The Perfect Rake Read Online Free PDF Page A

and then said with brutal Gallic frankness, “You, mademoiselle , will be a leetle more difficile . You are no gazelle; you are more of ze leetle pony. But I do not despair, I do not despair. Me, I can make anyone elegant!”
    Prudence was inclined to be indignant. She ate as much as her sisters—in fact, generally a lot less than the twins—so it really wasn’t fair that they should all be slender and sylphlike and she should be…a round, little pony.
    Vanity was a sin, Prudence told herself firmly at the end of the day as she climbed into bed feeling crushed and clumsy. It was shallow to think her looks mattered. What mattered was that one of her sisters would soon find a husband and then they would all, especially Grace, be safe from Grandpapa.
    But her looks mattered more than she realized.
    The fourth morning at breakfast, Great-uncle Oswald made the fatal announcement. He brought Grandpapa’s supposed letter to the breakfast table and read one part aloud:
    “I have other plans for Prudence, the eldest, so there is no need for her to make her coming-out. She can chaperone her sisters and take care of most matters, so that the girls’ Female Chatter will not bother you unduly.”
    He’d glanced at Prudence across the table and asked, “You know what your grandpapa intends, don’t you? Always was a selfish one, my brother. Just like him to keep you back to care for him in his old age.” He snorted and put the letter aside. “I’ve watched you with your sisters, missy. You take excellent care of ’em, don’t you?”
    Prudence had blinked at the unexpected praise. She could not remember when anyone had said anything so kind to her.
    Great-uncle Oswald nodded emphatically. “Yes, you’re a good, sweet girl, Prudence Merridew, and—dash it all!—you shall have your chance! You may lack your sisters’ dazzlin’ looks, but I’m confident we can fire you off well enough. There are plenty of sensible fellows who look for more than beauty in a wife. We’ll find a husband for you yet, little missy, don’t you fret! You’ll not waste your life away runnin’ around after other people and lookin’ after selfish old men.”
    “Oh but she alrea—” began Charity, and then stopped, flustered, at Prudence’s urgent look.
    “It is all right, Great-uncle Oswald,” Prudence assured him hastily. “Please don’t worry about me. I am very happy as it is. I very much look forward to being my sisters’ chaperone and going about with them. It will be such fun.”
    Great-uncle Oswald smiled at her gently, and with pity. “Dear, noble little creature. You lack your sisters’ looks, but you have a truly beautiful soul.”
    Prudence gritted her teeth and forced herself to smile. His next pronouncement wiped the smile off her face.
    “I’ll fire you off first, without your sisters. Once the ton claps eyes on that bevy of beauties, you won’t stand a chance.” He nodded and beheaded a boiled egg with gusto. “Then, once you’re safely buckled, we can let loose these diamonds to dazzle the world.” He beamed around the table at her sisters, and before Prudence could think of some way to change his mind, the carriage arrived to take them shopping.
    But now, after a week in London, it was very clear that Great-uncle Oswald meant exactly what he had said. He wasn’t going to allow Charity, Hope, or Faith to be presented to the ton until Prudence was married! And nothing Prudence could say or do would budge him from that position.
    “I am sorry,” she explained to her sisters in a despairing voice one night in the upstairs parlor, “but though Great-uncle Oswald is so very kind and generous, in his own way he is just as stubborn and impervious to reason as Grandpapa is!”
    “You have to tell him about Phillip,” Hope said. “It is the only thing. Once he realizes you are already betrothed, there is no reason to keep the rest of us in seclusion.”
    “I cannot tell him about Phillip,” explained Prudence