Much ADO about You
Chapter One
September 1816
Holbrook Court, seat of the Duke of Holbrook
On the outskirts of Silchester
In the afternoon
"I am happy to announce that the rocking horses have
been delivered, Your Grace. I have placed them in the
nursery for your inspection. As yet, there is no sign of the
children."
Raphael Jourdain, Duke of Holbrook, turned. He had
been poking a fire smoldering in the cavernous fireplace
of his study. There was a reserved tone in his butler's
voice that signaled displeasure. Or perhaps it would be
more accurate to say that Brinkley's tone signaled the disgruntlement
of the entire household of elderly servants,
not one of whom was enchanted by the idea of accommodating
themselves to the presence of four small, female
children. Well, the hell with that, Rafe thought. It wasn't
as if he'd asked to have a passel of youngsters on the
premises.
"Rocking horses?" came a drawling voice from a deep
chair to the right of the fireplace. "Charming, Rafe.
Charming. One can't start too early making the little darlings
interested in horseflesh." Garret Langham, the Earl
of Mayne, raised his glass toward his host. His black curls
were in exquisite disarray, his comments arrogant t ... read full excerpt from Much Ado about You ebook
