A Duke's Scandalous Temptation by Char Marie Adles Page B

to me?” he asked astonished.
                  Jackson looked uncomfortable and pulled him over and out the door into the empty hallway. “She is sensitive about the subject of death. Mother, well she was unhappy and often wished she was well…no longer married to Father when he grew to work too much and never come home and Mother got her wish when Darcee was seven, then father when she was twelve. Father died of a broken heart and wished to die so he could be with our mother, he told this to Darcee many times, and he did. She hates self-pity.”
    Jackson looked guilty, “I am sorry she hit you though, I really am. She used to worship the very ground you walked on as she grew up, before we left for the Navy. Maybe now she has grown up to see through that.”
    A slight smile touched Brendan’s lips and he watched her move about the back floor with her newest partner. She floated around the floor like a goddess in red silk, drawing the eye. She was more the simply beautiful, she was enchanting. And he had a feeling he was in trouble and sinking fast just like his ship had.
    He should never have looked into her pale violet eyes, for he was sure they held a dangerous magic. She was an enchanting fairy, unmatched by all. As the music came to an end he was already almost to her.
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    It turned out that against her brother’s thoughts the red dress had been what made her the talk of the town, no all talk was friendly as some of the older ladies saw the color red to be the color of fallen women, but then against they were mothers’ of the daughter I had stolen the attention of many of their men. There had been a gentlemen caller every day the past two weeks and no end of invite to parties, balls and picnic alike.
                  My brother was having a rather fun time of it, for he had made a list of the ones he think would suit best to his problem, and of course as he hurried to say, be a good husband for me. Lord Brendan we had not seen since that woeful night at the ball of the red dress.
                  He had reached my side as I was breathless from the last dance and he laid claim to my hand from Baron Black, and led me on to the floor where the next song had been a slow waltz. His limp was barely noticeable at first, his movements slow and sure, but it was not as if I had truly noticed, being swept up in his strong powerful arms, which were pure strength and muscle I could feel under his jacket. And my breath came short with every brush of his body against mine.
                  But as the song wore on his limp became worse and I could see his jaw tighten in pain.
                  “Please let us stop,” I begged of him, biting my lips, “I can see this pains you greatly.”
                  He had smiled a quick flash of a smile and said, “No more painful than letting you go.”
                  Taking him seriously I asked, brow furrowed, “Why would it be painful to let me go?”
                  He laughed softly and seemed shocked at it. “Because,” he said pale eyes flashing, “You are a beautiful young woman.”
                  It was my turn to laugh softly. “Thank you, but the true beauty was my mother. She had the face of an angel.”
                  His look changed to one of quiet seriousness. “And you have the face that could make one cry with envy.”
                  After his words was a long silence in which the world melted away until it was just the two of us. And slowly, looking into his eyes, I leaned up on my toes and gently pressed my lips to his. As his eyes widened I came back to myself and pushed away from him.
                  “Forgive me,” I had cried, hand over mouth, fleeing the room and him with it.
                  You can’t , is what I told myself after that moment. I couldn’t fall for a man who only