Dukes By the Dozen полностью

She shouldn’t have been surprised. It was inevitable, wasn’t it? Eventually, they would have to share their identities and perhaps meet. But she simply hadn’t expected it so soon, and just when she’d come to count on those letters to distract her from the problems with the mill and caring for her ailing father.

The animosity between her and Monmouth had only grown during the past few weeks. The Little London lock was now the only obstacle in preventing the completion of the canal, and her father’s mill was the only obstacle preventing the construction of the lock. The entire canal project had come to a halt at the foundations of the mill. While the canal was stalled, however, the arguments she fought with Monmouth had only increased. Or, they would have increased, had she gone back to Bishopswood, had they come across each other in the village, had she not taken Samuel Newhouse’s advice and left the fight to be settled in Parliament. That option gave her little hope, except that she knew how slowly Parliament acted these days, slowly enough that perhaps the entire canal project would be forgotten by the time they moved to tear down the mill. Or perhaps her father would have passed away by then, rendering the fight meaningless.

Still, she’d given her word to Mr. Newhouse and to Papa that she would avoid any direct confrontations with His Grace. Which was why she was standing in the middle of the lane as the sun was setting, coming here only when she knew she wouldn’t accidentally meet the duke.

But she hadn’t expected to find this note.

She wasn’t certain there would be another, since she hadn’t answered the last one from two days ago, the only one she hadn’t answered since the letters started coming.

Yet there it was. Not an ordinary note pinned to the tree, either. Composed of thick cardstock, it dangled from the lowest bough by a ribbon, folded carefully, and sealed with wax. As if he were worried that she might never answer unless he made a formal overture.

Fearing he wrote something inside that would reveal his identity before she was ready, she couldn’t stop her hand from shaking as she untied the ribbon, broke the seal, and opened the note. A second card lay nestled inside. Then all of her shook as she scanned over it.

An invitation to the Monmouth masquerade.

She choked back a startled laugh. No, not an invitation to a ball—an unwitting request to infiltrate enemy territory.

Perhaps I surprised you when I suggested that we meet.

Not surprised. Downright stunned!

I simply wanted to meet in person the charming creature who’s been leaving me these notes, to have the chance to speak of all that we’ve shared. I’d hoped you’d wanted that, as well.

She did want that…just not so quickly. If they met in person and it went wrong, there could be no going back to their exchange of letters and the intimacy they’d created with them.

I have an idea, one that protects our secrets. We’ll meet at the masquerade, where we’ll be hidden behind the safety of masks and fancy dress.

Yes, they would have to be. Because she’d be tossed out as soon as she revealed her face.

Please accept this invitation and meet me there. I’ll be at the ball, dressed as a black panther. Should you decide to attend, do not tell me your costume. You will be able to find me and then decide whether you want to approach or leave, keeping your secrets in place…although I’ll be very disappointed if you leave.

A faint smile tugged uncertainly at her lips. She was tempted to meet him. And what a brilliant idea, too. She would be given the opportunity to see him first, then decide if she wanted to press on and speak with him or leave, with him never knowing which lady she was or if she’d even arrived.

So very tempted! Who was this man? Did they know each other beyond the letters? Would they like each other once they came face-to-face and had no more letters to hide behind?

Oh, how could they not?

With a soft laugh, she clutched the invitation to her bosom, then hurried away. After all, the ball was in less than a week, and she had the perfect costume to make.

CHAPTER 3

One Week Later

The Monmouth Masquerade