Read Online The Wicked Wager by Anya Wylde - Free Book Online

duke said, shooting his wife a quelling
look.
    “Thank you, you always make us feel most welcome ,”
Mrs Barker replied, stressing the last word unnecessarily.
    This time the innuendo in her tone was
clear to all, except perhaps the duchess, who was busy having a one sided
conversation with an invisible, dead ancestor.
    “This duck is lovely. I must get the recipe
for the sauce,” said Lady Babbage into the uncomfortable silence.
    No one pointed out that since Lady Babbage
lived with the duke and intended to live with him until her dying day, she
truly did not need to know the recipe. Nor did anyone point out that the duck
was, in fact, chicken.
    Everyone spoke at once, grasping the topic
of food and spent the next few minutes debating the flavour of lamb versus
beef, and who preferred what. They had assumed that Mrs Barker would give up
after the awkward moment, but they failed to remember exactly how dim she truly
was.
    She waved a fork with a tomato speared at
the end as she spoke, her high voice drowning out everyone else’s.
    “The food is delicious,” she said, licking
her lips, “but then you always have the best, Your Grace. I have a mind to stay
on forever,” she giggled.
    The effect was ruined as the tomato dislodged
and dropped into the valley of her remarkable bosom. Unfortunately, she did not
realise that and wondered what made Emma giggle in merriment.Catherine was not far behind in joining her. The
returning servers gave them a moment of respite to calm down.
    The meal was finished in a similar vein,
leaving the girls angry yet amused. The men stayed on to pass the port, and the
ladies retired to the saloon.
    Catherine went to pour the tea, and Emma
followed her. She could not wait until everyone retired for bed to say what she
wanted.
    “I have never noticed Mrs Barker so
desperate. Is it just me or was she outrageously flirting with the duke?”
    “That is what I noticed this afternoon. I
am sure she flirted with him on previous occasions, but this time she is taking
it too far. It is embarrassing, and I am surprised Mr Barker does not say
anything or, for that matter, the duke,” said Catherine worriedly.
    “You must be funning, Cat.” She searched
her cousin’s face, and when no dimple winked she continued, “The duke would
never take her seriously. She made a fool of herself, and you should simply see
her as an amusing diversion.”
    “The duke is a man, Em, and however much we
may dance around the topic, my stepmother is not all there.”
    “The duke is still handsome and extremely
powerful. The last person he would turn to would be Mrs Barker. He may want
some other diversion, a mistress perhaps if he does not have one already. But
he will never fall for a woman like her.”
    “I hope you are right. I suppose I never
bothered to think of the effect my stepmother’s madness had on my father. I do
hope he has someone to love him.”
    “He has you, and as for female
companionship, I don’t think it’s our place to be concerned. He can take care
of himself.”
    “I was just taken by surprise, I think. I
have never witnessed any woman throwing herself at my father before. He
normally shields me from such things.”
    “Maybe he feels that you are old enough to
handle it now, or that you have grown up enough to notice …” she abruptly
stopped, her eyes darting towards the door. She urgently squeezed Catherine’s
arm and muttered, “the men are entering the room. You should go to your father,
and stick by him for the rest of the evening. Hurry, Cat, he needs to be
rescued.”
    Catherine quickly turned and beat the
approaching Mrs Barker by a second. She then spent the night keeping the
thankful duke occupied, while Mrs Barker sulked in annoyance.
    ***
    Emma sent her maid off to bed and sat down
to think. She was once again worried about the duke’s suspicions regarding the
gardener. The only time she could sneak into his library and go through the
papers was when the entire house