Page 9 of The Duke's Ultimatum

Eleanor gazed out before her. “I’m offended. I thought I was the only one who was good enough for her boy.”

Sarah covered her laugh with her fan.

“She should set up several weddings for him. The law of averages states that if she sets up enough, one should pan out. Maybe that’s what she’s doing.”

Sarah and Eleanor looked over to Beatrice, who was idly picking at her gloves.

When she felt her sister’s eyes on her she looked up. “What?”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “You read too much.”

“No such thing,” Beatrice said and stuck her tongue out.

“Both of you stop it. This isn’t the nursery. We do not act like this in public,” Eleanor chastised.

Beatrice stood straighter. “Watch out, Eleanor. Here comes Mama, and she looks like she’s on a warpath,” Beatrice whispered.

“Eleanor? I thought you were talking with the Viscount.” Charlotte’s face was flushed.

She nodded. “I was. An acquaintance of his showed up, and he excused himself.” Eleanor had the presence of thought to be surprised how easily the lie rolled off her tongue, but after two seasons of dealing with forward men, she needed a break.

“Oh, well, that’s fine. You can help me.”

Eleanor couldn’t help but cringe. Doing her mother a favor during an event usually meant dancing with someone who stepped on her toes or speaking with someone who had a proficiency to spit while talking.

“I cannot find the Duke,” her mother whimpered. “We should introduce him soon; people are starting to think we made him up,” Charlotte whispered under her fan.

It was even worse than she thought.

“Mama. I don’t think that’s the issue.” Her eyes went to the back corner where she had seen him on the way over to the refreshments. The corner was now empty. “Where did you see him last?”

Charlotte rubbed her forehead. Eleanor knew this was one of her mother’s worst nightmares come true. Think of the gossip if she couldn’t produce the Duke. Eleanor bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing at her mother’s overreaction.

“That’s just it. I saw him walk in about an hour ago, but I haven’t seen him since.”

“We just saw him. He was talking to a bunch of people over there,” Beatrice nodded to the back corner by the door to the veranda.

Charlotte looked at her girls. “Ladies, we have found ourselves in a dire situation. Sarah and Beatrice come with me; we’ll check the parlor and dining room. Eleanor, please look around here and outside. Perhaps he went out to smoke.” With that Charlotte was off with Sarah and Beatrice following her like little ducklings.

Chewing her lip in concentration Eleanor made her way to the outer wall of the ballroom.

She remembered the smell of pipe smoke in the study when she spoke to him the other day. Perhaps her mother was right, maybe he went outside for a smoke?

She pushed through the doors, and the cool summer night air washed over her.Why don’t we keep these doors open during balls?

It felt refreshing after being in the stuffy ballroom for so long. She squinted as her eyes adjusted to the low light, but she did not see him anywhere.

She turned to go back through the doors when light coming from the library on the other side of the veranda caught her eye. The door must have been open if she could see the light spilling out from inside. Maybe he was in there?

Eleanor walked over the open library door and peeked in. Her heart stopped.

There, on the other side of the room, was the Duke with his back to the wall and the widow Devin pressed up against him. He was kissing her neck, causing soft moans to escape the widow’s lips. His one hand was entangled in her hair while the other disappeared within her skirts.

Eleanor brought her hand to her chest in shock. She knew she should turn and leave them, but the display in front of her was mesmerizing. The way the widow’s body was molded against his, her head tilted to the side, exposing her neck for the Duke to take advantage of, was something Eleanor had never seen before. For as scandalous as it was, she could not stop looking.

“Do you like this?” the Duke growled.

The Duke’s question startled her out of her daze, and she went to move. When she shifted her weight, her eyes drifted up and were captured by the dark blue ones that she felt on her before. He was looking right at her.

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