Annie Burrows - In Bed With The Duke

‘I am no seducer of innocents!’ Indignation had him vaulting out of the bed.

A crowd of interested bystanders were peering into his room with a mixture of shock and disapproval.

With a low snarl he stalked stark naked across the room and slammed the door shut on the whole crowd of them. Then he shot the bolt home for good measure.

He turned slowly, wondering just exactly what sort of female he had found in such a ramshackle inn, in such a dreary little town. And he took a good look at the girl who was sitting up in the bed, with the covers clutched up to her chin.

Contrary to what he’d half expected, she was a pretty little thing, with a cloud of chestnut curls and a pair of huge brown eyes.

Which was an immense relief. He might have lost his memory, but at least he hadn’t lost his good taste.

Praise for Annie Burrows Praise for Annie Burrows Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Extract Copyright

‘The poignancy and humour will make any reader a Burrows fan.’

—RT Book Reviews on The Captain’s Christmas Bride

‘[A] passionate and emotional tale readers will love.’

—RT Book Reviews on A Mistress for Major Bartlett

‘A funny, flirtatious, spirited romp.’

—RT Book Reviews on Never Trust a Rake

In Bed with the Duke

Annie Burrows

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ANNIE BURROWShas been writing Regency romances for Mills & Boon since 2007. Her books have charmed readers worldwide, having been translated into nineteen different languages, and some have gone on to win the coveted Reviewers’ Choice Award from CataRomance. For more information, or to contact the author, please visit annie-burrows.co.ukor you can find her on Facebook at facebook.com/AnnieBurrowsUK.

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Once again, my thanks to the Novelistas for constant support, brainstorming when necessary, and cake.

Contents

Cover

Introduction ‘I am no seducer of innocents!’ Indignation had him vaulting out of the bed. A crowd of interested bystanders were peering into his room with a mixture of shock and disapproval. With a low snarl he stalked stark naked across the room and slammed the door shut on the whole crowd of them. Then he shot the bolt home for good measure. He turned slowly, wondering just exactly what sort of female he had found in such a ramshackle inn, in such a dreary little town. And he took a good look at the girl who was sitting up in the bed, with the covers clutched up to her chin. Contrary to what he’d half expected, she was a pretty little thing, with a cloud of chestnut curls and a pair of huge brown eyes. Which was an immense relief. He might have lost his memory, but at least he hadn’t lost his good taste.

Praise for Annie Burrows Praise for Annie Burrows Praise for Annie Burrows Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Extract Copyright ‘The poignancy and humour will make any reader a Burrows fan.’ —RT Book Reviews on The Captain’s Christmas Bride ‘[A] passionate and emotional tale readers will love.’ —RT Book Reviews on A Mistress for Major Bartlett ‘A funny, flirtatious, spirited romp.’ —RT Book Reviews on Never Trust a Rake

Title Page In Bed with the Duke Annie Burrows www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author ANNIE BURROWS has been writing Regency romances for Mills & Boon since 2007. Her books have charmed readers worldwide, having been translated into nineteen different languages, and some have gone on to win the coveted Reviewers’ Choice Award from CataRomance. For more information, or to contact the author, please visit annie-burrows.co.uk or you can find her on Facebook at facebook.com/AnnieBurrowsUK .

Dedication Once again, my thanks to the Novelistas for constant support, brainstorming when necessary, and cake.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

‘Vile seducer of women!’

Gregory winced and pulled the quilt up over his ears. What kind of inn was this? Surely even travellers to such a Godforsaken backwater shouldn’t have to put up with deranged females bursting into their rooms and screeching at them before breakfast?

‘Oh! What wickedness!’

Pulling the quilt up round his ears clearly wasn’t a strong enough hint that deranged females weren’t welcome in his room. For the voice was definitely getting louder. Coming closer.

‘What is the world coming to?’

Just what he’d like to know, he thought resentfully, dragging his eyelids open and seeing the owner of the strident voice standing right over him, jabbing a bony finger at his face.

‘How could you?’ the bony-fingered, screeching woman shouted into his face. Right into his face.

Enough was enough. He knew that public inns were of necessity frequented by...well, by the public. But surely even here a man was entitled to some privacy? At least in his own bedchamber?

‘Who,’ he said, in the arctic tone that normally caused minions to shake in their shoes, ‘let you into my room?’

‘Who let me into your room? Why, I let myself in, of course.’ She smote her breast theatrically. ‘Never have I been so shocked!’

‘Well, if you will invade a man’s chamber what can you expect?’

‘Oh!’ the woman cried again, this time laying the back of one hand across her brow. ‘Was ever there such a villain? Truly, your soul must be stained black with depravity if you can treat the seduction of innocence with such levity!’

Seduction of innocence? The woman must be fifty if she was a day. And she’d invaded his room. Nothing innocent about that.

‘And as for you!’ The screeching woman’s finger moved to a point somewhere to his left side. ‘You...you trollop!’

Trollop? There was a trollop in his bed as well as a hysterical woman standing next to it?

A brief foray with his left foot confirmed that, yes, indeed there was another pair of legs in his bed. A slender pair of legs. Belonging, he had to suppose, to the trollop in question.

He frowned. He wasn’t in the habit of taking trollops to his bed. Nor any other kind of woman. He always, but always, visited theirs. So that he could retire once he’d reduced them to a state of boneless satiation and get a peaceful night’s sleep at home. In his own bed. Where he heartily wished he was now. For there wouldn’t be a strange woman in his bed if he’d stayed at home. Nor, which was more to the point, would anybody be daring to stand over him screeching.