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member of the ton. She
    had to. How else to know how to negotiate the twists and turns of
    Society? It was because of her bold observation of who was who
    and who did what that she had known to seek out Sophia Dalby
    22 CLAUDIA DAIN
    for aid. While she was a bit uncertain what it was Sophia actually
    did , she was not at all uncertain that Sophia was very good at
    doing it.
    Why Iveston should have been the man Sophia preferred for
    her was a puzzle, but she thought it might be because Sophia
    Dalby was on very close terms with the Hydes and thought rather
    more highly of the Hydes than was entirely deserved. She had,
    after all, seen two of their sons married in less than a week. That
    was not information which could be ignored.
    But just because Sophia Dalby had some notion that it might
    be entertaining to see all of Hyde’s sons married in the same
    Season, there were five marriageable sons as of last month and
    two had already been whisked off the marriage mart by Sophia’s
    sure hand and ruthless gaze, Penelope felt no obligation at all to
    be the fodder for marriage number three.
    Iveston was handsome, to be sure, but all the Hydes were
    handsome in their tall, blond way. It was only that Iveston,
    while only being an heir apparent and not an actual duke in the
    full force of his title, which was the point, after all, was so remark
    ably odd.
    It was a well-known fact that he was very nearly incapable of
    speech, which might not be a bad trait to have in a husband, but
    it did put him out for ridicule and she had no desire to spend her
    life with a ridiculous husband. Not if she could avoid it. Because
    of Edenham and his wifeless state, she thought she should be able
    to avoid it.
    At least Edenham could talk, and was quite charming about
    it, too.
    “What are you looking so flushed about?” George said by way
    of greeting. “Did Lady Dalby fluster you with her bold ways?”
    “Hardly,” she huffed, reaching out to straighten his collar. He
    looked pleasantly rumpled, which was perfectly fi ne if one were
    How to Daz zle a Duke
    23
    in the country but not at all the thing when one was in Town.
    “We have made plans, she and I, and I am about putting them
    into play.”
    “Plans? What plans?” George said, reaching out to knock her
    bonnet askew in response to her very practical and necessary
    straightening of his collar.
    “Plans to get my duke, George, which would go far better
    with a properly arranged bonnet!” she said primly. Trust George
    to get playful at the most important moment of her life, the
    moment when she began her assault on some duke or other,
    preferably Edenham. Iveston in a pinch. Calbourne as a last
    gasp necessity. They were so nicely and neatly arranged in her
    thoughts; one did hope that they would line up in an equally
    orderly fashion when she got round to them in person.
    “Which one, Pen?” George asked pleasantly. “You’ve just
    missed Edenham it seems.”
    Penelope turned and there, of course, went Edenham in all
    his gorgeous splendor right up to Dalby House where he was
    admitted without pause. He didn’t cast so much as a glance in
    her direction. Her timing had been that far off with him in this
    instance. She resolved to do better next time.
    “We’re off to Hyde House, George, where I will present Ame
    lia with the famous tattered shawl, thereby proving myself to be
    a most stellar friend to her reputation,” Penelope said, marching
    off down Upper Brook Street to their house at the end opposite
    Dalby House. “If we time this well, I might be introduced to Lord
    Iveston.”
    “You fancy Lord Iveston, Pen?” George asked.
    “Not particularly,” Penelope said, “but I shall make do with
    him, if I must.”
    George grinned and gripped his jacket lapels with both hands,
    ambling alongside her to their house. He looked near to whistling,
    24 CLAUDIA DAIN
    silly old fool. “I’m relieved to hear it. I had not liked to think I’d
    misread you as badly as all