At the Duke's Service Read Online Free Page A

walking to the door.
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Chapter Five
    â€œHas it not been a happy day, Xander?” Angelina beamed across the small table at him as they dined alone together that evening.
    Alexander’s gaze glowered over the rim of his glass of claret as he grudgingly acknowledged how lovely Angelina looked this evening in a gown of cream silk, with her golden hair curling onto her bare shoulders.
    In fact, Alexander had found it a most frustrating day!
    For one thing, it was proving far more difficult to relocate Angelina than he had initially thought.
    Having promised Hawkins that he would see to Angelina’s future, Alexander could not just throw her out into the street to fend for herself. Neither could he send her to a hotel when she had no chaperone.
    Instead, he had decided that perhaps his aunt Elizabeth might be persuaded into having the girl—as long as Angelina was cautioned first concerning any attempt on her part to discuss the finer points of her education with his aunt…Alexander had driven Angelina in his carriage to his aunt’s house in Grosvenor Square this morning, only to find his aged relative had unhelpfully taken herself off to thecountry for the day to visit her daughter, and was not expected back to town until much later this evening.
    Alexander did not even entertain the idea of sending Angelina back to Brighton to the dubious guardianship of the overinformative Miss Bristow!
    Consequently Angelina had now been at St. Claire House with him for almost twenty-four hours, during which time she had more than capably confirmed her claim to be able to deport herself with all the elegance and charm of a lady.
    Andrews, Hopkins much younger replacement, had taken one look at Angelina this morning, when she strolled into Alexander’s study uninvited, and completely fallen under her spell, rendering the normally reserved young man virtually incapable of fulfilling his secretarial duties.
    The household staff were falling over themselves to accommodate her. So much so that their meal this evening had consisted of Angelina’s favorite dishes.
    All that was needed to complete the bedlam would have been a visit from one of his younger brothers, who no doubt would have become equally smitten with Angelina’s beauty and charm. Luckily Alexander had at least been spared that!
    Still, despite keeping himself busy, it had hardly been a happy day as far as Alexander was concerned, and dinner alone with Angelina was making his head ache almost as much as another part of his anatomyhad once again begun to do the moment he joined her.
    â€œYou are looking tense again, Xander,” Angel chided softly before rising to her feet. “I shall endeavor to help you feel better.”
    Alexander could envisage several ways in which his tension might be eased, but he turned to eye her warily as she moved to stand behind him. “What are you doing?”
    She smiled. “One of the girls at school suffered from severe headaches and I learned a way in which I might ease them. Just relax, Xander.” She turned him firmly to face forward, before placing her hands either side of his head so that her thumbs rested against his temples and her fingers over his brow. “There, does that not feel better?” she prompted huskily as she rested his head back against her breasts so that she might look down into his face as she continued to lightly massage his brow and temples.
    Alexander gave a groan as he kept his eyes firmly closed, dark lashes resting against harshly chiseled cheeks, and his mouth thinned in a grim line.
    â€œYou really must try to relax, Xander,” Angel encouraged soothingly.
    How could Alexander possibly relax when the back of his head was nestled between Angelina’s breasts?
    He could not suffer this torment a moment longer…!
    He had watched as Angelina charmed all about her all day. Listened as her tinkling laugh filled his normally austere and quiet household. All