The Most Dangerous Duke in London by Madeline Hunter - Book Tour + Giveaway
The Most Dangerous Duke in London
by
Madeline Hunter
Madeline Hunter
Genre:
Historical Romance
Historical Romance
NOTORIOUS NOBLEMAN SEEKS REVENGE
Name and title: Adam Penrose, Duke of Stratton. Affiliation: London’s
elite Society of Decadent Dukes. Family history: Scandalous.
Personality traits: Dark and brooding, with a thirst for revenge.
Ideal romantic partner: A woman of means, with beauty and brains,
willing to live with reckless abandon. Desire: Clara Cheswick,
gorgeous daughter of his family’s sworn enemy.
elite Society of Decadent Dukes. Family history: Scandalous.
Personality traits: Dark and brooding, with a thirst for revenge.
Ideal romantic partner: A woman of means, with beauty and brains,
willing to live with reckless abandon. Desire: Clara Cheswick,
gorgeous daughter of his family’s sworn enemy.
FAINT OF HEART NEED NOT APPLY
Clara may be the woman Adam wants, but there’s one problem: she’s far
more interested in publishing her women’s journal than getting
married—especially to a man said to be dead-set on vengeance.
Though, with her nose for a story, Clara wonders if his desire for
justice is sincere—along with his incredibly unnerving intention to
be her husband. If her weak-kneed response to his kiss is any
indication, falling for Adam clearly comes with a cost. But who knew
courting danger could be such exhilarating fun?
more interested in publishing her women’s journal than getting
married—especially to a man said to be dead-set on vengeance.
Though, with her nose for a story, Clara wonders if his desire for
justice is sincere—along with his incredibly unnerving intention to
be her husband. If her weak-kneed response to his kiss is any
indication, falling for Adam clearly comes with a cost. But who knew
courting danger could be such exhilarating fun?
With four bedchambers above and four more
in the attic for servants, this household could never grow very large. The
bedchambers were unlike what she had known at Gifford House. She had no
apartment here. No sitting room and little private library. No huge dressing
room and separate wardrobe. Here she used just one chamber and an attached
dressing room, where she also stored her garments.
This library was of good size, however,
as was the dining room. There was no drawing room as such, but instead a nice
sitting room that also served duty for breakfasts.
Well, she was only one woman. How much
space did she need? And the public rooms would do nicely for her other plans.
Jocelyn finally approached the chair.
With a heavy groan she pretended to try and lift her side, only to let it fall
at once from her grasp. “I fear I used all my strength on the last one.”
Clara was about to scold her when a knock
sounded on the front door. “Go and see who that is, please, while you recover
from your sudden weakness.”
“Ladies’ maids do not answer the door,
ma’am.”
“Oh, for goodness sake.” Clara marched
out of the library to tend to the door herself.
She grasped the latch, expecting to find
a neighbor or soliciting tradesman. Instead she opened the door on the Duke of
Stratton.
“Oh. You.” The lack of welcome slipped
out before she could catch it. She blamed that on her surprise to find him on
her doorstep. And on her dismay at the way a beam of joy shot through her
unexpectedly. “How did you find me?”
“Langford, his brother, and I called on
your family, only to learn from your brother that you no longer resided there.”
He gazed up the façade. “I have always thought Bedford Square attractively
designed, with houses most fitting for its size and scale. It is a good
distance from Mayfair, however.”
“You explained how you learned I was not
at Gifford House. You did not explain how you discovered I was here
instead.”
“If you invite me in instead of expecting
me to converse across the threshold, I will tell you.”
She held the door wide. “Of course.
Please, come in.”
He did so, proving at once that the more
modest scale of houses on Bedford Square made men like Stratton appear all the
bigger. He so dominated the small reception hall, and her, that she led the way
to the library mostly to give herself more space. She found it empty. Jocelyn
had taken the opportunity to disappear.
He took in his surroundings, as if
assessing whether they would do. For him or her, she could not tell. She did
not sit because she did not want him to stay. She had things to do, and his
arrival promised nothing but trouble. She almost never felt nervous, but
increasingly this man caused a cautious jumpiness inside her. Unfortunate
memories of allowing his embrace affected even the simplest conversation
between them.
“Are you going to explain now? How you
found me?”
“Many coachmen are not opposed to
receiving gratuities in return for their helpfulness.”
“In other words, you bribed my brother’s servant.”
