Page 5 of As the Earl Likes
“Nonsense, you’re heir to a dukedom.” She blinked at him. “Do you even know how to wash a floor?”
“Yes, actually. This is not my father’s first disaster with drink,” he said wryly.
One of her brows gently arched. “I’ll be back shortly.”
Sheff heard her leave and close the door. He crouched down and poked at the duke, whose only reaction was to snore more loudly.
Over the next several minutes, Sheff managed to bring the duke’s breeches into the appropriate position and button the fall. He’d had to roll his father over, and now Sheff worked to haul him up to sit against a dresser.
Jo returned with a bucket, mop, and some toweling. She took care of the floor while Sheff wiped up the duke’s face and shirtfront. When he was finished, Jo took the soiled cloth from him. Their fingers touched, and Sheff felt a shocking arc of desire, which he’d been well on his way to earlier when she’d grabbed his hand. What a bloody inappropriate time to experience that.
And why now? He’d known Jo for a while. He found her attractive and fun and enjoyed flirting with her. But he’d never considered her for bed sport. He wasn’t quite as bad as his father—he only dallied with widows and courtesans. And it had been a long while since he’d spent time with a widow.
“Shall we get him downstairs?” Jo asked. “We can go all the way to the basement and take him through the scullery up into the alley. No one will see you leave. But first, he needs coffee. I asked Becky to have some sent up and left outside the door.”
“Excellent.” He met her gaze with appreciation. “Thank you. For everything.”
With a nod, she turned and went to the corridor, returning with a small tray bearing a pot and a cup. She poured the coffee and picked up the cup. “Are we tipping this down his gullet?”
“Eventually.” Sheff took the cup from her, and again their hands grazed one another. He looked at her, but her gaze was directed elsewhere.
Hell, this was no time for him to be distracted even if he hated these situations the duke created. Sheff put the cup beneath his father’s nose. “Wake up!”
The duke snuffled and jerked. His nose twitched. He mumbled something.
“That’s it,” Sheff said cajolingly. “Wake up now. Time to go. You’ve had your fun.” Though it pained him to speak pleasantly, he’d learned through experience that this was the best way to achieve the desired result—the duke’s cooperation.
Thankfully, he didn’t resist tonight, which wasn’t always the case. The duke sipped the coffee. then blinked his eyes open. “Give me some love now, my gel.” His lips curved into a smile, and Sheff had to stop himself from spilling coffee on the man to jolt him fully awake.
“There’s no woman, Father,” Sheff said flatly. “Just you unconscious after being ill. You need to get yourself up and out of this chamber.”
Nodding, the duke took another drink of coffee, then allowed Sheff to get him dressed, though they didn’t bother with the cravat, and his coat wasn’t buttoned.
“Where’s my hat?” the duke slurred.
“Here.” Jo handed it to Sheff, who jammed it, none too gently, onto his father’s head.
“Ow!” The duke glared at him.
Sheff pulled the duke to his feet, holding him by the arm as he swayed.
The duke’s gaze locked on Jo. “She’s not the same gel, but she’ll do.” He smiled at her, his lips parted.
Sheff jerked his father toward the door. “She is not available. Perhaps you aren’t aware that you are at the Siren’s Call, where you are not permitted. We need to leave. Now.”
“She can come with us.” The duke tossed her a suggestive grin, then tripped over the threshold as Sheff tried to pull him out to the corridor.
Jo darted to help keep the duke on his feet.
“That’s more like it,” the duke said, hunched over, reaching for Jo. His hand grazed her breast, and Jo twisted. She bent her knees and jammed her elbow into the duke’s loins.
Sheff watched as his father doubled over and crumpled to the floor. Instead of helping the man who’d deserved what he’d just received, Sheff looked at Jo with sheer admiration. “Bloody brilliant.”
“I know how to protect myself from revolting men. Come, let’s get him downstairs.”
“You don’t have to help, not after that.” He could hardly believe she was offering. Jo was a remarkable woman.
She was also not on the Marriage Mart. And she was precisely the type of woman who would shock his parents. Additionally, she was quite capable of handling herself with them and in Society, as far as Sheff could tell.
