Ten Ways to Ruin

Emma twisted her lips. “I am not certain.”

“Well, if you are planning to do all this, you might as well have an affair with a rake.”

An affair? Why shouldn’t she have a liaison with a man? The idea set off a fluttering in her belly. After being jilted, the concept of marriage left a bitter taste in her mouth. If by chance, she ever married, she could blame her lack of virtue on Bolton. He deserved some ill will after abandoning her. For once, Susan had a brilliant idea.

“Oh yes,” Emma said with a slow smile. “That should definitely be on my list.”

“I was not serious!” Susan jumped off the bed in a flurry of yellow muslin and then tried to grab Emma’s list.

Emma moved the paper away before her friend could toss it in the fire. “I am serious. It was an excellent suggestion. Why shouldn’t I discover what making love is all about?”

9. Seduce a rake

“I think I am going to faint,” Susan cried, returning to the bed. She wiped away an errant tear from her cheek. “This is the most dreadful day ever.”

“That only leaves number ten. I have no idea what else I could do.”

“There is nothing else you could do. You will be ruined, and I shall be forbidden to speak with you. Once you do this, there is no returning to Society.”

Emma stared at the paper and nodded. Society could hang for all she cared. After spending four years conforming to their idea of perfection, she was tired of it all. The time had come to live her life on her terms. “I suppose I could wait on number ten. I might come up with something grand after I have these adventures.”

“Number ten is easy,” Susan said, wiping her eyes.

“Oh?” Emma glanced curiously over at her friend.

“Become a spinster. Because that is the only choice you shall have left once you ruin yourself so terribly. No decent man will want you if your virtue is gone.” Susan rose from the bed and straightened her skirts. “I cannot go along with this foolishness any longer, Emma.”

“You promised you would go to a gaming hell with me.”

“And I shall, but that is the extent of my involvement in your ruination.” Susan wiped another tear. “Please rethink this idea. Once you are completely scandalized, you will not be accepted into good Society ever again.”

“I’m barely accepted now even though I have done nothing wrong!” She was tired of the right thing. She wanted to do all the wrong things for once and break free of Society’s confines.

“But you will lose all your friends.” Susan stared at her with those big brown eyes that reminded Emma of her mother’s pug. “And you are my only real friend. If I cannot speak with you, I don’t know what I shall do.”

“It will not be as dreadful as all that, Susan. You are assuming I will be caught doing all these things. I have no intention of that. I am doing this to have a few adventures and a little fun. If I am completely ruined in the process

,” she shrugged, “then that is a bonus, I suppose. No longer will I care what Society thinks of me.”

“You are doomed,” Susan cried. “For surely someone will see you racing a carriage. And whoever you introduce yourself to will speak of it.” She laid down on the bed again. “And rakes love to tell of their conquests!”

Emma hadn’t considered that aspect of this lark. They both had heard stories of young ladies who had taken up with the wrong sort of man—despicable scoundrels—who left the ladies’ reputations in shreds by speaking of their liaison. “Then it shall be part of the bargain. Whoever kisses me must remain silent, and that goes for seducing a rake too.”

“Do you even know which man you will choose?”

Emma went silent in thought. She needed someone who, out of honor, wouldn’t speak of what happened between them. Lord Ainsley might do. He was a friend of her brother-in-law, and that alone might keep his lips sealed. And he was a handsome man with his dark blonde hair, green eyes, and broad shoulders. Hmm, Lord Ainsley might be the perfect rake for the job. Except, Ainsley might insist on marriage, which was not what she wanted from him. This idea might take more thought.

“I have eight other items to complete before number nine. That will give me plenty of time to determine who to seduce.”

Susan sighed and then held her hand out. “Let me review the list.”

“Are you going to rip it up or toss it in the fire?”

“No, and stop scowling at me like that,” her friend said with another heavy sigh.

“Very well.” Emma scanned the list once more. “Number ten is bothering me. What else could I do after seducing a rake? That does seem like the worst thing.”

“I should say so. You might get with child, and then what?”