Free The Duke's Men [1] What the Duke Desires by Sabrina Jeffries Page A

Mrs. Biddle to come help me pack.”
    Still, as she prepared for the journey, she wondered if Skrimshaw was right. Was she letting the duke’s high station and wealth tempt her into trusting him? Or worse
     yet, his flatteries?
    Because you’re too beautiful. I can’t pretend I don’t notice.
    That same dratted fluttering arose in her belly. The man certainly knew how to give
     a compliment. It had seemed devoid of pretense and winking insinuation.
    But that didn’t mean it was real. How could it be? She wasn’t the fragile, wilting
     flower that every fine gentleman wanted. Even Papa had called her his wild filly,
     and if she knew one thing about the English, it was that they didn’t like wild women.
     The duke had made that abundantly clear when he’d called her a pain in the “derriere.”
    That brought a smile to her lips. How ludicrous that Skrimshaw was worried about him—why,
     the duke couldn’t even bring himself to say the word arse to her. Once he’d determined that she wasn’t a loose woman, he’d been the soul of
     propriety.
    Except for that moment when she’d proposed that she play his mistress.
    Remembering how boldly his eyes had raked her, she caught her breath. Perhaps “soul
     of propriety” wasn’t the best description of him, either. He was an enigma, one she
     wished to unwrap.
    She frowned. No, certainly not. Men like Lofty Lyons were more trouble than they were
     worth. And she didn’t need that kind of trouble. She was finally making inroads with
     Dom; one day soon he might actually let her investigate a case, or at least do some
     of the important parts.
    That was what she’d dreamed of all these years—being in control of her own life, being
     able to pull her own weight instead of having to depend on feckless men. Taking up
     with a duke would not help her plans.
    So she had to keep a distance between herself and Lyons. She had to ignore his compliments
     and the absurd attraction she felt for the man. This was a matter of saving Tristan’s
     future. That was all.
    ♦  ♦  ♦
    A FEW HOURS later, when she arrived at the Golden Cross Inn with her bag, she had to remind herself
     of that. Because the haughty duke had once more defied her expectations.
    Dressing in lower-class attire ought to have made him look ordinary and workaday,
     dulling his virile appeal. Instead, it amplified it. With his greatcoat slung casually
     over one shoulder, he looked like a rakish adventurer out to conquer the world.
    And she had a decided weakness for rakish adventurers.
    Drat it all. She couldn’t blame his clothes; the fustian suit was what any merchant
     might wear—a medium-brown coat, buff breeches, and a dark brown stock tied simply
     about his neck.
    But the soft brown color brought out the warm green of his eyes. And his brown leather
     high boots, with their creases and weathering, made him look rough and daring, a man
     to be reckoned with. Worse yet, the bold features and unfashionably straight, gold-streaked
     hair that had seemed wrong for a rich lord were perfect for an adventurer in fustian.
    Then he spoke, and the duke returned in full force, arrogant accent and all. “There
     you are. I thought that you had forgotten what time the coach left.”
    She forced a smile as she approached. “It took me forever to get packed.” Mindful
     of the people milling about the coach office, she added, “Were there any more notes
     waiting for you at home from . . . our brother?”
    His expression hardened. “No. No word of any kind.”
    She released a sigh. Part of her had hoped that Tristan had just been delayed somewhere
     and would have tried to reach the duke again. But it had been over twelve hours since
     Tristan had first sent that note. It wasn’t looking good.
    Feeling a sudden chill down her spine, she glanced about the coach office, but nobody
     seemed to be paying them much mind. She’d had the oddest sense thatsomeone was watching them, but it must have been