Read Online My American Duchess by Eloisa James - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eloisa James
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he felt. No wonder His Grace was so worried about Cedric’s drinking. The family had experienced a terrible tragedy, all of it springing from one evening of Bacchanalian excess.
But it wasn’t her place to offer the duke consolation. All she could do was try to mend the breach.
“You are mistaken about Cedric,” Merry said, gentling her voice. “I assure you that he will not cause an accident like your father’s, because he does not overindulge. He has been courting me for well over a month, and I’ve never seen a sign of dissipation.”
He had been looking at the floor, but now his eyes cut to her. “I must ask you to not drink even canary wine around my brother. Your future husband needs his wife to help curb his worst habits rather than join in them.”
Before she could respond, she heard Cedric’s welcome voice coming from behind her. Merry whirled in relief. Even though they were surrounded by people, somehow this conversation had become more improper, more intimate, than the one she and the duke had had on the balcony.
“Lord Cedric,” she said brightly, “your brother and I have been acquainting ourselves.”
“I’m sure that has been a charming experience,” he said.
“It has been most interesting,” His Grace said blandly. “You have made an excellent choice. The future Lady Cedric will make us all proud.”
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to have your approval,” Cedric replied.
“There was no question of my refusal,” the duke said. “I know you are eager to set up your own household.”
Merry felt as if small knives were flying around her head, slicing through the air so quickly that she couldn’t see them.
“Miss Pelford showed me her ring,” His Grace continued. “A diamond cluster for a diamond of the first water.”
Cedric’s lips widened. No one could call his expression a smile, though there was something satisfied about it. “I gather you applaud the wisdom of my decision?”
Merry frowned. Another, silent, exchange was taking place, which she couldn’t begin to interpret.
“As pertains the ring,” the duke said. “Certainly.” He shrugged.
“What on earth are the two of you talking about?” Merry asked.
“Your ring,” Cedric said. “You are wearing a ring that belonged to our mother, the late Duchess of Trent. But as the duke well knows, she would want my wife to have it, not his.”
Merry looked at the duke, whose face was utterly expressionless. “ What? ” she cried. She turned to Cedric. “But—but you said—”
“I said I chose it for you,” he said silkily, “and I did.”
“I assumed you bought it for me.” She caught herself. She didn’t want to sound like a disappointed child. With a swift tug, she removed the ring. “This ring is meant not for me, Your Grace, but for your bride. You must keep it for her.”
“My brother is rich enough to buy his wife any number of rings.”
Merry dimly registered that she did not like Cedric’s tone. He sounded vaguely spiteful, which she didn’t like in women, and even less in men.
That wasn’t important at the moment.
The duke had shifted position. He was leaning againstthe wall and staring down, as if there was something fascinating about the floorboards at his feet. “I believe my mother would be quite happy to see her ring on the hand of the future Lady Cedric,” he agreed.
Well, spit. There was something she didn’t understand here, something about the duke and his mother.
His Grace looked as calm as a fishpond, but she saw through him. There was a secret attached to the duchess’s ring.
“You two may dislike each other,” she said, giving first one, then the other, a pointed frown. “But I would be grateful if you could stop this childish game of insulting each other in my presence. I feel as if I’m breaking out in hives.”
“Hives?” Cedric repeated with palpable distaste.
“Hives, or boils?” the duke murmured, sounding amused.
Merry revised the
But it wasn’t her place to offer the duke consolation. All she could do was try to mend the breach.
“You are mistaken about Cedric,” Merry said, gentling her voice. “I assure you that he will not cause an accident like your father’s, because he does not overindulge. He has been courting me for well over a month, and I’ve never seen a sign of dissipation.”
He had been looking at the floor, but now his eyes cut to her. “I must ask you to not drink even canary wine around my brother. Your future husband needs his wife to help curb his worst habits rather than join in them.”
Before she could respond, she heard Cedric’s welcome voice coming from behind her. Merry whirled in relief. Even though they were surrounded by people, somehow this conversation had become more improper, more intimate, than the one she and the duke had had on the balcony.
“Lord Cedric,” she said brightly, “your brother and I have been acquainting ourselves.”
“I’m sure that has been a charming experience,” he said.
“It has been most interesting,” His Grace said blandly. “You have made an excellent choice. The future Lady Cedric will make us all proud.”
“I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to have your approval,” Cedric replied.
“There was no question of my refusal,” the duke said. “I know you are eager to set up your own household.”
Merry felt as if small knives were flying around her head, slicing through the air so quickly that she couldn’t see them.
“Miss Pelford showed me her ring,” His Grace continued. “A diamond cluster for a diamond of the first water.”
Cedric’s lips widened. No one could call his expression a smile, though there was something satisfied about it. “I gather you applaud the wisdom of my decision?”
Merry frowned. Another, silent, exchange was taking place, which she couldn’t begin to interpret.
“As pertains the ring,” the duke said. “Certainly.” He shrugged.
“What on earth are the two of you talking about?” Merry asked.
“Your ring,” Cedric said. “You are wearing a ring that belonged to our mother, the late Duchess of Trent. But as the duke well knows, she would want my wife to have it, not his.”
Merry looked at the duke, whose face was utterly expressionless. “ What? ” she cried. She turned to Cedric. “But—but you said—”
“I said I chose it for you,” he said silkily, “and I did.”
“I assumed you bought it for me.” She caught herself. She didn’t want to sound like a disappointed child. With a swift tug, she removed the ring. “This ring is meant not for me, Your Grace, but for your bride. You must keep it for her.”
“My brother is rich enough to buy his wife any number of rings.”
Merry dimly registered that she did not like Cedric’s tone. He sounded vaguely spiteful, which she didn’t like in women, and even less in men.
That wasn’t important at the moment.
The duke had shifted position. He was leaning againstthe wall and staring down, as if there was something fascinating about the floorboards at his feet. “I believe my mother would be quite happy to see her ring on the hand of the future Lady Cedric,” he agreed.
Well, spit. There was something she didn’t understand here, something about the duke and his mother.
His Grace looked as calm as a fishpond, but she saw through him. There was a secret attached to the duchess’s ring.
“You two may dislike each other,” she said, giving first one, then the other, a pointed frown. “But I would be grateful if you could stop this childish game of insulting each other in my presence. I feel as if I’m breaking out in hives.”
“Hives?” Cedric repeated with palpable distaste.
“Hives, or boils?” the duke murmured, sounding amused.
Merry revised the
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