Scandalously Yours (Hellions of High Street 1)

Lucy studied Olivia with a critical squint. “Hmmm. She doesn’t look like her corset stays are made out of steel.”

“No, no—she’s as flexible as one of the acrobats at Astley’s,” assured Prescott.

“Hmmm.” Lucy cocked an ear and listened for a long moment. “I like her laugh.”

“So do I,” said Prescott.

“She has mud on her boots—that’s promising.” A note of skepticism still shaded the little girl’s voice. “Do you think she can toss a stone through the hoop hanging in the oak tree?”

“Ha! Better than that—she can knock a villain flat on his arse with a stone from a sling.

At that, Lucy looked duly impressed. “Well in that case, she sounds excellent.”

“No, she’s not merely excellent.” Prescott grinned. “She’s perfect.”

After a cursory look at Lord Seabury’s message, which offered abject apologies for his relative’s shockingly scandalous behavior, John rose and returned to the drawing room.

“Lady Serena Wells,” he announced, “has eloped with a captain from the Irish Guards. As I speak, they are on their way to Gretna Green, and from there they will sail to Dublin, where he is stationed with his regiment.”

Cecilia’s brows shot up in surprise.

“Apparently they have been in love for quite sometime,” explained John, “but as he is a man of modest birth and means, her family demanded that she make a more advantageous match. However, according to her…”

Looking down at the paper, he read aloud from the note, “I have thought long and hard, Lord Wrexham, and I have decided that it would be most unfair of me to mislead you any more than I already have about my true self and true feelings. For far too long I have tried to pretend that I fit snugly into the rigid patterncard of propriety required by Society. But the truth is, I don’t give a fig for the rules. I am tired of presenting a false face. There—I have said it! And by now you know that my actions speak even louder than my words.”

John glanced up and caught Olivia’s eyes for just an instant before going on.

“You are a most admirable gentleman, but I do not love you and it would have been wrong of me to pretend otherwise. I apologize if these words cause you any pain. However, I sense that your feelings were never truly engaged. I wish you happiness in the future, and hope that you may find the same sort of perfect match that I have.”

“It sounds as if her corset was crafted from something other than steel after all,” observed Cecilia wryly. “Satin, perhaps. Woven of soft, silky, sensuous threads.”

“There is a postscript.” John chuckled. “Allow me to offer a last bit of advice, sir—you had best warn any future object of your affection that your son is an Unholy Terror. She will have to be made of sterner stuff than I to win his affection. That, or she will have to have a few loose screws in her head to think of serving as a surrogate mother to such an Imp of Satan.”

At that, Olivia’s rigid features relaxed into something close to a grin. “She’s quite right. It won’t be an easy task, for it’s not just Prescott whom any potential bride must impress. I have a feeling Lucy’s opinion carries quite a bit of weight with your son.”

“Of course it does,” said Cecilia with an answering smile. “My nephew is quite a bright lad, so he’s already figured out that women are far smarter than men in most every respect.”

“Considering the present company…” John countered his sister’s arch stare with an answering waggle of his brow. “Only an utter fool would argue with that pronouncement. And I consider myself to possess some modicum of intelligence.”

“That,” said his sister in an irritating drawl, “remains to be seen.” She helped herself to one of the strawberry tarts, and proceeded to pop a small morsel into her mouth. “So it seems we must launch a new campaign to find you a bride—”

“I am quite sure that His Lordship would prefer not to be distracted from his upcoming speech by any further thoughts of marriage,” intervened Olivia hastily.

Was she blushing?

John glanced at Cecilia, noting her faintly smug expression. Knowing his sister’s penchant for scheming, he felt a small spark of hope flare to life inside his chest.

Perhaps Olivia’s objections to matrimony were not as impregnable as he had first feared.

“Really, Wrexham has had enough obstacles put in his way as it is,” Olivia went on in a rush. Turning to him, she added, “When do you plan on leaving for London?”

“Tomorrow morning,” he replied. “I must meet with supporters of the bill for a final review of the proposed measures.”

“And I intend to travel to Town the following day with Miss Sloane and the children,” announced Cecilia. “Scottie and Lucy are eager to resume their London visit, for they still haven’t seen all the promised sights. And our return all together is necessary to ensure that our alibi for Miss Sloane’s absence holds water.”

John nodded.

“And of course, Henry and I wouldn’t dream of missing your speech,” went on Cecilia. “We will be in the spectator’s alcove to cheer you on.” She allowed a fraction of a pause. “Would you like to join us, Miss Sloane? I cannot help but feel you have been an integral part of this effort, so you ought to be there for my brother’s triumph. That is, assuming you would care to.”