When Georgiana Eagle receives an invitation to Queen Victoria’s home on the Isle of Wight to perform a séance and table rapping session to conjure the spirits, she manages to cast her spell on the naughty rake, Duke Edward. Will she tame his wild spirit?
Edward raced toward the house, sobering with each step. He noticed the queen and her precious company out on the upper balcony. He carefully snuck around to the side entrance of the house he’d come to know so well and stumbled up two flights of stairs into the less-used side entrance to the dining area.
The object of his disdain, Miss Eagle, was busy gathering up her candles from her busy evening of trickery. He snuck up behind her and grabbed her waist.
“Agh!” she screamed and spun around. “Dear God in heaven, you scared me.” She pressed her palms on his chest. “Edward. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Are you now?” He stumbled slightly, hitting his thigh on the sharp edge of a nearby end table, sobering him even further from the pain.
“Why yes, of course. Did Nigel send you? I told him I wanted to talk to you about what happened. I’m so sorry for your loss, Edward. Really I am.” She appeared sincere, but then again, most hypnotists did. That was how they tricked the unsuspecting public out of their coffers.
“You don’t give a good goddamned about anything but yourself,” Edward slurred. “You’ve tried to ruin me publically, Miss Eagle, but I can assure you, no damage was done.”
Georgiana appeared hurt. She backed away, put her hands to her heart. “No, Edward. Nothing could be further from the truth. I care deeply for you, too much so, I fear.”
“You are nothing but lies and trickery. Lies! A show woman extraordinaire!” he shouted.
Georgiana crossed her arms and scowled. “You think this is all fake, do you?”
“It is.”
“Parlor tricks? Is that what you think I am all about?” Her green eyes deepened color when she shouted and her perfume wafted in his nostrils as she waved her arms at him.
“Listen here, Miss Eagle, the only parlor trick I’m interested in right now is this.” Without thinking, Edward grabbed her in his arms, pulled her forcefully toward his body until they were pressed together and kissed her mouth so hard and deep, it took the breath right out of her lungs.
She fought him, tried to get free, but he hung on until she wiggled from his grasp and slapped him so hard across his face, it knocked total stability back into his bones.
“How dare you!” she shouted. “Who do you think you are, Duke Edward? You are an insolent rake, if ever there were one!”
