Free The Unexpected Duchess by Valerie Bowman

true that she disliked him so vehemently because he refused to leave? She bit her tongue. No use giving him more ammunition to lob back at her. Why, oh why, did he make her so insane? “Perhaps you should.”
    “You seem to know a lot about affairs of the heart, my lady,” he said. “What about the war? Do you know anyone who won’t be coming back?”
    Lucy jerked back as if he’d struck her. He was questioning whether she’d been hurt in life. Seen painful things. Lost someone she loved. “I’ve lost someone. Someone quite dear to me.”
    A combination of surprise and regret passed over his face. “A man?”
    Lucy looked away. “Yes.”
    The rest of the journey continued in silence. When the phaeton finally rolled to a stop in front of Cass’s parents’ town house, the duke alighted and helped Cass down. He left the footman to help Lucy.
    “Will I see you tomorrow evening at the Havertys’ dinner party, Lady Cassandra?” he asked.
    Cass nodded. “Yes, I’ll be there, but—”
    This was the moment. Cass would tell him she didn’t want to see him again. And if that happened and he finally took no for an answer, then—
    The duke’s arrogance and assuming manner had left Lucy wanting more, another chance to put him in his place. She brushed past him, pulling Cass into the house with her. “ We’ll see you there, Your Grace.”
    “I look forward to it,” he replied.
    “I’ll wager you do.”
    “You’re not about to scare me off with your sharp tongue, my lady,” he said.
    “We’ll see about that, Your Grace ,” Lucy replied.
    She had nearly shut the door behind them when the duke’s strong, sure voice rang out behind them. “That sounds like a challenge to me.”
    Lucy didn’t look back. “Oh, Your Grace, if I were challenging you, you’d know it.”
    “Very well,” he said. “While we’re on the subject of wagers and sharp tongues, I’d like to challenge you to one, Lady Lucy.”
    She froze, standing as still as a statue. Then she slowly turned to face him, her eyes narrowed on his features.
    She tilted her head to the side. “To what? A wager?”
    “Yes,” he replied with a smile on his face.
    “A wager?” Cass gulped.
    “What sort of wager?” Lucy asked. She had to admit, she was intrigued. Quite intrigued, actually.
    “I challenge you to a battle of words. Tomorrow night, at the Havertys’ party.”
    “A word challenge?” she scoffed. “You challenge me ?”
    Cass pointed a finger in the air. “Um, Your Grace, I’m not certain if you understand exactly…”
    The duke waved away the warning. “Oh, I understand, perfectly. Lady Lucy here is known for her way with words. Correct?”
    Cass nodded.
    He grinned. “And I intend to show her up.”
    Lucy picked up her skirts and crossed the threshold into the house. She didn’t let him see the small smile that had popped to her lips. It had been an age since anyone had challenged her. “You’d best get plenty of sleep tonight, Your Grace. You’ll need it.”

 
    CHAPTER THIRTEEN
     
    “The betting book at White’s has seen no rest in the last twenty-four hours.” Garrett slapped his gloves against his knee as the four friends bounced along in his carriage to the Havertys’ party the next evening. “Everyone in town is speculating about your challenge with the duke.”
    Lucy straightened her shoulders and eyed her cousin. “First of all, how has everyone in town found out about it? Second, I didn’t think you were a member at White’s.”
    Garrett laughed. “I’m not. But everyone at Brooks’s has been talking about it nonstop as well. You wouldn’t believe how high some of the bets are up to.”
    “You didn’t answer the first question,” Lucy pointed out.
    Garrett shrugged. “Very well, I may have mentioned it to a few chaps.”
    “Dissolute gambler,” Jane mumbled, pulling the book away from her nose. She eyed Garrett over the top of it. “And out of curiosity, exactly how high are the