Portrait of the Duke

Portrait of the Duke Suddenly a Duke SeriesBook One Alexa Aston © Copyright 2023 by Alexa Aston Text by Alexa Aston Cover by Dar Albert Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. is an imprint of Kathryn Le Veque Novels, Inc. P.O. Box 23 Moreno Valley, CA 92556 [email protected] Produced in the United States of America First Edition January 2023 Kindle Edition Reproduction of any kind except where it pertains to short quotes in relation to advertising or promotion is strictly prohibited. All Rights Reserved. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. License Notes: This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook, once purchased, may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or borrow it, or it was not purchased for you and given as a gift for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. If this book was purchased on an unauthorized platform, then it is a pirated and/or unauthorized copy and violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Do not purchase or accept pirated copies. Thank you for respecting the author’s hard work. For subsidiary rights, contact Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. ARE YOU SIGNED UP FOR DRAGONBLADE’S BLOG? You’ll get the latest news and information on exclusive giveaways, exclusive excerpts, coming releases, sales, free books, cover reveals and more. Check out our complete list of authors, too! No spam, no junk. That’s a promise! Sign Up Here * Dearest Reader; Thank you for your support of a small press. At Dragonblade Publishing, we strive to bring you the highest quality Historical Romance from some of the best authors in the business. Without your support, there is no ‘us’, so we sincerely hope you adore these stories and find some new favorite authors along the way. Happy Reading! CEO, Dragonblade Publishing Additional Dragonblade books by Author Alexa Aston Suddenly a Duke Series Portrait of the Duke Music for the Duke Second Sons of London Series Educated By The Earl Debating With The Duke Empowered By The Earl Made for the Marquess Dubious about the Duke Valued by the Viscount Meant for the Marquess Dukes Done Wrong Series Discouraging the Duke Deflecting the Duke Disrupting the Duke Delighting the Duke Destiny with a Duke Dukes of Distinction Series Duke of Renown Duke of Charm Duke of Disrepute Duke of Arrogance Duke of Honor The Duke That I Want The St. Clairs Series Devoted to the Duke Midnight with the Marquess Embracing the Earl Defending the Duke Suddenly a St. Clair Starlight Night (Novella) The Twelve Days of Love (Novella) Soldiers & Soulmates Series To Heal an Earl To Tame a Rogue To Trust a Duke To Save a Love To Win a Widow Yuletide at Gillingham (Novella) The Lyon’s Den Series The Lyon’s Lady Love King’s Cousins Series The Pawn The Heir The Bastard Medieval Runaway Wives Song of the Heart A Promise of Tomorrow Destined for Love Knights of Honor Series Word of Honor Marked by Honor Code of Honor Journey to Honor Heart of Honor Bold in Honor Love and Honor Gift of Honor Path to Honor Return to Honor Pirates of Britannia Series God of the Seas De Wolfe Pack: The Series Rise of de Wolfe The de Wolfes of Esterley Castle Diana Derek Thea Also from Alexa Aston The Bridge to Love One Magic Night Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Publisher’s Note Additional Dragonblade books by Author Alexa Aston Prologue 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 Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Epilogue Excerpt from Music for the Duke About the Author Prologue London—1801 Lady Margaret Townsend watched her older sister flirt with one of the gentlemen who had called upon them this afternoon. It was Dolley’s first Season, and from everything Margaret could tell, Dolley’s come-out was a spectacular one. At least according to the gossip columns, which Margaret read voraciously when no one was looking. They referred to Lady Dolley Townsend as a diamond of the first water and the most impressive debutante of this Season. Margaret couldn’t stand Dolley. She found her sister petty and annoying—and that was on a good day. Actually, her mother was petty and annoying. Dolley was merely cut from the same cloth. Both women prized money and titles above all else. Thank goodness, she took after Papa and understood what was truly important in life. Learning. Friendships. Family. At least family who acted like family toward one another. Mama had never taken to Margaret and because of Mama’s attitude toward her younger daughter, neither had Dolley. Both her mother and sister were petite blonds with round, blue eyes like a doll’s. Margaret, on the other hand, was already two inches under six feet at age fourteen, all gangly arms and legs. But it was her red hair which sealed the deal and what she believed made Mama dislike her so much. Grandmama had had the same fiery red hair as Margaret. At least it had been a vivid red when Grandmama was young. By the time Margaret came along, Grandmama’s hair had begun to turn white and was completely so by Margaret’s fifth birthday. Since Mama had never liked anyone on Papa’s side of the family—Papa included—Margaret’s red hair marked her for derision from her mother and sister. She didn’t care what Mama or Dolley thought of her. She especially didn’t care for fancy clothes and making her come-out. It all seemed a waste