Read Sins of a Duke for Free Online

believe that to be my affair. To you I’ll admit that Princess Josefina surprised me last night. From now on I’ll stay out of slapping range.” Sebastian forced a smile. “And I won’t be sorry to see her gone, something which will hopefully come about sooner rather than later.”
    Shay spent another moment gazing at him. Sebastian didn’t know what he might be looking to see—regret? Evidence of prevarication?—but he wouldn’t see anything his older brother didn’t wish him to.
    “Fine,” Charlemagne finally said, walking down the hallway. “You’re the one who can read minds, not me. You can hardly blame us for wanting to see you happy, though.”
    “I am content,” Sebastian returned diplomatically. “And at any rate, bedding a mad woman would not be conducive to my continued peace of mind.”
    “I’ll write Prask with our offer. I imagine he’ll accept it, since you’re right about the price.”
    “I’m always right.”
    As he walked Shay out the front door, he could feel the relative emptiness of Griffin House pushing against his shoulders. Peep was there, and servants aplenty, but it was a bloody large house for just Penelope and him to rattle around in.
    “Melbourne?”
    He started. “Apologies, Shay. What were you saying?”
    “I just asked if you were still going to Almack’s tonight.”
    “Prinny sent a note asking me to escort the Costa Habichuela contingent there, so yes, I suppose I am. I had to cancel my visit to Vauxhall with Peep. Lord and Lady Bernard are taking her and Mary Haley.”
    “I wager it was a close choice, though, Lady Margaret Trent or Her Highness.” Shay shot him a brief grin. “You might want to put on Great-grandfather Harold’s suit of armor before you go.”
    “I’ll consider it.”
    Chuckling, Shay clapped him on the shoulder and made his way down the front steps to his horse. A moment later he was gone down the street. Sebastian watched for a moment, then turned back inside.
    “Any letters, Stanton?” he asked, as the butler closed the door behind him.
    “Yes, Your Grace.” Stanton lifted the salver off the foyer table. A pile of hand-delivered missives and invitations and calling cards awaited his attention. His secretary, Rivers, would have taken the business correspondence, which meant all of these here were social.
    He scooped up the lot of them. “Thank you.”
    “Very good. And Your Grace? I was instructed to inform you that Lady Penelope requests an audience at your earliest convenience.”
    Sebastian grinned. “Where is she?”
    “In the music room with Mrs. Beacham—and an unnamed friend.”
    “Unnamed?”
    “At Lady Penelope’s request, Your Grace.”
    Dropping his correspondence off in his office, Sebastian climbed the stairs to the first floor. Even from the far end of the house and through the closed door he could hear the pianoforte. Either Peep’s playing had vastly improved since yesterday, or the unnamed friend was playing—and quite well.
    “Please don’t let it be Lady Margaret Trent,” he muttered, and pushed open the door. “You wanted to see me, P—” he began, and clamped his mouth shut.
    His daughter danced a jig across the floor, but she wasn’t what caught his immediate, startled, attention. Sitting at the pianoforte, an easy smile on her face as her fingers flew nimbly across the keys, was her . The lunatic. Princess Josefina Embry. The low tug began again in his gut.
    “Papa, look!” Peep gestured toward the instrument. “She’s a princess.”
    “Yes, I know. We’ve met.” Belatedly he sketched a bow. “Your Highness.”
    Still playing, she inclined her head. “Melbourne.”
    “If I might ask,” he said, sending an annoyed glance at Mrs. Beacham, “what are you doing in my music room?”
    “I came to see you, actually.”
    “I saw her at the door,” Peep took up, “and told her you were closeted with Uncle Shay. And then she said she was Princess Josefina, so I invited her to come listen