Free The Reluctant Duke (A Seabrook Family Saga) by Christine Donovan Page A

Sebastian.”
    She tugged her
hand from his heated grasp. “Sebastian. If we are going to be informal, you may
call me Emma.”
    Once more the
brothers locked eyes. The duke’s look was positively murderous. Emma’s body
trembled. Had she done something to cause such a look? She had studied
everything she could about London Society and propriety over the past year, and
she did not believe she had made a faux pas .
    Sebastian’s
eyes returned to her. “It would be my pleasure to call you Emma.”
    Their mother
nudged Sebastian aside and eyed both her sons as only a mother can. “Please
meet my daughters, Lady Isabella and Lady Amelia.”
    The sisters and
Emma curtsied––all three at the same time. Then Emma found each of her arms
linked to a sister, and she was led toward the grand staircase. “Call me Bella
as we will be sisters now,” said the older of the two, “and call my sister
Amelia. Come along with us. Let’s get you settled in your room. I, for one,
want to hear everything about Yankee men and the Native Americans.”
    The room they
ushered her into made her smile. It was not quite as large as her bedroom at
home in New Bedford. The furnishings were small, feminine, and exactly to her
taste, perfectly decorated for her. And it was not pink––that was
refreshing. The walls were covered in a light blue and cream striped silk. A
thick cream rug hugged the wood floors. A blue brocade chair sat in front of
the fireplace. There was a mahogany wardrobe against one wall near a small
writing desk that could double as a dressing table.
    The four-poster
bed was draped with beautiful blue silk coverings and numerous pillows. Hanging
above the bed was a portrait of her parents. “Oh, my.” Her hand covered her
pounding heart and tears stung her eyes at the duke’s thoughtfulness. She was convinced
it was his doing. Who else could have brought it here from where it had hung in
her papa’s bedchamber? Emma would have to remember to have a private word with
him that evening to thank him.
    Emma glanced at
the bed again and suddenly realized how weary she was. And the thought of
sleeping in a real bed, in a home, instead of a rocking ship, had her sighing
with longing. Even though she had been on land for several hours, she still
experienced the rocking of the ship. But she could not be rude to her new
sisters who were making themselves comfortable on her bed, their eyes wide and
waiting.
    Bella and Amelia
were the exact opposites. Amelia had deep brown hair and dark, exotic eyes.
With her creamy pale skin, Emma could picture men dropping to their knees
begging for her favors.
    Bella had
beautiful silky blond hair and blue eyes. When she looked at Bella’s eyes it
was unsettling as they mirrored those of Bella’s brothers. It was the duke she
pictured and thought about most as she compared the family.
    “What would you
like to know?” Emma asked as she sat down at the foot of the bed. She prayed
her racing heart would settle down soon.
    Just as Bella
was about to speak, their mother swept into the room, with two muscular
servants managing Emma’s trunk. A lady’s maid followed on their heels. The
dowager duchess clapped her hands to get their attention. “Girls, Emma needs
her privacy. She must be positively exhausted from her travels. She needs rest.
You can spend time with her later this evening. Now, go.”
    They said their
good-byes and promised to come back later that night for ‘girl talk.’
    “Emma, this is
your lady’s maid, Rosie. She is competent and has been in our employ for…” The
dowager threw up her hands. “Well, forever. Her mother is my maid, and I assure
you, she has had the best training. She will take good care of you. Now, I will
leave you to rest before the evening meal.”
    The dowager
duchess paused at the door and glanced over her shoulder. “If you need
anything, Rosie will help you.”
    Emma did
nothing but yawn as Rosie helped undress her down to her chemise and tucked