Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
This party was an important occasion, one where he could have brokered numerous deals. But even knowing that, Rathe did nothing, his thoughts completely consumed by an eighteen-year-old girl.
Was this how it started for his father? An attraction, turning into an obsession that couldn’t be so easily satiated?
When it was finally time to have dinner, Rathe was relieved to find his assigned seat next to a familiar face.
A tall, svelte brunette in her thirties, Camilla walked towards him with a smile. “Your Grace.” She curtsied beautifully, the deep neckline of her gown revealing a magnificent glimpse of her cleavage.
Rathe’s lips curved. “Hello, Camilla.” His lips brushed against her perfumed cheek in a friendly greeting. He pulled out a seat for his childhood friend before claiming the one next to her.
“It’s good that you’re here. If it had been one of those vapid chits, they’d have driven me crazy in minutes.”
As the first course was served, Camilla asked sotto voce, “Where is Mary?”
He shrugged.
Camilla raised a brow. “Did you have a tiff or something?”
Rathe shook his head, saying finally, “She chose not to come.”
“Ah.” Camilla clucked her tongue. “I can’t say I blame the poor gal. She is eighteen, you know. And this party?” She waved a hand, gesturing at their surroundings. “What do you see around you, Your Grace? Is this the kind of party someone her age would likely enjoy?”
Slowly, his gaze roamed his surroundings. A ballroom, rather than a night club. Crystal chandeliers rather than neon LED lighting. And guests in suits and gowns rather than cool-looking blazers and mini skirts.
“It’s your fault, Your Grace,” Camilla chided softly. “You’re being quite the selfish jerk, wanting her to come here so she’d be put on a spot and forced to act older—-”
Rathe’s curt nod, a command in itself, had Camilla immediately quieting.
“I understand already.” The words were spoken in such an icy tone it almost made Camilla shiver. It also tempted her to smile, but she knew that was the one thing she shouldn’t ever do.
For the rest of the evening, Camilla was content to speak of business matters, making no mention at all of Mary. She didn’t have to since she had already achieved her objective.
When Rathe walked her to the chauffeured limo waiting for her by the curb, Camilla kissed him goodbye, making sure to have her lips linger a second longer than usual.
Inside her limousine, she quickly took out her phone and sent a message to the Wellesley family’s solicitor Wilson Daughtry.
Camilla: FYI, everything going as planned.
Wilson: You are Daddy’s girl indeed. And great job on the kiss as well. The photographers got really good shots.
Camilla: I look forward to seeing it in tomorrow’s tabloids.
Wilson: Just be sure to play it subtly with the two.
Camilla: You’ve got nothing to worry about. You know how these “honorable” people are.
Wilson: I wouldn’t know since I’m not one.
Camilla: And I am so bloooooody thankful for that. Rest assured, my dear father, I’m still going to be the Duchess, and you will still have a duke for a son-in-law.
Chapter Six
“G-good morning.”
Rathe froze, the sound coming from behind him taking him by surprise. It was five o’clock in the morning, wasn’t it? She wasn’t supposed to be awake.
He spun around, wanting to see if he had just imagined hearing Mary’s voice.
He hadn’t.
She stood by the kitchen entrance, a tiny dark-haired temptress in a silk nightgown that barely covered anything, enticing him with the sight of her creamy breasts and shapely legs.
“Good morning.” Although his accent sounded more pronounced, Rathe managed to keep his voice even, nothing to betray the painful erection he was currently sporting.
How long had it been since they last made love? Too bloody long, Rathe thought, if the way his cock tried to force its way out of his trousers was any indication.
Mary swallowed back her disappointment at Rathe’s level response. Seduction attempt #5 was another fail. It had taken all her courage to come down wearing something so skimpy, knowing that any of the duke’s stay-in servants could also catch sight of her. But she might as well have come down in her pajamas, the way Rathe appeared so composed before her.
It made her own reaction to him laughably ironic. He, on the other hand, didn’t have to do anything to reduce her into a seduced mess. Today, Rathe had on a blue shirt under a red wool vest and a casual business jacket. He looked like the quintessential British man about town, and just the sight of him had her knees quaking.
Had it only been a few months since she had first learned the beauty of lovemaking? It was such a short time, really, and yet she missed Rathe’s touch like she had known its taste forever.
Gripping her tray tightly, she asked, “I thought w-we could s-share breakfast before you left?”