Tall, Duke, And Dangerous (Hazards Of Dukes #2) - Megan Frampton Page 0,104

baron paused.

“Delightful,” Lady Lavinia supplied, that impish look still on her face. Lady Jane’s cheeks turned even more red, if possible. “Impossible to put down,” Lady Lavinia added. “One might say the books are ahead of their time.”

“I look forward to the reading,” Thaddeus said, knowing how stiff and awkward he sounded. And yet unable to do anything to stop it.

“Your Grace, my Jane mentioned she was very interested in your former career in the military.”

Lady Jane glanced quickly at her mother, then smoothed her expression again. It was obvious she had never expressed any such interest.

Thaddeus felt himself admiring her ability to keep her emotions in control. An attribute to be greatly desired in a powerful titled lady.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Lady Jane said. “I wonder what it is like in battle. If you could describe it.”

Thaddeus took a deep breath, preparing to summon the stock answer he gave when anybody outside of the army asked him when Lady Lavinia spoke.

“I imagine it is something very difficult to describe,” she said, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

He gave a brief nod.

“Do try,” Lady Scudamore urged.

“Mother.” Lady Lavinia’s tone was nearly reproving. Of course. Someone who was so obviously observant would have seen his discomfort. It was unsettling to have someone see him so clearly, and so soon after meeting him.

Someone who was so determined to keep someone else from discomfort that she was willing to speak back to her mother.

Definitely someone to avoid. As well as someone to envy.

Had he ever spoken to his parents like that? He knew full well he had not—his father had also been a military man, and carried that demeanor to his child. His mother had been just as rigid, showing her maternal love in ensuring he was properly fed and clothed. He could remember just one time when she had hugged him, or allowed him to hug her, and that was when his father had died.

“Battle is, as Lady Lavinia says, difficult to describe.” He kept his focus on Lady Jane. Far easier to look at, not just because she was so classically beautiful, but also because she lacked her sister’s direct gaze. She was easy to put in a box: beautiful, eligible young lady. Not nearly as disconcerting as her sister. “It is filled with chaos, and loud noises, and confusion.”

“Rather like a Society party,” Lady Lavinia remarked dryly.

Everyone but Thaddeus chuckled.

“But you are out of that now, thank goodness,” Lady Scudamore said. “And now you can leave the protection of our country to others.”

“Yes.” Thaddeus spoke shortly, and he caught Lady Lavinia’s quick glance at him. He wanted to squirm under her sharp notice, but of course he did not squirm. And even if he had ever squirmed before, he was absolutely certain that dukes did not squirm.

“If you will excuse me, I wish to get something to drink,” Lady Lavinia said. “Jane, are you thirsty?”

“Indeed,” Lady Jane said.

“Perhaps the duke is thirsty as well.” Lady Scudamore spoke in an arch voice that made it clear what she wanted to happen.

“Mother,” Lady Lavinia warned again.

“I would be happy to escort the ladies to the refreshment table,” Thaddeus found himself saying. Lady Scudamore beamed at him.

He could not resist shooting a glance toward her, only to find her eyebrows raised in disbelief, her expression revealing that she was already disappointed in him.

And they had just met.

If you give her this, you will find yourself accommodating her forever, her look seemed to say.

Perhaps I am fine with that, he wanted to reply. I am looking for a bride. And why not Lady Jane? A lady of beauty and good manners who was clearly able to control her emotions.

You are entirely predictable, her look shot back. And therefore entirely disappointing.

About the Author

MEGAN FRAMPTON writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction under the name Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and kid.

meganframpton.com

Facebook: meganframptonbooks

Twitter: meganf

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By Megan Frampton

The Hazards of Dukes

Tall, Duke, and Dangerous

Never Kiss a Duke

The Duke’s Daughters

The Earl’s Christmas Pearl (novella)

Never a Bride

The Lady Is Daring

Lady Be Reckless

Lady Be Bad

Dukes Behaving Badly

My Fair Duchess

Why Do Dukes Fall in Love?

One-Eyed Dukes Are Wild

No Groom at the Inn (novella)

Put Up Your Duke

When Good Earls Go Bad (novella)

The Duke’s Guide to Correct Behavior

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

tall, duke, and dangerous. Copyright © 2020 by Megan Frampton. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.

Digital Edition NOVEMBER 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-286745-2

Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-286744-5

Cover design by Patricia Barrow

Cover illustration by Victor Gadino

Cover photographs © Konstanttin/Dreamstime.com; © Jay Beiler/Dreamstime.com; © Johnson175/Dreamstime.com; © Johnson175/Dreamstime.com; © Fingers234/Dreamstime.com; © Sergey Volkov/Dreamstime.com

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