Read Online More Than a Duke (Heart of a Duke Book 2) by Christi Caldwell - Free Book Online
Authors: Christi Caldwell
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should be scandalized by his outrageous words and yet, she’d never thought of music as a tool of seduction. Through the years, music had been the small pleasure she’d allowed herself in life. Something she was tolerably good at in a world where people didn’t see her as very much good at anything. It seemed inherently wrong to use song to earn a gentleman’s affection.
The crowd erupted into applause as Lady Amelia Westmoreland’s piece abruptly ended. Anne clapped her hands until Lady Ava Westmoreland stood and approached the pianoforte. The plump, bespectacled young lady launched into song two.
She winced at the high-pitched squawk of the woman’s voice, and stole an upward glance at the chandelier, fearing for the well-being of the crystal. The young woman’s somewhat dismal performance, however, gave her something to focus on other than Harry’s clear attempt at shocking her.
Alas, Harry was relentless. “Will you regale the duke with a song this evening, Anne?”
She scowled. “Do hush.”
He leaned ever closer, so close the scandal sheets would have had quite a bit to print the following morning if Anne and Harry weren’t seated at the back of the hall with only the servants as their witnesses. “You’ll sing,” he commanded. “And you’ll remember my lesson. You’ll sing in a husky—”
“A lady cannot determine whether she is a contralto or soprano, my lord,” she interrupted. He might know all manner of things about seduction, but was remarkably ill-advised in matters of music.
“Sultry, contralto, Anne.”
“Humph.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared at the back of Lord Cumberland’s baldpate, determined to ignore the rogue at her side.
~*~
The young lady thought to ignore him. Unfortunate for Lady Anne Adamson, she’d yet to learn it was nigh impossible if Harry wanted a lady’s attention.
Not that he wanted her attention, per se.
He stole a sideways glance at the proper English miss beside him with golden ringlets and… that single curl wound with a ribbon, nestled between her plump breasts. He swallowed hard. When he’d agreed to school the termagant Lady Anne Adamson on the art of seduction, he’d never for a moment considered that he himself would be tempted by the young lady who’d been quite rude to him since their first meeting. Even with her curved-in-all-the-right-places figure, Anne would never be the manner of miss to tempt him. Her tongue was too tart. Her frown of disapproval too deep. There were enough sweet-lipped, sultry-eyed beauties that Harry wouldn’t bother with the Lady Anne’s of the world.
Yet, something about her intrigued him. Perhaps she represented a diversion from the ennui that had plagued him for these months since Katherine had left London and returned with her husband. Mayhap it was the thrill of teaching a young lady the art of seduction. Whatever it was, she’d drawn him into her siren’s net and he was loath to shake free of her hold.
The crowd broke into a smattering of applause as Lady Ava concluded her piece that might have been one of Shield’s works, but Harry certainly would never make any significant wagers on the actual composer of the song. He hooked his ankle across his knee and continued to eye Anne. She pursed her lips and stole a quick glance up at him and then promptly returned her attention to the front of the hall. His lips twitched. Yes, the lady might attempt to ignore him, but she was little match for his charm.
“Don’t you know it’s impolite to stare?” she whispered from the corner of her mouth.
“Yes,” he said on a grin.
Anne pointed her gaze skyward and returned her attention to Lady Caro Westmoreland, the next Westmoreland girl to take the floor. The young lady could have sprouted wings and joined the heavenly choir of angels amidst Lady Westmoreland’s recital hall and Harry would still be unable to look away
The crowd erupted into applause as Lady Amelia Westmoreland’s piece abruptly ended. Anne clapped her hands until Lady Ava Westmoreland stood and approached the pianoforte. The plump, bespectacled young lady launched into song two.
She winced at the high-pitched squawk of the woman’s voice, and stole an upward glance at the chandelier, fearing for the well-being of the crystal. The young woman’s somewhat dismal performance, however, gave her something to focus on other than Harry’s clear attempt at shocking her.
Alas, Harry was relentless. “Will you regale the duke with a song this evening, Anne?”
She scowled. “Do hush.”
He leaned ever closer, so close the scandal sheets would have had quite a bit to print the following morning if Anne and Harry weren’t seated at the back of the hall with only the servants as their witnesses. “You’ll sing,” he commanded. “And you’ll remember my lesson. You’ll sing in a husky—”
“A lady cannot determine whether she is a contralto or soprano, my lord,” she interrupted. He might know all manner of things about seduction, but was remarkably ill-advised in matters of music.
“Sultry, contralto, Anne.”
“Humph.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared at the back of Lord Cumberland’s baldpate, determined to ignore the rogue at her side.
~*~
The young lady thought to ignore him. Unfortunate for Lady Anne Adamson, she’d yet to learn it was nigh impossible if Harry wanted a lady’s attention.
Not that he wanted her attention, per se.
He stole a sideways glance at the proper English miss beside him with golden ringlets and… that single curl wound with a ribbon, nestled between her plump breasts. He swallowed hard. When he’d agreed to school the termagant Lady Anne Adamson on the art of seduction, he’d never for a moment considered that he himself would be tempted by the young lady who’d been quite rude to him since their first meeting. Even with her curved-in-all-the-right-places figure, Anne would never be the manner of miss to tempt him. Her tongue was too tart. Her frown of disapproval too deep. There were enough sweet-lipped, sultry-eyed beauties that Harry wouldn’t bother with the Lady Anne’s of the world.
Yet, something about her intrigued him. Perhaps she represented a diversion from the ennui that had plagued him for these months since Katherine had left London and returned with her husband. Mayhap it was the thrill of teaching a young lady the art of seduction. Whatever it was, she’d drawn him into her siren’s net and he was loath to shake free of her hold.
The crowd broke into a smattering of applause as Lady Ava concluded her piece that might have been one of Shield’s works, but Harry certainly would never make any significant wagers on the actual composer of the song. He hooked his ankle across his knee and continued to eye Anne. She pursed her lips and stole a quick glance up at him and then promptly returned her attention to the front of the hall. His lips twitched. Yes, the lady might attempt to ignore him, but she was little match for his charm.
“Don’t you know it’s impolite to stare?” she whispered from the corner of her mouth.
“Yes,” he said on a grin.
Anne pointed her gaze skyward and returned her attention to Lady Caro Westmoreland, the next Westmoreland girl to take the floor. The young lady could have sprouted wings and joined the heavenly choir of angels amidst Lady Westmoreland’s recital hall and Harry would still be unable to look away
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