Page 23 of Taken By the Beastly Duke

He drew her even closer to his body, urged her mouth open to allow his tongue in. At that point the kiss turned volatile, and she could feel herself drawing him even closer overwhelmed by the urge to be even closer to him.

A sound in the garden must have alerted him, because he raised his head to look around but the fever in her blood demanded that he continued kissing her so she turned his face back to her and continued the kiss.

In no time they were as list as before in each other, she could feel his hand fighting her bodice for access to the flesh underneath. Dimly she realized that they were very close to being found naked, as the footsteps she had heard sounded even closer but she could not summon the will to stop him, not when she was drowning in the pleasure he was eliciting from her body.

"Heavens what are they doing," a high screechy voice exclaimed, causing them to jerk apart. Anthony stepped forward using his considerable bulk to shield her while she tried to bring some other to her appearance.

"I should think that was quite obvious My dear Lady Pembroke, the Duke of Devlin was sampling the goods of the old Spinster, " The Viscount Mowbry replied darting a look at her, a sly smile appeared on his face.

"But I must say they are quite considerable charms. I would not mind sampling them myself," he said with a lascivious smile that cause her to shiver in revulsion.

"If you value the teeth in your mouth, my lord, I would advise you keep your eyes on me and desist from making disparaging remarks about my intended. All else I would be happy to retrieve your teeth with a well-placed blow. Trust me, you would not like it if I rearranged your pretty face," the Duke said with a chilling tone.

That had the intended effect of shutting the Viscount's mouth because unlike other dukes who might have made threats involving a duel at dawn, the Duke of Devlin was at heart a warrior and was definitely not afraid to settle scores using brute force no matter what civilized society thought. The dangerous scar that ran down one half of his face also helped in making people wary of him. But once in a while there was always one fool that decided to invade the proverbial lion's den.

Victoria was slowly getting lost in her admiration of the man, until she was reminded of their audience.

"Your intended? But I thought you made an offer for her younger sister," Lady Pembroke's whiny voice came again

"I do have a right to change my mind, don't you think," he replied.

"If you would excuse me, I will guide my fiancée back to the ball."

Turning to her with an impassive look he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her away from their spectators but instead of taking her back to the ballroom he guided her to the entrance, called up her carriage to carry her home, all with an impassive look on her face.

When she got into the carriage and looked up at his cold face, pleading with him with her eyes, her words of apology stuck in her throat, because try as she might, she felt no regret about her actions.

But the cold look on his face made her wonder whether she had just gotten her heart desire at a steep cost.

ChapterSeven

Victoria was feeling strangely calm sitting in her father's study waiting for him to calm down enough to get to the business of scolding her.

The man was bent over his table, pouring and downing shots of whiskey so fast she felt pity for the state of his insides. He was about to pour the fourth glass when she decided he had enough and made to stop him.

Probably deciding that he have had enough to take an edge of his anger, he turned abruptly to her causing her to retake her seat from her half crouched position

"Victoria Isabella Hobbs!" He thundered

Seems the alcohol had not touched his anger, if anything it seemed to have caused to burn hotter.

"I always thought you were demure with a good head on your shoulders. You have been running this home so smoothly that I scarcely have to attend to most of my duties myself."

"Yes, I agree. I took it for granted, unburdening most of my duties on you. I agree it was most irresponsible of me." he said his eyes turned introspective.

His spot of self-reflection ended very fast, because the next moment he was back to scolding her

"That, however, does not justify what you have done, dragging our entire family into a scandal. Do you understand the gravity of what you have done? You were found in flagrante delicto with your sister's intended."

"He cannot be her intended, if she never consented to the engagement," she found herself countering her father.

Her reply seemed to infuriate him because his color became ruddy with anger and a vein throbbed in his temple that she became concerned for his health.

"I am sorry, Father," she apologized grudgingly.

"I scarcely think this matter can be sorted out by a simple apology. You have brought shame to our family girl. How could you ruin your sisters chances of landing a good match with such behavior?” he said throwing up his hands in frustration. She watched as he downed another glass of whisky, wincing on his behalf.

Seeing how distraught her father was, she felt the stirrings of guilt in her chest. Now that she took a closer look at her father, she started noticing some changes she had not noticed previously.

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