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Miss Hannah Richardson is enjoying a
Season in London. She's not looking for a husband, at least not this Season.
She wants to enjoy herself before settling down to married life. All that
changes, however, when she sees the Duke of Wetherby. He's tall, dark and
impossibly handsome and someone Hannah wants to get to know better.
Camden Darkin, the Duke of Wetherby,
is not fond of attending soirees, dinners or balls, but his latest mission for
the Crown demands he mingle with the ton.
He has vowed not to marry because of his dangerous work and the constant
bevy of beauties anxious mothers throw into his path is not tempting him in the
least. That is, until he meets Hannah Richardson, a young woman unlike any
other he's ever met. Can he learn to love or will his hardened heart rob him of
the very thing he needs the most.
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Excerpt:
She
glanced across the floor and saw her aunt talking with a gentlemen Hannah had
not been introduced to as of yet. He’d arrived only moments before dinner was
served and been seated at the other end of the dining table, and she’d had no chance
to inquire after his name. His tall and erect posture exuded confidence. Who
was this handsome stranger? She was determined to find out his identity,
especially since she hadn’t been able to identify the rogue in the garden.
She
walked around the perimeter of the room, avoiding the couples whirling around
the dance floor and eventually stood next to her aunt. “Aunt Mary, do you have
a secret? Isn’t that why people usually whisper to one another?”
Mary’s
head whipped around.
Hannah
swallowed hard when she saw her aunt’s lips set in a grim line. Although her
aunt was not a large woman, her hard stare was enough to wilt even the
strongest of men.
“Hannah,
you forget yourself.”
Hannah
lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry, Aunt…I mean Lady Tisbury. I meant no disrespect.
Please forgive me.”
Hannah
breathed a sigh of relief when Mary patted her hand. “No harm done, dear, but
please mind your manners in the future. A lady does not speak so boldly. Besides,
I hold no secrets. The Duke of Wetherby and I were merely discussing tonight’s
event.” Mary turned toward the duke. “Your Grace, I don’t believe you’ve had
the pleasure of an introduction. This is my niece, Miss Hannah Richardson. She
is staying with me for the Season.”
Hannah
curtsied. “Your Grace. A pleasure to meet you.”
Camden
bowed. “The pleasure is mine, Miss Richardson.”
Hannah
studied him. He was older than her, but she had no idea what his actual age
might be. He could be her brother Ethan’s age of twenty-seven, or perhaps a
year older, but whatever his age, she found the handsome duke intriguing,
especially his piercing gray eyes. He commanded the room with his mere presence,
and no other gentleman attending tonight could hold a candle to him. He was
taller than most men and blessed with a chiseled jawline and broad shoulders. His
black evening coat, silver waistcoat and crisp white cravat spoke of wealth. His
black hair curled around his ears and brushed against his collar. What
spectacular hair he had and Hannah felt a sudden urge to run her hands through
it.
Run my hands through his hair? Where did that come
from?
Hannah’s
curiosity was piqued. What had her aunt and the Duke of Wetherby been
whispering about? Surely not something as mundane as tonight’s dinner—she
hardly thought that warranted whispering. She had never seen the duke before,
although she had visited her aunt regularly during her youth. It was indeed a
puzzle, and she adored solving puzzles.
“I
was complimenting Lady Tisbury on hosting another wonderful affair,” Camden
added.
Hannah
gave him her prettiest smile. “Are your compliments so rare that you find the
need to whisper them, Your Grace?”
A
twitch in his jaw was the only indication her question surprised him. “Not at
all, Miss Richardson, but with the orchestra playing, I wanted to be heard.”
Hannah
had not yet controlled her impulsiveness to speak her mind and blurted out what
she was thinking. “I see. Do you dance?”
Camden
arched an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?”
Now
that she had voiced her thoughts out loud, she had to follow through. “It’s a
simple question, Your Grace. Do you dance?” Hannah glanced at her aunt, who had
raised her fan to hide her grin.
“I
do indeed,” he said.
“Excellent.
I find myself without a partner for the final quadrille. Perhaps you could be
persuaded to partner me?”
Camden
cleared his throat before answering. “I should be delighted, Miss Richardson.”
Hannah
curtsied again. “Thank you, Your Grace. I look forward to it. Now if you’ll
excuse me, I see my next partner is waiting for me.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reviewer’s comments:
"A very well-written book, I highly recommend it for those who love a witty, fast-paced Regency romance."
"
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