“All is calm tonight, and very clear. Mr. Ellingham, I believe we were very near reaching your father the last time. Shall we try again?”
Before eager Mr. Ellingham—who was trying to find out where his now-deceased father had hidden away about ten thousand pounds of the family money—could answer, Mortimer broke in.
“Contact someone for Mackenzie. He’s my guest tonight. His dear old mum, perhaps.”
Violet turned without hurry back to Daniel. She didn’t miss the flicker of disgust at the mention of his mother, disgust aimed at both Mortimer and the mother in question.
“Perhaps that would not be for the best,” she suggested gently.
Mr. Mackenzie gave her a guileless look that masked his growing anger. “Let me mum rest in peace,” he said. “Why don’t you contact me dad, instead?”
Too transparent. Violet gave him a sweet smile. “You are trying to trip me, Mr. Mackenzie. If you wish me to contact your father, I suggest a telegram, because that gentleman is very much still living.”
Daniel gave her a look of new assessment, then he burst out laughing. His laugh was deep and true, a man who knew how to laugh for the joy of it. “Fancy you knowing that. You are right, Mortimer. She has the gift.”
“I don’t need the gift to read the newspapers,” Violet said. “Your father appears in many of them, especially the sporting news. Now if he’d like me to tell him which of his racehorses will do the best this year, he is welcome to join us.”
Daniel wound down to a chuckle. “I’m starting to like you, mademoiselle.”
She let her eyes go wide. “I am pleased to hear it, Mr. Mackenzie. However, if you have come tonight only to mock me and my work, I will have to ask you to depart. Or at least wait in the hall.”
“Why?” His eyes took on an impish twinkle. “Does my mockery disturb th’ spirits?”
“Indeed, no. Those on the other side can be quite forgiving. But I find it a bit distracting.”
Daniel’s laughter rang out again, and he raised his hands in surrender. “Forgive me, lass. I’ll be the model of goodness from now on. Promise.”
Violet knew better than to believe him, but she returned her attention to the others. “Shall we simply see what spirits are close tonight?”
The other men, laughing along with Mr. Mackenzie, or perhaps at him, agreed enthusiastically. They liked the show.
“Then, as you know, I must ask for silence.”
Violet closed her eyes again, and thankfully, the gentlemen quieted down, their guffaws finally dying off.
She went into the movements she’d rehearsed so many times. She let her breathing become slow and deep, spread her hands on the table, and rocked her head from fully bent forward to all the way back, her face to the ceiling. Violet kept her eyes closed as she let her breathing become more rapid, faster, faster, twisting her face as though something pained her.
Soft noises escaped her mouth, and she moved her head the slightest bit from side to side, making sure she didn’t overdo it. Too much gyration looked fake. A little bit was far more frightening, a person in the grip of some force she didn’t quite understand.
Violet also knew bloody well that a woman moaning, perspiring, and letting her breasts move with her panting breath froze a gentleman in place.
A large, warm hand landed on hers, and Mr. Mackenzie said in a quiet voice, “You all right, lass?”
Violet froze. For a moment, her rapid breaths choked her, and she couldn’t find air.
His voice was filled with concern. That concern sent a shock through her. No one had ever spoken to her like this—not her mother, not even Jacobi, who’d been closer to her than a father. Daniel Mackenzie, a stranger, a man of warmth by her side, touched her in worry, and asked after her with a kind of protectiveness she’d never experienced before.
It nearly broke her. A moment ago, Violet was priding herself on being able to handle a roomful of half-drunk, unruly gentlemen who’d come upon them so rudely in the middle of the night. Her mother had been too upset by their arrival to rise from the bed, and Violet had said she’d take care of everything.
The moment Mr. Mackenzie voiced concern, Violet felt herself shattering, the façade she strove to maintain crumbling to reveal the lonely and weary young woman behind it—nearly thirty years old, unmarried and unlikely to be, taking care of an ill mother, living by her wits and her skill in hiding her lies.
She found it easy to keep the barrier between Mortimer and his ilk, but she recognized that Daniel Mackenzie could rip her to shreds with one touch.
She tried to catch her breath, tried to keep her persona in place, but for a moment, she was only a frightened young woman angry at a man for exposing her.
Mr. Ellingham, oblivious, broke the tension. “Damn it, Mackenzie. We’ll never get a contact if you interfere with the medium’s trance. Everyone knows that.”
Daniel kept his gaze on Violet. “You sure you’re all right, love?”
Violet moved her hands to the table again, pressing them down to stop their trembling. “Yes. Yes, I am fine, thank you.”
“You’re an ass, Mackenzie,” Mortimer said, his voice tinged with brutal anger. “Now we’ll have to start all over again.”
“No, we won’t,” Daniel said, still looking at Violet. “We’ll go and leave Mademoiselle Bastien to her sleep.”
“The hell we will,” Mortimer said, standing up. “We’re not leaving this house. Not until we have satisfaction.”
Praise for
“The Duke’s Perfect Wife is a sensual, gorgeous story that was captivating from the first page to the very last.”
—Joyfully Reviewed (Recommended Read)
“The unforgettable Mackenzies return as Ashley spins the fourth in the series into another mesmerizing, intensely emotional romance that steals readers’ hearts and minds. With her innovative plots and characters, Ashley pushes the boundaries of the genre and creates ‘keepers,’ because they touch readers on many levels.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)
“It’s all such a seductive world, you’ll get swept away, just as I did.”
—DemonLovers Books & More
“Ashley’s latest, flawlessly written historical romance richly rewards romance readers with its multilayered characterization; sexy, secrets-saturated plotting; sharp wit; and enthralling writing.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Passionate, well-drawn characters, breathless romance, and a memorable love story.”
—Library Journal
“Innovative as ever…a beautifully written, tender, touching romance that will leave readers breathless.Her strong characterizations and poignant yet sensual storytelling draw readers into her unforgettable love stories.”
—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)
“Readers will love Ainsley.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Ashley simply has a gift with her storytelling…Heart-wrenching romance, balanced with a good amount of steamy sex, and an underlying story line all contribute to the…enjoyment.”
—Night Owl Reviews
“Another winner from Jennifer Ashley…It’s romantic and heartfelt, steamy and sexy, with just the right amount of humor. I absolutely love this book and I cannot get enough of the Mackenzies!”