Page 40 of Courting Scandal With The Duke
Devil take it, the girl was a witch if she could make him forget himself so completely. He had almost decided Miss Simon was the one. He couldn’t go around kissing other women in public.
‘Kissing in public would be top of the list,’ he bit out.
‘Right,’ she said. She scrabbled in her reticule.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Looking for my notebook. I need to write these things down. I don’t want to forget any.’
He spotted Julian approaching them on foot with the clear intention of greeting them.
‘We do not have time for this now. I will call on you later in the week, and that will give me time to prepare a list.’
She looked disappointed but shrugged. ‘Very well.’
‘I am sure you can manage to keep out of trouble until then,’ he said.
‘I can try.’
‘No. You will do so.’
‘Well, I won’t kiss anyone in public,’ she said, suddenly cheerful.
Lord help him. He needed a change of topic.
‘Let me introduce you to my friend Pettigrew. We went to school together. I think you will like him.’
Everyone liked Julian. He was such an easy-going fellow compared to Xavier. Easy-going and in need of a rich wife. But Xavier doubted his friend could handle such a strong-willed female as the Countess had turned out to be.
Damn it, why would he even think that? If Julian wanted to marry the Countess, why shouldn’t he?
Chapter Seven
Never in Barbara’s wildest imaginings could this drive have turned out so perfectly.
The Duke was going to provide her with a list of the things that would get her into hot water.
She was very tempted to kiss him then and there.
She almost giggled at the wayward thought.
‘Countess, may I present my friend Julian Pettigrew? Julian, this is the Countess of Lipsweiger and Upsal.’
Pettigrew, who was a nice-looking, fair-haired man of around the same age as Derbridge, took off his hat and swept an elegant bow. ‘Countess, welcome to London. If you want to meet London at the fashionable hour, Derbridge is certainly your man.’
His cheerful demeanour, so unlike that of his friend, was thoroughly engaging. She smiled at him. ‘We haven’t actually met anyone at all, until now,’ she said.
‘What? Are you so top lofty, Derbridge? Where are your manners?’
‘The Countess and I have been enjoying the fresh air and the fact that the carriages were actuallymoving for a change. Besides, we haven’t met anyone worth an introduction.’
Pettigrew clutched at his heart in mock pain.
‘Except you, Julian,’ the Duke amended hastily and with mock sorrow.
‘So I should think,’ Pettigrew said.
‘Well, you would be, if it wasn’t for that terrible waistcoat,’ the Duke said.
