for his arrogance. Oh, and how he would pay. She could hardly wait, but taking her time would make it all so much sweeter.
    â€œMy apologies, Mr. Darling,” she said softly. “I am Mrs. Rosalind Sharpe.”
    A dark eyebrow arched over dark eyes. “You know who I am?”
    â€œYou had an invitation delivered to me. I made inquiries after I arrived here and someone pointed you out. I had planned to make your acquaintance straightaway but you seemed rather busy.” Smiling, doing all she could to blush, she looked at the woman.
    â€œYes, I was rather,” he admitted.
    â€œYou do realize you’re going to have to marry Lady Ophelia now,” Avendale said, “after that spectacle you made earlier.”
    Rose fought not to show her surprise that a commoner had snagged nobility.
    â€œI shall do so with great pleasure. And I’m being rude. Lady Ophelia Lyttleton, allow me to introduce Mrs. Rosalind Sharp.”
    â€œA pleasure,” Lady Ophelia said.
    â€œThe pleasure is all mine, my lady. I do hope we may have an opportunity to know each other better,” Rose said. “I am quite fascinated with the place. I can see myself spending considerable time here.”
    â€œI’m sure I’ll pop by from time to time, but for the immediate future I’m going to be extremely busy arranging our wedding.” She looked up at Drake Darling with adoration, and Rose fought back the little bite of envy. Love was not for her and well she knew it.
    â€œIf you’ll excuse us,” Mr. Darling said, “we need to finish making the rounds.”
    Their arms linked, they wandered off.
    â€œAnd so another one falls,” Avendale said somberly.
    Rose looked up at him. “You seem to be friends, which surprises me. He is a commoner, and based upon the manner in which ­people greeted you, you are a duke.”
    He shrugged laconically. “Our families share a past and a deep friendship.”
    â€œThat makes it even more odd.”
    â€œWe are quite a mixture of commoner and nobility, far too complicated to explain with few words. I’m not in the mood for words, but rather drink.” He snatched two glasses containing amber liquid from a passing footman and offered her one. “Something darker than champagne.”
    â€œThank you.” She took a small sip. “Excellent brandy.”
    â€œA woman who enjoys the finer things.”
    â€œOh, I am most certainly that.” She glanced around. “So within this room, men drink, smoke, read, and converse. Where do they play cards when they don’t wish to remain civilized?”
    He nodded toward the back of the room. “A door over there takes them to another room where they gamble to their heart’s content without ladies seeing how dashed awful they are at gambling, and how much they lose without blinking an eye.”
    â€œYou don’t strike me as someone who loses.”
    â€œYou