Wallflower (Old Maids' Club, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

ballroom floor, staring boldly
back at them with a come-hither look in her eyes. She hadn’t even
bothered to try to conceal her wanton expression behind her
fan.
    One side of Shelton’s mouth raised in
a leering grin. “I’d say she wants far more than your name on her
dance card. For that matter, I wouldn’t mind giving her a bit of
what she’s looking for, myself.” Shelton’s hands moved about in a
way that made it abundantly clear what he was thinking.
    Luckily they were still standing in a
close circle. Noah hoped no one else had seen Shelton’s
gestures.
    The others broke out in a raucous
chorus of laughter at Shelton’s antics though, drawing a number of
eyes from around the ballroom. Heat rose in Noah’s face. This
wasn’t appropriate, not in the middle of a genteel ballroom, not in
regards to an innocent young lady.
    But then Raynesford raised a hand. “We
ought,” he said, using more force than was his wont and turning in
particular to his brother, “to be more discreet in our topics of
conversation.” Good. Raynesford could deal with his brother’s
insensitive behavior and leave Noah out of it. Shelton scowled, but
said no more.
    Noah pushed thoughts of his sister’s
brother-in-law aside for the moment and let them instead return to
the young lady they’d been discussing. “Tollington,” he murmured.
“Isn’t Lord Tollington already halfway to debtor’s prison? That
won’t do.”
    He regretted saying it aloud as soon
as the words passed his lips. By gad, he’d intended to keep his
private matters to himself. Now they’d press him for
more.
    Sure enough, Leith leaned in closer,
his eyes widening, though whether from excitement or concern, Noah
couldn’t distinguish. “Won’t do? Why not?”
    Shelton chortled indelicately. The man
really had no shame.
    Claremont shook his head briefly.
“Seems a disgrace not to dance with a pretty thing like that just
because her father is low on funds.”
    “ You go dance with her
then,” Noah said.
    “ Afraid I can’t. Helen
forbade me to dance with any unmarried ladies tonight. She seems to
think I’m giving them the wrong impression for some reason. Is it
my fault I’m more handsome by half than the lot of you combined?”
Claremont ran his fingers through the side of his rich, auburn
hair. “I think she’s green because of the way they look at
me.”
    Raynesford chuckled, which startled
them all. Noah couldn’t remember ever hearing such a sound of mirth
from the man, not in the many years they’d known each other. “They
won’t still be ogling you in a few more months. Your marriage is
new. The novelty will wear off before a year’s out, and then you’ll
be as nondescript to them as I am.”
    “ You’re all off the
point,” Shelton interrupted, crossing his arms over his chest in an
almost menacing fashion. “Devonport, why won’t Miss Tollington do?
Why does it matter if her father’s in debt? You’re the bloody
Marquess of Devonport. You’ve got more properties than you know
what to do with.”
    Apparently, none of the Shelton men
had any intention of backing down from their line of questioning
until they got the answer they were searching for. For once in his
life, Noah wished he had a foul mouth. Cursing seemed entirely
appropriate here.
    He closed his eyes for a moment. “If I
could sell my properties, I would. Lord knows I’ve sold all that
weren’t under entail.”
    Shelton started to interrupt with some
random, incoherent spluttering, before Raynesford cut him off with
a single glance.
    “ When my father inherited
the marquessate, it was already deeply in debt. The previous
marquess, Father’s uncle, had a penchant for gambling above his
means. Even with selling everything I could and cutting down to
only the essential staff to keep my estates running, I’m barely
holding my creditors at bay.”
    “ Then why on earth,” cut
in Raynesford, his voice low and unruffled, “did you offer such a
substantial sum for