To Pleasure a Duke (The Husband Hunters Club 3)

“Oh yes,” he growled, reaching for her again.

But she darted to the side, avoiding him. “Your Grace, we have been away long enough. It will be noticed.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do,” she said primly.

Frustrated, he strode to the door then back. “I need to see you alone again,” he declared.

“Then we must think of another dare,” she said. “Something more difficult. This was far too easy.”

“Oh was it, minx!”

He was watching her, wishing his good manners weren’t so ingrained in him. If he was one of his ancestors, the Norman baron perhaps, he would have no hesitation in snatching her up and riding off with her into the night.

“Why are you smiling?” she said with a hint of suspicion.

He told her and watched her eyes widen. “Ride off with me?” she squeaked. Then, her green eyes opened even wider and she cried, “I wonder if you dare. I wonder if I dare!”

He frowned with impatience. “What is it you are daring me to do?”

She giggled mischievously.

“Eugenie,” he growled, taking a step toward her around the barrel. “I warn you, I am not climbing up the church steeple.”

“Goodness, I would not ask that.”

“Then what is making you laugh?”

“I’m sorry. It isn’t really funny but you reminded me with your Norman baron. At Miss Debenham’s we discussed history and visited the ruins of a nearby castle.”

“I thought finishing schools were all about manners and deportment?”

“Miss Debenham was interested in turning out well-rounded girls,” she retorted, with a twinkle in her eye. “Do you want to hear or not?”

He sighed. “Tell me then.”

“The baron who once owned the castle had a wicked reputation. In those days there were very little manners and even less deportment. Not nearly as civilized as now. This baron was prone to riding about his lands on a big black horse and abducting any girl who took his fancy. He’d ride back to his castle and . . . well, the lesson didn’t go that far. But I . . . well, my friends actually, found the idea of being abducted rather appealing, much to Miss Debenham’s dismay.”

He shook his head at her. “You really are the oddest creature. So that is your dare? For me to abduct you?”

For a moment he thought she was going to deny the whole thing. Doubt and a hint of fear clouded her eyes. She was an innocent young lady, he reminded himself once again, and more than likely a virgin. He was dabbling with fire where she was concerned. But Sinclair was too far gone to care. The vision of himself as a baron riding off with her to ravish her had taken hold of him and he was damned if he’d relinquish it now.

“I’m afraid I don’t have a castle,” he said quietly, “and I can hardly ride up the drive way at Somerton with you over my saddle. What would the servants say?”

She smiled, and he was relieved to see that her fear was gone. “You could meet me in the lane, where we first met.”

“I could. Yes, that would be the perfect place to sweep you up onto my horse and ride off with you.”

“Not far, of course,” she added swiftly and a little breathlessly. “Just a little way will do. Just to win the dare.”

His eyes narrowed, but excitement was already coursing through his veins. “I am not in the habit of abducting young ladies in laneways,” he drawled.

“I know. That’s why it’s a dare,” she teased with a smile.

“And when does this abduction take place?”

“Tomorrow? After the morning service?”