The Courtesan Duchess -- A Sneak Peek!

Chapter 1

A smart woman must transform herself into whomever the situation requires.

-Miss Pearl Kelly to the Duchess of Colton

Venice
November 1816

The first time the Duchess of Colton saw her husband since their hasty marriage, she found him seated at a card table with a buxom woman draped across his lap, her legs dangled over the side of his chair. Julia could see them both quite clearly from across the gaming room. The woman was...pleasuring herself while the duke had one hand inside the woman's bodice, his fingers moving beneath the fabric to casually caress her breast.

The display shocked Julia. Scandalous yet strangely alluring, the performance served as a reminder that her husband's life was a world away from her own sheltered existence in London. But then, she reasoned, what else would one expect of a man dubbed the Depraved Duke? She swallowed her embarrassment and continued to watch the scene unfold.

He was handsome, she realized. Julia had seen him briefly during the wedding ceremony, but they'd both been younger, not to mention she'd been a shy and terrified sixteen-year old. Had she even looked him in the face that long ago afternoon? Now, he appeared older and...much bigger. His black hair a bit long, it fell down around his collar to frame his perfect features: a straight nose, bold cheekbones, and a full mouth. He was truly breathtaking.

Some women might be consumed with jealousy at catching their husband in such a fashion. Not Julia. The man was a stranger to her, and she felt nothing but a combination of anger and annoyance. Anger that Colton had ignored her for eight long years, and annoyance she'd been forced to create such an elaborate ruse and travel across the continent to carry it out.

Julia watched as the trollop on his lap began gasping for breath. The woman closed her eyes and shivered from head to toe, her head thrown back in ecstasy. Colton's expression revealed nothing about his companion or his cards, while the other players appeared nonplussed as they studied their own hands. Save Julia, no one else in the room paid a bit of attention to them. A woman was...climaxing on his lap and no one even turned to stare. Was this a regular occurrence, then?

Once the woman caught her breath, she leaned in to whisper in Colton's ear. He smiled, politely assisted her off his lap, and gave her backside a small slap before dismissing her. His attention turned back to the game.

Julia's good friend, Simon Barrett, the Earl of Winchester, appeared by her side. "Are you certain about this? It's not too late to back out, you know."

She shook her head. "No. I've come too far to stop now."

Simon was quite a handsome man in his own right, more so tonight with his fair hair and blue eyes contrasting nicely with his black evening clothes. He'd insisted on accompanying her to Venice, to pose as her current lover, allowing him to both escort her and protect her. Deep down, Julia was grateful for his help.

She smiled at him. "And after what we've just seen, I'd say my plan is perfect."

He sighed. "I was afraid you would say that."

She sobered. This wasn't Simon's battle, and it seemed only fair to offer him the same chance of escape. "Simon, as I've said many times, I can do this on my own. Your friendship with Colton need not suffer because of your participation."

Simon glanced across the room to the duke. "I have my own reasons for helping you. I'll deal with Colt's anger, if the time comes."

She leaned up on tiptoe and placed a kiss on his cheek. "You're a good friend." Her heels came back down to the floor as she gently reminded him, "Now, I'm the incomparable Mrs. Juliet Leighton, London's most notorious courtesan. Allow me a few moments with him but no more."