Page 65 of Tamed By her Duke

Mrs. O'Mailey sniffed. “Decorated is not the word I’d use, with all due respect, Your Grace,” she said. “But—as I gather it—His Grace’s grandfather wanted to come to Town. His wife—Scottish, too; there’s a history of it, with the Montgomery line—did not.”

“So she…filled the house too much for human beings to inhabit?” Grace asked doubtfully.

Mrs. O’Mailey shrugged. “I think it was more that she sent down all the things she hated from Montgomery Estate, but the effect was much the same.”

“Two birds with one stone,” Grace observed, impressed with the efficiency—and grateful for a certain former duchess for ensuring that Grace did not have to live in a house filled with things like… “Dear God. Does that tapestry show a beheading?”

“Oh, would ye like that one returned to Montgomery Estate, Your Grace?” the housekeeper asked sweetly. “We could have it installed in yer bedchamber, if ye like.”

“As long as you’re prepared to have my death on your head when I die of fright,” Grace said, just as sweetly.

Once she and the housekeeper had come to an agreement that, yes, it really was as bad as their eyes informed them, Mrs. O’Mailey expertly assembled the maids—and an errant footman she seemed to have conjured out of thin air—and set them about removing the worst of the offending items while Grace retreated to her bedchamber for a much-needed bath.

She’d had a bath the night before, at the inn where they’d stopped for the night, but as her husband had slipped into her bed in the dark of night—and then had amused himself during the long journey by slipping a hand up her skirts and teasing her until she was panting and begging—another felt important before she greeted her friends.

She had just finished drying herself off—but was not yet dressed—when her husband entered, an intrigued look dawning on his face when he saw her state.

“No,” she said firmly. “Absolutely not. I’ve just gotten out of the bath and Diana, Emily, and Frances will be here soon. You will have to wait until this evening.”

Since that first night, when they’d told one another everything, Caleb had been as hungry for her as she was for him. He would come to her after she was already asleep, waking her with kisses before slipping inside her, leaving before the sun rose in the sky. She’d been too busy with preparations for their travel back to London to put up a proper argument over the fact that she had not yet seen him unclothed—something that seemed particularly unfair as he looked her over, taking in her form with avid interest.

“They could wait,” he said thoughtfully.

“No!” she said again, snatching up a dressing gown and then adding a blanket atop it for good measure. “Go away! Take your—yourlookselsewhere!”

He gave her another long look that made her feel naked despite the doubled layers she’d covered herself with, then quirked up the corner of his mouth in the way that felt like an intriguing promise.

Which meant, when he did leave, Grace didn’t know if she was pleased or disappointed that he’d listened.

Fortunately, she was distracted by a need to hurry, her eagerness to see her friends again forestalling any delay, no matter how pleasurable. She’d written to Diana, Frances, and Emily the moment she’d ascertained their travel plans and had arrived at the London townhouse to the delightful news that they would be coming by for tea.

When one of the maids came to her door to inform her that the Duchess of Hawkins, the Marchioness of Oackley, and the Countess of Moore were awaiting her in the front parlor, Grace hurried down to find a room that was—well, still dreadful, but considerably less so.

Emily and Frances were settled on a settee, Evan standing seriously behind his wife, while Diana was peering delightedly at some of the art hanging on the crowded walls.

“Look at this positivelyhorriblebaby,” she said, clearly thrilled. “Goodness, it’s sougly. Babies don’t look like this at all—not even the unfortunate ones.”

“I believe,” said Grace, who was not too mature to enjoy a dramatic entrance, “that one is too old for us to feel comfortablechucking it in the fire. As that’s the best way to exorcise a haunting, there’s really no telling what ghouls might inhabit this house.”

Diana stood so rapidly she nearly whacked her head on another protruding frame.

“Grace!” she cried.

In an instant, Grace was drowning in embraces, Diana nearly tackling her in her exuberance, Emily using her height to lean over Diana’s head. Frances wrapped her arms around Grace from the other side.

Grace laughed, letting herself be wrapped up in their love.

“You’re back, you’re back!” This was Diana.

“We’ve missed you, darling.” Frances.

“How long are you in London?” This was Emily, to whom Grace replied.

“We’re not certain yet. Now, do release me before we all topple over, will you?”

With some maneuvering—and some grumbling from Diana—the trio released her.

Only Evan had patience enough to wait his turn. When Grace was free from her friends’ tentacular embrace, he smiled.

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