Read Charming the Duke for Free Online

sister’s eyes. “She twisted my words. Claimed I said men will rut with any woman and that you would hardly be choosy.”
    “Athena is not just ‘any woman’, Thornsby,” Smithly clipped off. “You, being her brother should recognize her unique qualities. Distinct qualities.”
    Thornsby watched Smithly find Athena in the crowd. When Smithly turned to him, Thornsby could never recall a more unpleasant look on his best friend’s face.
    “She is a gem. Out of my league. Older. Wiser. But a gem all the same, Thornsby,” Smithly shot his cuffs and turned to walk away. “I would be so choosy if there was any chance of her being my choice.”
    Thornsby’s jaw dropped and snapped shut. Smithly held a tendre for Athena? Andrew had just gotten done calling her a contrary, know-it-all. Now she was a gem? He watched Smithly weave through guests to Athena’s side. It was then he noticed the brown wren he’d mistaken for a maid hiding among the ferns. She was attempting to scratch her head with the hand that held a glass of punch. The contents edged perilously close to spilling down her shoulder. He’d best heed Athena’s advice and appease the girl.
    “May I hold your glass while you, ah,” Thornsby said and looked from one side of her head to the other.
    “Damnable pins. Damnable Mimi,” she said. “Here.”
    Thornsby caught the glass and its contents before they blotted his white shirt. He eyed the wench. She was grimacing and digging her finger in amongst her braids. Apparently she found the offending spot. Her face stilled and she sighed.
    “Better?” Thornsby asked.
    “Quite. Thank you.” She pushed her glasses up and took a look at him up and down.
    She was dressed in a dreadful blue gown. Her spectacles sat crooked on her nose and the braid she’d been burrowing under had come undone. A loop hung over her ear. He heard Athena’s voice in his head chastising him. She was right of course. Conversation. Conversation.
    “Lovely party, my dear. Such festive decorations and lively music.” Thornsby quoted verbatim what Andrew had said to the Bissets. He attempted a friendly smile.
    “I suppose. If you care about such nonsense,” Miss Sheldon said.
    “Nonsense?” Thornsby said and cocked his head. “I’ve yet to meet a young woman you didn’t enjoy this sort of thing. You’re saying you don’t care for parties?”
    “What powers of deduction you have, sir. I’m overwhelmed.”
    Thornsby stood stock-still. Athena had mentioned she was the clever one. Not the pretty one. Although, Thornsby would concede her clear skin and gleaming teeth made an agreeable face. She was reasonably put together otherwise. Hint of cleavage. Not overly plump or wan. All else was impossible to discern under the dreadful gown she wore. She clearly thought little of him.
    “I suppose I should have deduced you don’t care overly much for these sorts of festivities as you are hiding here in the ferns scratching your scalp,” Thornsby said and stared at the woman intently.
    “I imagine you should have.” She shrugged her shoulders, snorted and looked around the room. “What possibly is there to like?”
    Who, other than his sister, among the women of London disliked parties? “What don’t you like about them?” Thornsby asked.
    “Nary a soul in this room, aside from Ethel, possibly your sister and myself are bright enough to find their way out of a room with one door.”
    As if by divine direction Miss Sheldon’s sisters and mother appeared. “Greetings Your Grace,” the Countess said as she dropped a curtsy. “My daughters, Misses Juliet and Alexandra Sheldon. The Duke of Thornsby. I understand you met my middle daughter, Matilda.”
    Thornsby bowed and held the hand of the oldest, Juliet. “My pleasure,” he murmured as he placed a kiss on her snow-white glove. He groveled equally over the other sister’s hand.
    “Yes, I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Sheldon when we first arrived.”
    The oldest smiled