Deceived

contemplating if you had ordered enough stationery, but I believe that you have. After all, you will not be remaining in London for very long. Too soon, mon ange, you will hurry back to the bucolic pleasures of your Hawkes Hill, will you not? You and your farmer duke, although I will admit that your husband is not a bad fellow.'

'How kind of you, Trahern,' Aurora teased him. 'I shall certainly remember to tell Valerian that you said so. As for my notepaper, I can use it in the country too. In fact, from now on I shall order all my paper goods and cards from Mr. Dove. After all, you have assured me his is the most fashionable stationer's shop in London.'

'Mon ange, I am beginning to have hope for you,' Lord Trahern responded with a chuckle. 'I do believe you are showing promise.'

'Take me home, Trahern,' she said. 'Valerian will be back from his ride in the park and wonder why a little shopping is taking so long. He is quite jealous, you know.'

'Then I shall invite him to lunch with me at Boodles and assure him that I look on you as your dear brother, George, would,' Lord Trahern answered her. 'Did he ever find a bride, by the way?'

'Indeed he did,' Aurora said, and filled Lord Trahern in as the coach made its way along the streets of London.

'A parson's daughter,' Trahern laughed. 'Well, if her bloodlines are as good as you say, I suppose a country girl would be better suited to life on a Caribbean plantation than one of those city misses who dangled themselves before George last season.'

'Betsy will make my brother a perfect wife,' Aurora replied. Then she said, 'And what am I to do while you take Valerian off for luncheon, which will certainly end in several hours of cards?'

'Why, mon ange, you must make yourself beautiful for this evening's festivities. The Duchess of Devonshire is having a grand ball, and I know you have been invited. You must promise me a dance. What fun we shall have. And tomorrow afternoon there is a marvelous horse auction at Tattersall's over at Hyde Park Corner. The three of us will go, of course. I know your husband will be most interested.'

'And I was worried that I should, perhaps, hire a social secretary. I see now I shall not have to with you about,' Aurora teased him, laughing. 'It all sounds quite exciting, Trahern, but when does the ton rest itself from all these exertions?'

'Rest? There is plenty of time to rest when one is old, or in the grave, mon ange, but we are all young, and should enjoy life!'

The ducal carriage drew up before Farminster House, and a footman ran out to help Aurora from the vehicle. Trahern bounced out behind her, following her into the house.

'Has the duke returned from his ride?' she asked Manners as he took her fur-trimmed cloak.

'He is in the library, my lady,' the butler said. 'Shall I tell him you are home?'

'No, I shall tell him myself,' Aurora replied. 'Please show Lord Trahern into the Morning Room, Manners.' She hurried off to the library, slipping through the door with a sigh. 'Charles Trahern is absolutely exhausting,' she announced to her husband. 'It is your turn to amuse him now, Valerian. He wants to take you to lunch at Boodles, and he has invited us to Tattersall's for a horse auction tomorrow afternoon. I shall enjoy that. I have never been to a horse auction.'

'Good God!' the duke swore. 'He wants to take me to lunch? It will end up on my tab, I assure you, my darling, and not Trahern's. Have you noticed what a sponge he is? I will wager his fascination with Calandra was half the money she put in his pocket. I always thought her constant need for coin odd. She could never manage to live on her allowance, and I was really overgenerous.'

'Be kind, my love,' Aurora said. 'We are so happy, and it is quite obvious poor Trahern is not. He is amusing, and we really know so few people in London.'

The duke smiled at her, and coming over to where she was standing, kissed her mouth softly. 'You have a good heart,' he said, 'and to please you I shall trot off to Boodles with Trahern. He will rope me into cards afterward, I warn you. God knows when I shall return home to your loving arms.'

'Just in time to dress for the Duchess of Devonshire's ball,' she reminded him, laughing. 'I know I can trust Trahern to get you home for that, since he is going too.'

Valerian Hawkesworth groaned. 'I am beaten,' he said.

'And if you are very good,' she promised him, 'we shall end our evening as we did last night.' Her aquamarine-blue eyes twinkled at him, and she ran a pink tongue swiftly over her lips.

'We could spend the afternoon that way, and send Trahern on his way right now,' he tempted her.

Aurora laughed. 'I should be far too exhausted to attend the Duchess of Devonshire's ball if we did, my love.'

'Do you really want to go to the ball?' His eyes were dark with his rising passion.

'Yes!' she said, laughing again. 'I will not let you make a recluse of me, Valerian. We are in London, and we are going to take advantage of it, because it is very unlikely we shall ever come back once we are home. I really don't like the city, but since I am here, I shall sample the wonderful variety of amusements London has to offer, for until our eldest daughter is ready to make her debut, I see no need to come up to town.'

'If we spend the afternoon the way I want to,' he said with perfect reason, 'we might have that daughter sooner than later.'

'We must have a son first,' Aurora said. 'Now, go and find Trahern. He is in the Morning Room, eagerly awaiting your arrival.'

'I have no doubt,' the duke responded dryly. He drew her into his arms and nuzzled at the top of her head. 'Are you certain that I cannot change your mind, Aurora, my precious?'

'No, I am not certain, so you must leave me immediately,' she told him with a smile. 'I do not know if Trahern is ready to believe that you would rather rodger your wife than go to Boodles with him. Have we not created enough scandal?'

The duke burst out laughing, and kissing her atop her head again, he said, 'Very well, Aurora, for the sake of our reputations I shall go to Boodles with Charles Trahern, but I really would rather remain at home and rodger my wife!'

'Let him win a little bit off you, Valerian. I think his pockets a bit shallow right now,' she called after him.

Turning about he grinned. 'Of course, my darling. I think Trahern a bit of a doodle, but I am not insensitive to his finances.' He blew a kiss to her, and then was gone through the library door.

Chapter 15

'I don't understand why the queen is spending so much time with the Duchess of Farminster,' sniffed Lady Jarvis.

'Perhaps because they are both young and newly married,' the Duchess