Page 15 of A Duke But No Gentleman
“The Duke of Trevett’s elder daughter.”
“Her father is well liked by the King,” Tristan murmured, astounded that the Duchess of Trevett had not demanded his head on a platter when she had caught them, limbs entangled, on the sofa.If they had lingered undisturbed a few minutes longer, he would have kissed her.
Lady Imogene is the beloved daughter of a duke who has the King’s ear.
He cursed under his breath.Unless he desired to be leg-shackled, the lady was most definitely off-limits.
“Shouldn’t she be in a nursery or a nunnery?”Tristan muttered, his mood darkening at his friend’s latest revelation.
Norgrave stared at the lady in question.He did not bother concealing his admiration.“She is old enough to marry.According to the gossips, her father had high hopes to match his little purebred mare with a princely stallion.His ambitions almost came to fruition, but I do not know which party cried off.”
Although she had the bearing of a princess, Tristan could not imagine Imogene being happy to be presented as a brood mare for an ugly foreign prince or an infirm, elderly king just to gain a title.The very notion seemed a defilement of her beauty.
“Her father and mother indulge her,” Tristan said, recalling how swiftly she was forgiven by the duchess.
“I plan on spoiling her as well.”
His gaze abruptly shifted to Norgrave who appeared to be quite earnest.“I think the word you are seeking isdespoiling,you heartless reprobate.The Duke of Trevett will geld you slowly if you so much as speak to the lady.”
If the duke were to learn that he had already touched Imogene, the man would probably slice off Tristan’s cock, too.
Norgrave dismissed his friend’s concerns with a wave of his hand.“I’ll admit that Lady Imogene presents some intriguing obstacles.I have every confidence that both of us could navigate them when the reward is worthwhile.”
Tristan froze.He immediately understood the direction of his friend’s thoughts.“No.”
“Oh, why the devil not?”Norgrave said peevishly.“It has been ages since we’ve been provided with a worthy prize for one of our special wagers.”
He and Norgrave had been born with competitive natures.Even when they were boys they had always sought to best one another, whether it was a footrace or who could swim across the pond first.They had taken turns as victors, but as they grew older, their wagers became more sophisticated and Norgrave’s thirst for victory often took both of them down dark, ruthless paths.By the time they had reached Imogene’s age, women they both had coveted had become fair game.For years, they had charmed, courted, and bedded countless females for the sake of victory.
“Why bother?”Tristan said, though the thought of seducing Lady Imogene was a temptation he was reluctant to dismiss lightly.“The game has grown stale, Norgrave.Not to mention quite boring since I tend to win these wagers.”
“You donot!”
“It is hardly my fault that women prefer my handsome face over yours,” he teased, deliberately baiting his companion.
Norgrave was not amused.“Those silly females may have swooned over the dimples in your cheeks and your soulful glances as you spun flattering lies, but when I have them under me, it is my cock that has them sighing and begging for more.”
The thought of Imogene lying underneath the marquess chilled Tristan’s blood.His friend had a reputation for not being a tender lover.It was the reason why his friend preferred to bed courtesans who understood the rules and were generously rewarded for their services.No, Imogene was too innocent, and bruises on her pale skin would be an abomination.If she was to take a lover, by God, it would be him.
“What are you proposing?”
Norgrave was one inch taller than Tristan, and he took advantage of it as he took a menacing step closer.“A wager.”
Tristan longed to decline the outrageous proposition.He had outgrown such wagers, but he was willing to indulge his friend if the distraction would keep the marquess away from Lady Imogene.“Are we playing by our old rules or are you making up some new ones?”
Confident that he would get his way, Norgrave said, “Let’s keep matters simple and limit our restrictions.This way you won’t be able to claim our game has gone stale.”
“Come now, there must be a few rules,” Tristan protested.“Otherwise, I’ll just bed the closest lady and declare myself the winner.”
“Fine.If you insist.”The marquess paused as he considered a few rules that might satisfy his friend.“Once the game commences, we grant each other equal time with the lady in question.”
“What if the lady finds you repulsive?”
Norgrave grinned, displaying his perfectly aligned teeth.“They never do.However, I insist that we play fair with each other.For example, telling our quarry that I have the misfortune of suffering from the French pox will be viewed as unsporting and a violation of our limited rules.”
It wasn’t something he was proud of, but the tactic had proven highly effective.“To be honest, I only told one lady that you had the pox.Then there was that pretty brunette with the crooked teeth.I recall telling her that you accidentally shot your cock off while cleaning your dueling pistol.”
His friend glanced at his shoes as if he was fighting to control his anger or laughter.When he met Tristan’s eyes, his light blue eyes were clear and direct.“I have always wondered what you had told her.To this day, I sometimes catch that stupid wench staring at the front of my breeches with a puzzled expression.”He shook his head in amazement at Tristan’s audacity.“Your cleverness will not help you win this wager.If you tell our lady lies to discourage her from seeking out my company, the competition ends and I will be declared the winner.”
