Читать книгу A Gentleman Of Substance - Deborah Hale, Deborah Hale - Страница 3

Lucy asked, her pulse speeding to double time.

“Not to claim my marital rights, if that’s what you presume.” Drake swept her a casual glance, a glint of amusement in his dark eyes. “If our marriage is to serve its purpose, everyone must believe I sired your child. En route to get here, five of the servants saw me, as well as lady Phyllipa—an unexpected bonus. With any luck, tales of my ardent regard for you will spread far and wide.”

“I see. But was it necessary to arrive in quite this state of undress?”

Drake leaned back on the chaise with an air of polite indifference that enraged her. “Merely useful costuming in our charade of a marriage. I did not want to take the chance of anyone mistaking my intentions.” One dark brow cocked expressively. “Why all this virginal prudery, my dear? Surely it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”