Princess Tarasova. “No, my lady. It’s much too soon for me to determine who might be a good match for me.”
“Nonsense. I knew from the moment Marley first took my hand I would marry him.”
Charlotte cast a startled glance at Lady Marley.
“So there is someone.” Lady Marley smiled. “You don’t have to tell me. I will deduce it soon enough.”
On the dance floor, Lord Marley and Princess Tarasova laughed. Self-assured and beautiful, the daughter of a Russian prince and the niece of an equally wealthy duke, Princess Tarasova was a good catch by anyone’s definition.
And Charlotte had nothing to offer but herself.
Chapter Three
Sebastian nodded to acquaintances as he made his way through the ballroom to Ashdown.
“Will you be joining us at White’s this evening?” Ashdown asked. “I’m curious to see how high the bets have risen on your wager that Lord Mills will marry this season.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I had forgotten about that wager.”
“Sometimes I wonder if you would forget your own name if I wasn’t here to remind you.”
Sebastian raised a brow. “I’ll have to escort Gran home first, but I’ll be there. I expect she’ll be ready to leave soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on that,” said Ashdown. “She’s been deep in conversation with Miss Lightwood for some time.”
“With Miss Lightwood?” Sebastian walked to the edge of the ballroom and searched until he spotted his grandmother. “How did that come about?”
“Miss Lightwood managed to capture that little demon of a dog without being injured.” Ashdown gazed at him questioningly. “I assume you’ve met her?”
Sebastian nodded.
Ashdown followed Sebastian’s gaze to where Charlotte sat. “I say, what on earth is she about?”
“She appears to be rearranging the flowers on that table,” Sebastian said softly. The flowers reminded him of the pleasant lavender scent emanating from her during their waltz.
“How odd.” Ashdown leaned forward.
“It is indeed odd. However, I do believe it is an improvement over the previous arrangement.
“She’s quite intriguing,” Ashdown said, “and must be a very accomplished young woman to handle that dog and engage your grandmother for such a long period.”
“She has no dowry.” What the devil had prompted him to say that? He glanced at Ashdown, who had schooled his features and was most decidedly not glancing at him.
He cleared his throat. “Perhaps not, but her father was a baronet, so she’s not entirely beyond the pale.”
Sebastian was fascinated by the way the flickering candlelight highlighted the auburn in her hair. She tilted her head back to laugh at something his grandmother said, and his stomach tightened as he imagined how soft and silky the skin of her throat would be against his lips.
“Marley? Did you hear anything I just said?”
“Err…no,” answered Sebastian without turning away from Miss Lightwood.
“Well I certainly hope you recover from whatever’s ailing you before you arrive at the club tonight. In your current state you’re likely to lose your entire fortune in a game of piquet.” Ashdown clapped him on the back and moved off.
…
“Did anyone catch your fancy this evening?” Lady Marley asked when Sebastian finished tucking a lap robe about her legs and had settled on the seat opposite her.
He responded by raising a brow, knowing better than to give her ammunition she could use against him later. He had decided to pursue Princess Tarasova, but he wasn’t ready to reveal that to her yet.
“I met two charming young ladies,” she continued.
Though Gran’s fondest wish was to see him married, she had little tolerance for most people, and she didn’t suffer fools quietly. “Why Gran, you must be going soft in your old age. I cannot remember the last time you were able to find one, let alone two, new acquaintances you found intriguing.”
“I ask you, who wouldn’t find a Russian princess intriguing? As
“Nonsense. I knew from the moment Marley first took my hand I would marry him.”
Charlotte cast a startled glance at Lady Marley.
“So there is someone.” Lady Marley smiled. “You don’t have to tell me. I will deduce it soon enough.”
On the dance floor, Lord Marley and Princess Tarasova laughed. Self-assured and beautiful, the daughter of a Russian prince and the niece of an equally wealthy duke, Princess Tarasova was a good catch by anyone’s definition.
And Charlotte had nothing to offer but herself.
Chapter Three
Sebastian nodded to acquaintances as he made his way through the ballroom to Ashdown.
“Will you be joining us at White’s this evening?” Ashdown asked. “I’m curious to see how high the bets have risen on your wager that Lord Mills will marry this season.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I had forgotten about that wager.”
“Sometimes I wonder if you would forget your own name if I wasn’t here to remind you.”
Sebastian raised a brow. “I’ll have to escort Gran home first, but I’ll be there. I expect she’ll be ready to leave soon.”
“I wouldn’t count on that,” said Ashdown. “She’s been deep in conversation with Miss Lightwood for some time.”
“With Miss Lightwood?” Sebastian walked to the edge of the ballroom and searched until he spotted his grandmother. “How did that come about?”
“Miss Lightwood managed to capture that little demon of a dog without being injured.” Ashdown gazed at him questioningly. “I assume you’ve met her?”
Sebastian nodded.
Ashdown followed Sebastian’s gaze to where Charlotte sat. “I say, what on earth is she about?”
“She appears to be rearranging the flowers on that table,” Sebastian said softly. The flowers reminded him of the pleasant lavender scent emanating from her during their waltz.
“How odd.” Ashdown leaned forward.
“It is indeed odd. However, I do believe it is an improvement over the previous arrangement.
“She’s quite intriguing,” Ashdown said, “and must be a very accomplished young woman to handle that dog and engage your grandmother for such a long period.”
“She has no dowry.” What the devil had prompted him to say that? He glanced at Ashdown, who had schooled his features and was most decidedly not glancing at him.
He cleared his throat. “Perhaps not, but her father was a baronet, so she’s not entirely beyond the pale.”
Sebastian was fascinated by the way the flickering candlelight highlighted the auburn in her hair. She tilted her head back to laugh at something his grandmother said, and his stomach tightened as he imagined how soft and silky the skin of her throat would be against his lips.
“Marley? Did you hear anything I just said?”
“Err…no,” answered Sebastian without turning away from Miss Lightwood.
“Well I certainly hope you recover from whatever’s ailing you before you arrive at the club tonight. In your current state you’re likely to lose your entire fortune in a game of piquet.” Ashdown clapped him on the back and moved off.
…
“Did anyone catch your fancy this evening?” Lady Marley asked when Sebastian finished tucking a lap robe about her legs and had settled on the seat opposite her.
He responded by raising a brow, knowing better than to give her ammunition she could use against him later. He had decided to pursue Princess Tarasova, but he wasn’t ready to reveal that to her yet.
“I met two charming young ladies,” she continued.
Though Gran’s fondest wish was to see him married, she had little tolerance for most people, and she didn’t suffer fools quietly. “Why Gran, you must be going soft in your old age. I cannot remember the last time you were able to find one, let alone two, new acquaintances you found intriguing.”
“I ask you, who wouldn’t find a Russian princess intriguing? As
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