The Day of the Duchess (Scandal & Scoundrel, #3)

by Sarah MacLean

“Need I remind you that four women want a life with me so badly they are coming here to compete for it?” She gave a little laugh. “You think that they want it? They don’t. They simply think they haven’t any other choice but to vie for your attention.” She hesitated, then, “How did you select the poor things?” “It’s not so difficult to find unmarried women with an interest in marrying a duke.” “Not even a duke who has been tied to scandal for years?” “Not even that, surprisingly.” It wasn’t surprising, though. He was handsome and young and rich and titled and any woman of sound mind would want him. Not that she did. “And they were willing to wait until you had me declared dead? Husband hunting takes more patience than I recall.” “You were a superior hunter.” He didn’t mean the words the way they came, she knew. But they stung nonetheless, the reminder of the trap she’d lay. The mistake she’d made. She looked away, back to the sun, edging over the fields. “Little do they know that in a matter of weeks, your attention will wander elsewhere.” She hated herself for the bitterness in the words. After all that had happened, how was it that stumbling upon him with another woman was the only thing that seemed to matter? Hated him even more when he said, “You left me—” “You sent me away!” she said, unable to keep her voice from rising. “You stood in the house where we might have built a home, our wedding breakfast barely over, and you told me to leave you.” When he opened his mouth ...