Page 41 of The Duke's Virgin

It was hard to enjoy all the culture and the history when you kept being nudged back into the present with reminders of,Oh, look… it’s the so and so family…I hear they’re distantly related to Marie Antoinette…

That was why I’d started traveling on my own as soon as I could, while avoiding family trips as often as possible. I’d taken my first solo trip abroad when I was seventeen—this very trip I was finishing now, in fact.

To see Aeric.

It had been the first taste of freedom I’d ever experienced.

Even graduating early and attending Oxford at sixteen hadn’t really been the same as beingfree, not with my parents.

“When is that VIP supposed to be here?”

The words, spoken in low, hushed French, caught my attention only because I was sitting in the last row of first class, and the airline attendants were standing behind me, preparing to do another walk-through, this time to offer gourmet snacks and fresh fruit, no doubt.

I’d noticed their hustling around earlier, letting people board earlier than what seemed normal. I hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now I glanced around, wondering if the frenetic energy I sensed in the air was related to this VIP.

“Soon,” the other attendant said, this voice male.

Both were native French speakers. I’d traveled enough to be able to discern the difference, and I also knew that the French, in general, didn’tdofrenetic. It was beneath them.

But they were definitely excited about something. As I sat there and watched, their heads craned back and forth, going from the front of the plane back to the task at hand.

“Any idea what’s going on?”

It was the first speaker again—the woman.

“No. I just know there were some diplomatic strings pulled. I overheard some talk in the background when I got the call and was told to let the pilot know we were to wait for his arrival. Period.” He paused, then with jaded amusement, added, “It must be nice to havethatkind of pull behind the family name.”

His companion laughed. “We best get on the service so we’re done before he gets here.”

I studiously kept my attention directed outward, even as I pushed down annoyance.Wait for his arrival.

The implied arrogance that must come with such a decree set my teeth on edge. Shooting a look around the cabin, I then shifted my attention to the one empty seat available.

Right next to mine.

I was going to be sitting with somebody who had the arrogance to make anentire planewait for him. And I’d be sitting with him for the next…I mentally counted the hours and winced. “That long?”

“Ms. Harden?”

I jerked my head up and met the gaze of the airline attendant, the man I’d overheard speaking. He gave me a polite smile and nodded at the proffered basket of goodies.

“No, thank you.” I thought maybe the best thing to do would be curl up and sleep. The roar of the engines almost always lulled me into it on a plane, and it would be a great way to ignore whoever hadpulled stringsto hold up the flight. It was the kind of shit my parents—especially my mother—would do, and I had no desire to interact with the kind of people who did that sort of thing.

With that thought in mind, I pulled my purse into my lap. As I was pushing through it, digging for my earbuds, I heard the sudden commotion, followed by an abrupt silence.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I looked up just in time to see a man in a crisp polo, jeans and a blazer move down the aisle. He had a sharp gaze, and as he passed by, he shifted in a way that had his blazer falling open. I caught sight of the badge at his waist—and his weapon.

My eyes locked on that weapon even as my brain processed the badge.

He caught sight of me even as he reached down and tugged his blazer over the badge and weapon, striding past me on into the next cabin. My breath squeaked out, relief coming seconds later as I finally made sense of the badge.Federal air marshal.He was allowed to carry that weapon.

Maybe he was the VIP. Matters of law enforcement sometimes did warrant special consideration.

Of course, even as I considered that, my heart skipped a few beats, and I squirmed, nervousness blooming inside.

Was there somebody dangerous on the plane?

Was there—

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