Read Online An Apple Pie for a Duke by Ruby Royce - Free Book Online

depend on it. You'd better inform him
of the imminent danger to his person.”
    He
clicked his tongue and the magnificent stallion sped away.
     
    Eugenia
breathed out with a loud “pah” and remained in just that
position, her mouth hanging open.
    “ What
was all that about?” Flora asked.
    Eugenia
stared at her seemingly unable to operate her jaws.
    Lady
Cartwright leaned back and closed her eyes. “Smelling salts,” she
pleaded.
    Flora's
mother immediately obliged. “There, there, dearest Mary. I
understand you must be disturbed by the news. And your little girl so
confused, too. There you thought it was only a digestive problem and
here comes the duke with some unhinged story about a talking horse
and all of a sudden he tells you your beloved Mr. Wimple may be
terminally ill! But even if his demise should be at hand, my dear,
you must always remember he's had a long and happy life. I only saw
him once but I found him an exceptionally charming dog.”

    13.
     
     
     
    Halfmoon
Street, one hour later
     
    “ I
believe you're safely in the nursery! Instead you're reading
hair-raising adventure novels with Lizzy. In the stable! How did you
get hold of that shameful scribbling anyway?”
    He
wants to marry me. But he doesn't want to get married. He said so, I
heard it myself!
    “ I
suppose you found it somewhere in the house. I guess it was a gift by
some old hag from the village. --- My, my. I thought I'd arranged it
all myself, shoving you into his carriage. I thought I'd reeled in
the greatest catch of the century. No! Far from it! My sheltered
daughter did it all by herself masquerading and behaving like a
slattern! I still can't believe it. We're very lucky the duke is a
man of peculiar tastes, my dear. I don't think anybody else would
have married you.”
    He
wants to marry me? But he doesn't want to get married!
    “ What
happened in that carriage?”
    He
said: “I don't have the slightest intention of getting married.”
    “ Never
mind. I'd hoped to comprise him into marrying you anyway. He's the
most handsome man in England, vastly rich and cultivated. He owns a
beautiful castle in Italy where I plan to move once you father is no
more.”
    Maybe
he's playing a trick on me to punish me for my terrible behaviour in
the carriage.
    “ When
he stormed into the bookshop that day I thought it was a gift from
heaven! I couldn't have known you'd already volunteered to be his
slave and he only came in to claim you...”
    “ Mother,”
Gigi cried for the umpteenth time. “I didn't know he was there!”
    “ One
must always expect the unexpected, child, always! --- To swear on Mr.
Wimple's life. Shame on you! The poor beast. As if he weren't
afflicted enough by his digestion! --- It doesn’t matter. His Grace
hasn't proposed yet. He might be heading for a ship to cross the
channel this very instant. Why have you never told us you'd seen the
duke at Hayford? I would've arranged for you to meet him much
earlier. We've been wasting precious time!”
     
    The
door opened and Gigi's father entered the drawing room.
    Hard
on his heels came, as always, Mr. Wimple.
    The
enormous basset hound waddled over to Lady Cartwright. She hoisted
him onto the divan with some travail. “Nobody is going to murder
you, my love,” she purred. “If that duke-man isn't nice to you,
we'll murder him .”
    General
Cartwright kissed his wife on the cheek. “Good afternoon my flower.
What's with a duke? Have we captured some poor blighter already?”
    “ Yes,
indeed. The Duke of Surrey at that! But your daughter did it all by
herself. I can't claim any of the glory. Such a shame. I only have
one daughter! There won't be another chance! Well, perhaps I did
contribute a little.”
    “ Really?
Eugenia? A duke? How did the child accomplish such a masterpiece?”
    Maybe
he really does want to marry me.
    Lady
Cartwright sighed and gave a detailed report of the recent events.
    “ Assailed
her in a bookshop?” General Cartwright lightened his