Page 36 of The Duke of a Thousand Desires

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Even though Simonhad promised Aunt Glynnis that he would attempt a courtship to respect her view of tradition, he was not a man to whom artifice came naturally. He was blunt. He brooded. He thought most of Society’s diversions too silly for words. He enjoyed sex, but there was only one woman he wanted to bed, and he would have to suffer until she was his wife. Therefore, he might not be an ideal suitor. Nevertheless, he would strive to be an accommodating one.

His good intentions faced a test during Julia’s tea. He was mildly amused when within the hour over twenty-seven missives arrived at the house. But he was aghast when Julia revealed that the bulk of the post was primarily comprised of invitations to various social functions and that these requests had been extended to include Lord Rhys, Lady Ravenna and, if he would deign to accept, the aloof Duke of Rochecliffe.

“Aunt Glynnis will be in heaven,” Ravenna said, her winsome smile making Simon conscious of his propensity to scowl.

“I don’t think this is the time to spread your wings,” he said, holding his coffee in one hand and the unfolded letter Julia had passed him in another. “A boat race on the Thames? No, thank you.”

“I adore boating,” Ravenna said.

“I have a flotilla of boats,” he said. “We can race each another. Isn’t that right, Heath?”

Heath was at his desk, studying an almanac and calendar. Presumably he was more interested in forecasting the weather on his heir’s approximate natal day than in Simon’s river fleet. He did not answer.

“I can’t turn down a supper with the Earl and Countess of Avonbrook,” Ravenna said as she scanned another invitation over Julia’s shoulder.

“Never heard of them,” he said.

“And a dance at Grosvenor Square? You can’t swaddle me in wool, Simon, nor keep me in a box. I rarely had a chance to dance at the castle, except with my brothers for practice. I refuse to let a coward in a walnut tree intimidate me.”

“There will be other parties.”

“There won’t be another chance to woo me. What of my wedding trousseau? Does a duchess not need decent clothes? Won’t it offend you if I wear the bridal gown that David chose for me?”

“You can stand at the altar in a coat of armor for all I care.” From the looks she and Julia gave him, he might have said Ravenna could stand beside him in the buff. He hastened to add, “But if a new wardrobe is that important to you, I’ll employ as many seamstresses as you will need to work at the house. I did promise to spoil you.”

Julia’s cheerful voice intervened. “Should I ring for some fresh poppy cakes? They’re awfully good, but mind you the seeds lodge between your teeth. Simon, are you visiting the museum with me and Heath?”

He shrugged. “I’ve seen the museum a dozen times.”

“I haven’t,” Ravenna said. “It isn’t a dangerous place, is it? Give me your unbiased opinion, Julia. Your life was threatened in the past. Is it reckless of me to want to see an exhibition? To attend a dance?”

“It could be,” Simon interrupted. “A person could easily sneak up on you when you’re engrossed in a work of art. Look what happened to me and Achilles.”

“Please don’t involve me in this,” Julia said, and then proceeded to involve herself. “I can’t see the harm in it, to be truthful.”

Simon caught himself in mid-scowl. “Am I outnumbered, Heath?”

Heath glanced up, his soft chuckle proof that despite his seeming inattention, he hadn’t missed a word of the conversation. “My wife counts as two, and it would seem you are. Sorry about that.”

“It isn’t as if I’ll be able to dress in my sheer silks and waddle to the museum for long,” Julia said happily over her tea cup. “I shall be confined soon enough.”

Simon surrendered, accepting that this was the first of many battles he would lose to his bride-to-be. He hid a grin at the prospect of the pleasant conflicts to come.

Within the hour they had bundled into Heath’s black carriage and traveled to the museum on Great Russell Street under clearing skies.

Heath took Julia and Ravenna off to ooh and aah at the antiquities. As Simon passed in the shadow of a nude Roman statue, he thought of Grayson’s damaged Achilles and vowed he would not let down his guard.

This was not the easy duty he’d expected. At this hour scores of visitants packed the popular museum. He followed Ravenna closely, studying a bronze burial sculpture with less enthusiasm than he did her voluptuous figure. She was curvy and alluring and filled him with delicious longing. She had trembled in his arms today when he kissed her. The heat of wanting her still gnawed deep in his belly.

It struck him that Heath was at once cognizant of his surroundings and attentive to his expectant wife. He claimed Julia’s elbow as they descended the sunlit stairs. Simon envied their long-time intimacy and anticipated escorting Ravenna with a similar familiarity. In his mind she was the only treasure he could appreciate. He knew her history. He fully intended to be her future.

“I so enjoyed myself,” Ravenna said upon their return to Heath’s carriage. “Thank you, all. That wasn’t bad, was it, Simon?”

“It was more than tolerable.”

She adjusted her beribboned silk hat so that she could peer out the window. “The best part of it was that we kept our vow to my aunt. We did not cause a scandal.”