Free Duchess of Sin by Laurel McKee Page B

well at drawing, you could persuade Mama to let you drop another lesson,” Anna said. Rose buttoned
     her into a fresh, long-sleeved muslin dress that hid the bruises on her hip and shoulder. “And maybe this French teacher is
     handsome. That would make the lessons fly by, I’m sure.”
    Caroline rolled over onto her stomach. “Don’t be silly, Anna. What use is a handsome Frenchman to me?”
    “Oh, yes, I forgot. You are practically betrothed to Lord Hartley and his library.”
    Caroline gave an unladylike snort. “Forget Lord Hartley and Frenchmen. Tell me about this duke. He must be terribly attractive
     to make you lose your seat on a horse. Is he more handsome than Grant Dunmore?”
    Anna closed her eyes, picturing Adair in her mind. His black hair and roughly chiseled face, the mocking laughter in his eyes.
     The anger, and fear, as he knelt beside her on the ground. “He is not nearly as handsome as Sir Grant. Some would say he is
     not handsome at all. But he is—complicated.”
    “Complicated?” Caroline propped her chin on her fist and stared at Anna keenly. “That sounds terribly interesting. Most of
     your suitors are no more complex than their own hunting hounds.”
    Anna laughed. “Oh, thank you very much, Caro! I know I am far too shallow to attract any men
you
deem interesting, but they are not all that bad. Some are rather sweet.”
    “It’s not your fault. It’s just the way they’re brought up, like Papa. They aren’t taught to think for themselves, I suppose,
     or imagine a world different than the one they grew up in.”
    Anna pushed away the rice powder Rose offered and went to sit on the bed with Caroline. “Well, this duke is Irish, with some
     kind of terribly ancient title, so maybe he was brought up differently than all our Ascendancy suitors.”
    “An Irish duke? Now that is very interesting. How did he come by this title? Is he Catholic?”
    Anna wondered those things herself, and so much more. Adair was an intriguing puzzle, one she longed to decipher, clue by
     intriguing clue. “I have no idea about his title, though I think his estate is near Killinan Castle. And I suppose he is Catholic,
     though I don’t know for sure.”
    “However did you meet him?”
    Anna could hardly tell her the truth. That would be her own secret, and Adair’s, forever. “When he came to my aid today, of
     course. He was the first to reach me when I fell.”
    “How romantic. A dashing, not-quite handsome Irish duke coming to your rescue. I’m sure he has many tales that would be so
     useful for my research. When can I catch a glimpse of him?”
    “Soon, maybe. He asked if he could call on us here, and Mama said yes.”
    “Mama agreed?” Caroline said, her eyes wide with astonishment. “Oh, my. Now I wish I had gone riding with you today.”
    There was a knock at the door, and a parlor maid camein with a curtsy. “Lady Cannondale is downstairs, Lady Anna. She says she wants to see if you are well.”
    Anna nearly laughed aloud. The butler would be quite chagrined at all the activity so late in the day! Smythe was quite proper
     and anxious to uphold all the proprieties, including calling hours. “Send her up to my sitting room, please, and ask the butler
     to arrange for some refreshments.”
    Maybe Jane would know something about Adair. She did seem to know all the gossip, and she was a member of the Olympian Club
     after all.
    “I will leave you to Lady Cannondale’s care, Anna,” Caroline said as she slid off the bed. She found her lost spectacles and
     pushed them back on her nose. “I have more reading to do before dinner.”
    “You’re not going to listen at the library door, are you?”
    Caroline sniffed. “Of course not. I am not so mischievous as you, sister.”
    “No one is.” Anna hurried next door to her own sitting room where Jane already waited. She still wore her green carriage dress
     from the park, so obviously she had not yet gone home to prepare for the