Page 5 of The Duke Who Dared Me
“He smells, don’t you think?”
“Colin?No, I don’t?—”
“Alistair, Brother.You wish to speak with him when you know full well he’s been out…” She brushed his fingers with the palm of her hands as she plucked the baby out of his grip.“Afraid of a baby,” she mumbled.
“I don’t smell,” he called out after her.
Percy snickered as his sister swept out of the room.“You didn’t need to come over immediately.Doesn’t appear you’ve been to bed since I saw you last night.”
“You’re going to judge me?”He collapsed back into the chair and tossed back his head.If the room could stop spinning, or if he could only rid himself of that sour taste in his mouth, he might be a functioning human today.“What do you need, Percy?”
“Ah.”Percy strode around to the windows and clasped his hands behind his back.“It’s no small matter, and it is important.You know I wouldn’t ask, but a favor…”
Yes, a favor owed.
“You know you can count on me.I’m fortunate that I had your help when I did.”
“Right, well, I’ve a favor to ask then.”Percy paused, scratching the back of his neck to avoid looking at Alistair before he blew out a giant breath.“I need you to find Verity a husband by the end of this Season.”
The words dropped between them like a stone, casting ripples outward in the small morning room.Alistair blinked once.Verity Baxter led to matrimony?She’d toss the bit and trample the groom for good measure.
“I don’t think I heard you correctly.”
“Oh, you did.”Percy laughed, shaking his head.“Verity must be married by the end of this Season.She deserves a household of her own.Not to waste away helping manage mine while Marina and I…” He exhaled.“There’s just not room for all of us anymore, not really.”
“You’ve been exceedingly patient with her these past few Seasons, I grant you.But is there no other solution?”
“What else is there?She’s a well-bred woman, intelligent and beautiful.”Percy raked a hand through his hair, glancing out toward the hall once more.“It’s no matter.I’ve placed a bet on her finding a husband at White’s.”
“On your own sister?”
Bile rose in Alistair’s throat.He bent forward, swallowing it back and wincing.What an idiot he had been last night.He wasn’t in the habit of drinking to excess, but his days lately were so boring.
“You look a shade green.Rough night?”
Alistair groaned and waved off his friend.Back to the matter at hand, then he would retreat home to his bed and hide under the covers.
“All of London believes Verity to be…” He had to select his next words carefully so as not to offend.“She’s clever, Percy.Too clever.Too bold.Half of the men in London admire her until she opens her mouth, and then they run.”
* * *
A wager was far morecivilized than murder.
And considerably less messy.
Considering Verity Baxter was not willing to reside in Newgate for any length of time, especially over something as trivial as a man, it was a compromise she was willing to make.
She glared over her teacup at Alistair Rutley, the insufferable Duke of Tunstall, who had claimed her brother’s morning room settee like some sort of conquering hero.The arrogant man rolled his ice-blue eyes at her pointed stare and draped his arm over the back of the furniture with all the lazy grace of a bored cat.Even disheveled, and he was disheveled, though he’d clearly made an attempt to disguise it, he cut an imposing figure.His dark hair was perfectly combed, even as those stubborn waves fought against his pomade.Those Hessians of his gleamed with their usual sinful polish.
But there was something off about his usual unflappable composure.A tightness around his eyes, perhaps, or the way he held himself just a touch too carefully, as though sudden movement might prove his undoing.When his gaze met hers, she caught a flicker of something.Irritation, maybe.Then, his expression smoothed into that familiar mask of ducal indifference.
She only smiled wider.“Did I hear correctly just now?You told my brother you would help him find me a husband this Season?”
“I did.”
She set the teacup down, not trusting herself to keep it from accidentally flinging across the room at his stupid, handsome face.
“Why?”
