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at you.’

      Margot had known the moment would come when she would meet her husband’s mother. Despite his assurances that she was very different from Larchmont, she had not known what to expect. Her plan had been to be friendly and polite. But now, face-to-face with the great lady, the best she could manage was an awed curtsy. ‘Your Grace.’

      ‘She is a rare beauty, Stephen, just as you said,’ the duchess announced, pulling Margot forward to sit on the couch beside her. ‘There is no need to be so formal.’

      ‘I scarce know how else to be,’ she whispered, for a moment shocked into honesty.

      ‘You must treat me as you do your own mother,’ the duchess said firmly.

      ‘I do not have a mother,’ she said, and then corrected herself. ‘At least, I have not had one since I was very small.’

      ‘How sad,’ said the duchess. Then she smiled. ‘But I understand you honour her by continuing with your family’s work.’

      Somehow, Margot doubted that the duke described what she had done in quite that way. But for the duchess, she settled for a simple, ‘Thank you. You are too kind.’

      The duchess gave a small nod of her head and touched the necklace at her throat. ‘And I see you are admiring my rubies.’

      ‘They are magnificent,’ Margot agreed.

      ‘I was so glad to hear that Stephen had them reset for me.’

      For a moment, Margot hovered on the edge of fear. It was rare to see her work after it left the shop. And even stranger to see it in this way.

      The duchess touched the necklace again. ‘It is strange to lose something so precious and have it returned looking even lovelier. See how clever the work is on the gold. And Stephen has promised me that I shall meet the designer here tonight.’

      Her first impulse was to turn and run. But she felt her husband’s hand at her back, holding her in place. ‘And so you shall, Mother. It is none other than my Margot.’

      His mother’s eyebrows raised in surprise. ‘You?’

      She could manage nothing more than a small nod of her head.

      ‘Beautiful and talented,’ the duchess said. ‘When I heard that Stephen had married a shop girl, I did not think that could be right. But to find a lady with such a rare gift? That is entirely a different matter.’

      Margot wanted to correct her. When she took on the shop, it was never with the intent of being anything so grandiose as an artist.

      But Stephen was speaking and there was no time. ‘Yes. It is. When I first chanced upon her work, I had to know the person that had executed it. You can hardly blame me for losing my head.’

      He spoke glibly today, without a sign of the halt that she sometimes heard. But it bothered her to think he would lie so easily and to his own mother.

      ‘She has a special room at the back of the shop, where she entertains her more prestigious customers,’ he was assuring his mother.

      ‘So it is hardly like going to a common shop, then,’ his mother agreed. ‘It would be more a meeting of equals. So much nicer than tramping down Bond Street with the rest of London.’ She glanced at Margot. ‘You do have a shop in London, do you not?’

      ‘Only the one in Bath,’ she said softly.

      ‘Well, that will not do,’ the duchess said, with a frown. ‘When you are in London for the Season, you must speak to Stephen about finding a property.’

      ‘What would happen to the shop in Bath?’ she said, not wanting to seem ungrateful.

      ‘I suppose then you shall have two shops,’ Stephen said, with a smile.

      ‘Two,’ she repeated, in wonder.

      ‘And we must convince the Regent to give her a Royal Warrant,’ the duchess continued. ‘I have but to show him the rubies.’

      ‘And Larchmont’s cane,’ Stephen added. ‘She did that as well. And work for Bellston...’

      ‘Really.’ His mother gave an impressed nod. ‘Then certainly, she must have a Royal Warrant. You must design a birthday gift for Prinny, my dear. One smile and he will be eating from your hand.’

      ‘And buying your jewellery,’ Stephen added.

      ‘Of course,’ she said, barely able to whisper. If she was to be a marchioness making jewellery, then why would it not be fit for a prince? Then she looked from her husband to his mother and back again. ‘But what if he does not think it proper for a woman to be in trade?’

      The duchess smiled at her. ‘Then, my dear, we will remind him of Lady Jersey and the Duchess of St Albans. Some of the biggest banks in England are run by women, you know.’ She gestured to Margot to lean closer, so that she might whisper in her ear. ‘That is the problem with men, my dear. They think so small. But we love them, so what can we do?’

      Margot looked to her own dear Stephen and smiled. ‘Indeed, your Grace. What can we do but love them?’

      * * * * *

       Regency Surrender: Powerful Dukes

       An Unsuitable Duchess

       Laurie Benson

       An Uncommon Duke

       Laurie Benson

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

       An Unsuitable Duchess

      Laurie Benson

      The scandal of the season!

      For American Katrina Vandenberg, the rules of London society are stifling. So, when a rare moment of solitude at a particularly tedious ball is interrupted, she’s disappointed...until she lays eyes on a very handsome stranger!

      Julian Carlisle, Duke of Lyonsdale, is destined for a dull marriage of convenience, and Katrina couldn’t be further from the docile, blue-blooded bride he needs. An affair would be scandalous, but could there be a way for this highly unsuitable woman to become Julian’s perfect duchess after all?

       I’ll always be grateful to my wonderful editor, Kathryn Cheshire, for giving me this opportunity and for helping me bring Julian and Katrina into the world. Thanks for your guidance and support. You’re the best! And thank you to everyone at Mills & Boon Historical, especially Linda Fildew, Nic Caws, and Krista Oliver for all that you’ve done for me.

       Thanks Courtney Miller-Callihan, for having my back and for just being you.

       To the history bloggers and the people who answered my historical questions, thanks for making research fun.

       Lori V. and Lisa D., this book might not have been written if it weren’t for the two of you. Thanks for encouraging me to put this story to paper and for not running the other way when I asked you to read it—a number of times. I love you both!

      To Jen, Mia, Marnee, and Teri, thanks for riding this roller coaster with me and for being such great friends.

       Thanks, Mom, for teaching me that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. To my boys, you mean the world to me. Thanks for never complaining when deadlines have me ordering takeout for dinner. And thank you to my husband for always believing in me and for proving that love at first sight really is possible.

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