“I suspect your brother would have told
me for free, but I did not want to create trouble between the two of you.” He
once more surveyed the chamber. “It is a handsome library.”
“Thank you. I like it. I have some
changes to make and was attempting to do so when you arrived. Actually, you can
help.”
“I would be happy to do so.”
She pointed to the second chair, then the
new spot where she wanted it to go. “I need that moved to there. My maid and I
managed the first one, but she rebelled at lifting the second.”
“She showed more sense than you did. You
should not be lifting furniture.” With two strides he faced the chair. He moved
it right where she told him.
She should thank him, and be more polite.
Only he had accompanied his help with a scold, and she thought that negated her
obligations. Only it didn’t. She wished she could pretend he did not fluster
her. Only he did. Enough that she had some trouble maintaining her cool disdain
and thinking clearly enough to find a way to get him out the door.
“Thank you.”
He acknowledged that with a bare nod
before pacing the length of the library and gazing out the back French windows.
“You bought this, I assume.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The furniture is too fine for a house
that you let. No one would risk these drapes to the care of tenants. They are
not utilitarian but speak of the taste of a woman denied the indulgence of her
wardrobe for a while.”
His interpretation of the drapes proved
very accurate. She had relished the chance to choose the fabric and trim and
consult on the style.
“The furnishings also mean that you have
owned it a while too, even if you only now have taken residence.”
“I do not know why you are wasting your
superb talents of perception on me and my humble abode, Duke.”
“I am wondering why you bought this house
if you did not intend to live in it. It is idle curiosity on my part, nothing
more.”
Not too idle, from the look he gave her.
She really shouldn’t. Truly she ought
not. But—“You have found me out. I needed a secret place to meet that my
lover.”
“Ah. Well, we cannot have that now.” He
walked back through the room, his attention all on her. “I will have to post a
guard at the door to discourage such visits. Should no lover arrive, I am left
with the conclusion you spoke of the future, and of me.”
He stood too close now, looking down in a
way that did not bode well for her composure. She was determined, however, not
to make a fool out of herself the way she had in the park. “That is a shocking
thing for you to say. It is bad enough for you to make assumptions regarding a
marriage. It is far worse to imply what you just did.”
“If you would prefer marriage to a love
affair, the offer still stands. However, if you are set against it, as you
claim, I will accommodate your desire.”
She never found herself speechless, but
she did now because she could not conjure up a good response. How had she
allowed him to trap her between two options that consisted of the same thing,
only one was honorable and one not? It did not help that his eyes all but
glowed when he added that accommodate
your desire part. She could not ignore the double
entendre, nor the way an unhelpful thrill streaked through her body.
He appeared amused at her predicament.
“This house will be convenient in either case.”
“It would not be appropriate for you to
call on me here with any frequency, if that is what you mean.” She stammered it
out. She felt as though a cloud had entered her head.
He reached out and softly stroked her
lips. Only then did she realize they were trembling. She was being an idiot
again but could not stop, especially since that feathery touch felt very nice
and made her face and neck tingle.
“I will be very discreet. There will be
no scandal. However, I like the idea of visiting you here, where the dowager
and your brother cannot interfere.”
Interfere with what? She had no idea if she said it or thought it.
“With
this.” He bent until his lips met hers.
Madeline Hunter is a New York Times
bestselling author with more than six million copies of her books in
print. She has twenty-nine nationally bestselling historical romances
in print, including most recently, The Wicked Duke,
Tall, Dark, and Wicked, His Wicked Reputation,
and The Accidental Duchess.
A member of RWA’s Honor Roll, she has won the RITA Award twice and been a
finalist seven times. Her books have appeared on the bestseller lists
of the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers
Weekly, and have been translated into thirteen languages. She has a PhD in art history,
which she has taught at the university level. Madeline also writes
the Romance Unlaced column for USAToday.com’s Happy Ever After site.
bestselling author with more than six million copies of her books in
print. She has twenty-nine nationally bestselling historical romances
in print, including most recently, The Wicked Duke,
Tall, Dark, and Wicked, His Wicked Reputation,
and The Accidental Duchess.
A member of RWA’s Honor Roll, she has won the RITA Award twice and been a
finalist seven times. Her books have appeared on the bestseller lists
of the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers
Weekly, and have been translated into thirteen languages. She has a PhD in art history,
which she has taught at the university level. Madeline also writes
the Romance Unlaced column for USAToday.com’s Happy Ever After site.
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