The Vampire Duke and Natasha. The Hastings. Book 4.

Chapter 8

"Natasha" came my mother's charming tone the next day "you have a caller." A caller I mused surprised I had a gentleman caller since I tried to hide away after the first ball? Just my luck someone saw me hiding away from everyone I groaned not with happiness.

I had been reading a book all alone in my room completely smitten in the latest Mary Shelley novel my nose buried deep in paper pages. I was quite lucky mama and papa allowed us girls to be as individual as we pleased until our time came for us to come out into society and nab a gent. Hearing mama shout my name from downstairs, gave me a headache. Why, why, why did I have to meet this fellow now waiting downstairs? I wanted to write gothic novels full of mystery, romance and blood. I slid of my bed none to happy leaving my book to meet a man who wanted to say hello. Oh well I sighed opening and closing my bedroom door trailing my fingers over the wallpaper feeling how smooth it was. I then made my way down where my mama stood waiting impatiently.

"Hurry now Tasha, we don't have all day" said an overbearing mama waiting for me tapping her slippered foot.

"Coming" I shouted none to elegantly, nearly tripping over the long fabric of my dress down the stairs curious to see this caller? I followed mama from behind into our large living room where she took a seat, her back towards me.

I stood by the doorway letting my eyes search the room where mama now sat with her back turned towards me in the drawing room. "Child come here his grace was telling me about his estate far away from here and all his thoroughbred horses."

I was wearing a blue day dress thankfully not with to many frills. I wore my hair down falling to my waist resembling pale silk. I couldn't see his face I could only smell his intoxicating scent driving my beating heart mad. Moving forward I had a uneasy feeling inside me. When mama called the man his grace, Lots of men are dukes today I told myself and he was not the only one in the line of the marriage mart or the marriage farm I named the come out.

I secretly prayed, please not him reminding myself he was a rogue. When I moved closer I saw a blond head, sitting with his back towards me too and I knew who he was at first glance. I needn't have asked for his name from his scent wafting up into my nostrils. I turned my crystal clear blue eyes in the direction of my mama cursing her proud face another daughter had hit the jackpot.

"You're grace" I said sitting down next to my mama eyeing him unamused "how are you today glaring into his eyes?"

He sent me a long tempting smile like a tiger finding dinner. His even white teeth seemed to glow in the sunlight and his blond hair was like a beacon of gold. "I am very well my lady" he mentioned in his sexy deep tone and you?

"How nice" I responded sarcastic and mama wacked my arm for being rude. "I am quite will you're grace. London seems to agree with me" I said in clipped tones.

"I am so glad you have come to take our Natasha, for a nice stroll in the park your grace" simpered my mama. I sat watching full of disgust at her not caring about how I felt about him. I wish I could stay a child running wild back home in Yorkshire. Now I knew how Eva, Bonny and Jessica felt at their come out DOOM!

He laughed a warm tingly sound at my mama's exclamation for him to take a stroll with me. "My pleasure Lady Harden, you have such a beautiful mesmerizing daughter" his eyes roamed my face when he said those words challenging me. "Oh pooh my mama replied call me Elisabetha you're grace being called Lady Harden makes me feel quite old!"

"As you wish Elisabetha" came his smooth as silk reply sending me a triumphant smirk in return.

I sat holding onto my hands growing more furious by the second. I stood up from the chair I had sat down on claiming I had a terrible headache thinking mama will take pity on me. Mama might have if his grace didn't but into our conversation "A nice stroll in the park does wonders for headaches I have learnt my lady" came his deep voice.