To Tempt an Earl Read Free Page B

as he
could remember, the tone felt different. It wasn't noticeable, the
change; rather, subtle enough that if he hadn't been away for so
long, he likely would have missed it. But the atmosphere was
lighter, freer, as if a weight had been removed from the very air.
A weight he hadn't noticed till its presence had been removed.
Pushing his strange observation to the back of his mind, he tugged
on his gloves as he entered the library, a smile curling his lips
as he saw his old friend.
    "Clairmont!" he called out, immediately
reaching for his friend's hand.
    "I say, old man, how are you?"
    He studied his friend. The cynical gleam in
his eye was startlingly absent; rather, his expression was light,
weightless even. A strange emotion stirred in Graham's belly, one
with which he wasn't familiar.
    Envy.
    Shaking his head to dispel the horrid
emotion, he focused back on his friend.
    "Quite well, no worse for the wear." The duke
chuckled.
    Never before had Graham seen his friend so
blissfully happy. It was almost frightening.
    Yet the burning sensation of envy overpowered
any other weaker emotion. Later he'd have to figure out why exactly
he was feeling so out of sorts.
    Or maybe he'd just forget it entirely.
    "I can see that! You're positively tame! I
never thought I'd see the day," Graham teased.
    "Ah, I'm far from tame, my friend." Clairmont
grinned wickedly.
    Ah, there's my old friend.
    "How is your governess these days?" Graham
asked, earning a chuckle from the duke.
    "Splendid. After all, she is married to me." He raised an eyebrow, a very self-satisfied grin firmly
in place.
    "And here, that was the very reason I even
asked the question." Graham shot back.
    Clairmont glared.
    Graham chuckled and rocked on his heels. How
he missed teasing his friend. Perhaps the envy was simply a passing
fancy.
    "So I'm told that my presence is needed, with
your ward's come out and all." Graham strode to a chair and sat,
his gaze firmly on his friend, watching for his reaction.
    "Who told you that rubbish?" Clairmont
grumbled as he took the chair across from Graham.
    "My sister."
    "Your sister is nothing but a thorn in my
side."
    "Mine too."
    "You haven't been around bloody long enough
for her to even tickle you, let alone gouge out your flesh."
    "My, my, we're macabre."
    Clairmont glared.
    "I can see why my presence is needed."
    "I do not need you."
    "Are you concerned that the girl won't make a
suitable match?" Graham leaned forward, apprehension taking over
from the earlier banter.
    Clairmont's glare deepened.
    "What?"
    "I should be so lucky."
    "Pardon? Isn't the whole reason for the
season to find a husband?" Graham asked, perplexed.
    "Yes, but—"
    "You don't think she'll find a match?"
    "No, but—"
    "I'm failing to see—"
    "Because you keep interrupting me! Damn,
you're as bad as your sister!" Clairmont stood and stalked to the
fireplace.
    "Now, Clairmont, there's no reason to stoop
so low," Graham grumbled.
    "Forgive me. It's just…" He paused, his
shoulders sagging slightly.
    Graham stood and walked toward his friend,
unaccustomed to seeing him in such a state of upheaval. It was
awkward, and he didn't know how to react, or to help.
    "Bethanny… she's beautiful," the duke spoke
reverently, with pride and fear.
    "I'm sure she's quite lovely," Graham spoke
softly.
    Clairmont turned toward him, an intolerant
expression clouding his blue eyes. "No, you don't get it. She's not
lovely, she's… she's… my nightmare. Every fortune hunter, dandy,
rake, and decent fellow is going to be fawning all over her, and I
will have to resort to beating them off with a large stick if they
think they can gain entrance into my home. You know how men's minds
work, Graham. They'll see her as nothing more than a fine face, a
beautiful figure. They'll see her money, her connection to me and —
and ah! I don't want some rake to ruin her." Clairmont was pacing
furiously, his expression stormy, unsettled and wild.
    "Heaven help your daughters, should you