Read Online To Love a Horseguard by Killarney Sheffield - Free Book Online

catch Sergi to Victor, and be done with the whole thing. After all, he hadn't achieved any success so far. He reined in his horse at the foot of the steps to his home as the physician was coming down them. Dismounting he greeted the man. “Doctor.”
    The man nodded. “I was just checking on our patient.”
    “Why does everyone keep calling her our patient? It seems to me she is more my problem,” Dimitry complained. When the doctor scowled he sighed. “How is she?”
    The doctor beamed. “Fine, fine. She is still a bit dizzy and sore, but that will pass.”
    “Good.” Dimitry handed his reins to a groom and started up the steps.
    “Prince Peterlovsky?”
    Dimitry turned back.
    The physician frowned. “Try not to terrify the poor girl with your constant glowering. I would hate for her to have a relapse in her recovery.”
    Dimitry gave him a black look and continued on his way up the steps. Once inside he headed for the tranquility of his study. Victor was seated at his desk when he stalked in and poured himself a drink. “Do you not have a home of your own?” he groused, leaning against the desk.
    His cousin grinned and cast a critical eye over Dimitry’s dusty riding attire. “Your home is so much more entertaining than my empty one. You had better hurry and change for dinner.”
    Dimitry snorted. “Why? Did you invite the tsar to dine with me?”
    Victor chuckled. “No, but a certain lovely hazel-eyed lady is going to be there.”
    “What?”
    Victor grinned. “Anya and the doctor think the princess would benefit from some entertaining company this evening.”
    Dimitry drained his glass and set it down on the table. “You are the entertaining one, you dine with her.”
    “It does not work that way and you know it. How would it look if you failed to show up for dinner?” Victor pointed out.
    “It would look like I was busy, which I am.” To emphasize his claim he began leafing through the documents on his desk.
    “She is not trolling for a husband you know.”
    “Are you sure about that?”
    “Come on. It is time you got over this ridiculous fear of women.”
    Dimitry glared up at his cousin. “I am not afraid of women. I just do not like them. There is a difference you know.”
    Victor raised an eyebrow. “Uh huh.”
    Dimitry straightened his hands on his hips. “What is that supposed to mean?” His cousin rose and ambled to the door. He stopped with his hand on the knob and looked back over his shoulder. “You cannot let one bad experience with that ‘she cat’ Tatiana ruin all chances of any happiness you might have.”
    Dimitry’s anger flared at the mention of his former unfaithful mistress. “I am not.”
    “Yes you are,” Victor fired back.
    Dimitry crossed to the door. “Why are we even talking about that? What has it got to do with the lady upstairs? I am just having dinner with her not courting her.”
    Victor grinned and clapped him on the back. “Exactly! Now go and get changed.” He turned and strolled off toward the dining room whistling a merry tune.
    Dimitry trudged up stairs. Damn Victor. He has done it again. One day I will figure out how he always manages to turn things around without me realizing it. I know better than to discuss women with him. It seems every time, before I know what is happening, I am enlisted into service of some conniving female who is looking for a way into my pocket book. He arrived at his bedchamber and found his valet had already laid out clean clothes for the occasion. On the bed lay attire suitable for a formal dinner party: black trousers, starched white shirt with a matching cravat, red cummerbund, black coat with tails and his red formal sash. “Is all this finery really necessary for a simple dinner in?”
    “Your G race, you want to look nice for your guest don’t you?” The manservant regarded him with feigned innocence.
    “No! I do not,” he grumbled, but stripped off his dusty attire and washed. He pulled on the clean clothes