Page 15 of Curves for the Rival Duke
She laughed, then kissed him breathless.
“One thing I must correct,” he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. “This is not complicated. I will love you forever. My greatest joy is to make you happy.”
“And I will do the same,” she vowed.
He winked. “See? Love is simple.”
Lady Honoria Harrington, eldest sister of the Duke of Kenbrook, sat in the library’s window seat, gazing at the courtyard though her thoughts were far away. The glass caught her reflection, and she smoothed her hand over her gown, tracing the line of her body.
She loved her body—its curves, its uniqueness. Her bosom was generous, yes, but she wore it with pride. Tilting her chin defiantly, she recalled the scolds of governesses long past:A proper lady must never be obstinate. She had never been obstinate. Merely certain.
Her father’s passing had taught her an undeniable truth. Life was too short to be anything but happy. She was expected to make an excellent match, yet she would demand one concession—her husband must love her, every part of her.
If that meant spinsterhood, so be it.
A sharp rap at the door startled her.
“My lady?” John, the footman, entered with a silver salver. “A missive from the solicitor’s office.”
“Thank you.” She waited until he had gone before lifting the envelope.
Her heart stuttered when she saw her name written in her father’s hand. With trembling fingers, she broke the seal.
You must complete a portrait of the Duke of Kolbridge to be hung in a gallery.
Tears threatened as she read. Her chin lifted stubbornly toward the ceiling.
How am I to complete such a task?
But no—that was weakness, and she was a Harrington. The firstborn daughter. The achiever. Whatever the challenge, however inconceivable, she would not falter. She thrived on challenges.
She studied the letter again, pulse racing, heart stumbling—yet certainty settled in her bones.
She would succeed. Failure was not an option.
And perhaps… just perhaps… in rising to her father’s impossible charge, she might also stumble into the one thing she had vowed never to compromise on.
Love.
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