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reasons for instructing her son so,” Sophia said brightly.
“And has the Duchess of Hyde instructed her sons in like man
ner?” she asked Cranleigh and Iveston.
Penelope, as was perfectly logical, expected Cranleigh to an
swer. They had the same mother, and Iveston was the elder and
the heir apparent, but Cranleigh was the bolder of the two. Quite
obviously. She wasn’t supposed to know about such things, but it
was nearly common knowledge that Cranleigh had breached de
corum, and by that she meant Amelia, in the mews behind
Aldreth House. They had been married the next day, but that
didn’t take the taint off, did it?
To lose one’s virtue in a horse stall . . . that took the shine off
what everyone was whispering was a love match.
Penelope indulged in some minor head shaking. This is what
happened to girls who lost their heads, something she was en
tirely certain she was incapable of doing. It was why she was
going to be a duchess. She was simply too clear about her goals
and too logical to be sidestepped.
A horse stall, indeed. The smell alone would have stopped her
from making such a foolish decision within the fi rst minute.
“The duchess,” Iveston said fi rmly , which was shock enough,
“has instructed her sons that it is a woman’s duty to oblige a
man upon the hour, if he so desires it, and so she instructs the
duke upon the half hour where and when his desire is to be fi xed.
The duke, obliging her in increments, which she may well en
dure, fi nds no fault with the arrangement.”
Well. How perfectly odious. The man gave every appearance
of being barely able to speak and then when he let loose with a
proper bit of conversation it proved to be highly improper.
She glanced in disapproval in his direction.
He glanced back in bald-faced delight.
She scowled.
He smirked.
52 CLAUDIA DAIN
Sighing, she turned her gaze to Sophia, who was smiling
somewhat deviously at her. It did nothing to appease her, which
of course it wasn’t meant to.
“But naturally,” Sophia said. “Who would? Now what of your
father, Mr. Prestwick? Any pearls of wisdom dropped into
your willing ear regarding the management of a woman? Should
she be obliged? Or should she be boldly managed?”
“Lady Dalby, does any man possess a willing ear when
listening to his father?” George said, which was rather clever of
him. Penelope cast a casual glance to Edenham to see if he were
offended. He didn’t look to be.
“Now Mr. Prestwick,” Sophia said, leaning forward and prop
ping her chin up with her hand, “don’t try and tell me that when
a man speaks of women, another man is not instantly intrigued,
even if that man be his father. Certainly he must have told you
something .”
“He did, Lady Dalby,” George said, smiling, his dark eyes
shining in mirth. George was often mirthful. It was usually quite
nice, but sometimes could be a bit tedious. Penelope was dread
fully afraid that now was going to be one of the tedious times.
“Just before I left for school, he called me into his study and told
me that, no matter what occurred, no matter the inconvenience
to me or the relative amiability of the party or even the inevitable
costs, I must be an obliging fellow. And so I was then. And so I
am to this day. As I trust is plainly evident.”
“But, Mr. Prestwick,” Sophia said, very nearly laughing out
loud, which only encouraged George, and he really should not be
encouraged in such things, “you mention nothing of women.”
“And neither, Lady Dalby,” George replied with great
cheek, “did my father. It was a full year before I realized that, but
once I did, being a student of great diligence, I endeavored to
make my own study of the matter. Being amiable, I am not in the
How to Daz zle a Duke
53
habit of boasting; however, I am nearly forced to confess that my
knowledge of women is as dismally inadequate now as it was then.
I fear I am in want of tutoring. Are
“And has the Duchess of Hyde instructed her sons in like man
ner?” she asked Cranleigh and Iveston.
Penelope, as was perfectly logical, expected Cranleigh to an
swer. They had the same mother, and Iveston was the elder and
the heir apparent, but Cranleigh was the bolder of the two. Quite
obviously. She wasn’t supposed to know about such things, but it
was nearly common knowledge that Cranleigh had breached de
corum, and by that she meant Amelia, in the mews behind
Aldreth House. They had been married the next day, but that
didn’t take the taint off, did it?
To lose one’s virtue in a horse stall . . . that took the shine off
what everyone was whispering was a love match.
Penelope indulged in some minor head shaking. This is what
happened to girls who lost their heads, something she was en
tirely certain she was incapable of doing. It was why she was
going to be a duchess. She was simply too clear about her goals
and too logical to be sidestepped.
A horse stall, indeed. The smell alone would have stopped her
from making such a foolish decision within the fi rst minute.
“The duchess,” Iveston said fi rmly , which was shock enough,
“has instructed her sons that it is a woman’s duty to oblige a
man upon the hour, if he so desires it, and so she instructs the
duke upon the half hour where and when his desire is to be fi xed.
The duke, obliging her in increments, which she may well en
dure, fi nds no fault with the arrangement.”
Well. How perfectly odious. The man gave every appearance
of being barely able to speak and then when he let loose with a
proper bit of conversation it proved to be highly improper.
She glanced in disapproval in his direction.
He glanced back in bald-faced delight.
She scowled.
He smirked.
52 CLAUDIA DAIN
Sighing, she turned her gaze to Sophia, who was smiling
somewhat deviously at her. It did nothing to appease her, which
of course it wasn’t meant to.
“But naturally,” Sophia said. “Who would? Now what of your
father, Mr. Prestwick? Any pearls of wisdom dropped into
your willing ear regarding the management of a woman? Should
she be obliged? Or should she be boldly managed?”
“Lady Dalby, does any man possess a willing ear when
listening to his father?” George said, which was rather clever of
him. Penelope cast a casual glance to Edenham to see if he were
offended. He didn’t look to be.
“Now Mr. Prestwick,” Sophia said, leaning forward and prop
ping her chin up with her hand, “don’t try and tell me that when
a man speaks of women, another man is not instantly intrigued,
even if that man be his father. Certainly he must have told you
something .”
“He did, Lady Dalby,” George said, smiling, his dark eyes
shining in mirth. George was often mirthful. It was usually quite
nice, but sometimes could be a bit tedious. Penelope was dread
fully afraid that now was going to be one of the tedious times.
“Just before I left for school, he called me into his study and told
me that, no matter what occurred, no matter the inconvenience
to me or the relative amiability of the party or even the inevitable
costs, I must be an obliging fellow. And so I was then. And so I
am to this day. As I trust is plainly evident.”
“But, Mr. Prestwick,” Sophia said, very nearly laughing out
loud, which only encouraged George, and he really should not be
encouraged in such things, “you mention nothing of women.”
“And neither, Lady Dalby,” George replied with great
cheek, “did my father. It was a full year before I realized that, but
once I did, being a student of great diligence, I endeavored to
make my own study of the matter. Being amiable, I am not in the
How to Daz zle a Duke
53
habit of boasting; however, I am nearly forced to confess that my
knowledge of women is as dismally inadequate now as it was then.
I fear I am in want of tutoring. Are
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