To Charm a Naughty Countess (29 page)

“You honor me. As I am not intoxicated, may I be permitted to paw you instead?”

Stepping, sliding, hopping again. This dance was not conducive to conversation. And Joss much preferred boots to the ridiculous glossy shoes required by Bath’s Master of Ceremonies at these formal assemblies. It was so difficult to find his footing in this sort of place.

When they next passed one another, she gave him a truly lovely smile. “You are welcome to try it and see what happens. Are you fond of all your fingers?”

“Indeed I am, my dear Widow Flowers, so I shan’t put a hand on you except as part of this dance. You deserve every courtesy, having married and buried a husband since we last met—when was it?”

“In Lancashire. Last autumn.” She frowned. “At the Duke of Wyverne’s house party.”

“No doubt you are right,” he said lightly. As though he couldn’t remember the exact dates in September, or the bright shade of her hair under the cold northern sky.

A violin wandered out of tune; with a sweet rebuke, an oboe called it back. Joss stepped forward into the cross with the other men. Now the chain, in which his feet were supposed to do something intricate while he and Miss Meredith held hands. He settled for taking her fingers and shuffling back and forth just enough not to smack into the other dancers.

“As I said before, you have my condolences for your recent bereavement,” he added mercilessly. “This festivity must be an attempt to kick away your mourning. Though it is a bit soon, if—”

“It’s all a lie, all right?” she whispered. “Now stop. Talking. You know I’m not a widow.”

Her sudden frankness surprised him into silence, as did the hard expression that crossed her soft features.

For a moment they simply shuffled gracelessly, hands clasped and bodies a breath apart. The pale swell of her flotilla-launching breasts, the fiery glints of her hair under the chandelier-light, had him wishing she were a widow in truth.

But she was a maiden. A
lying
maiden. And two generations of family scandal had taught Joss that, though lies might be permissible, dallying with maidens was not.

“I know you are not,” he said in a voice touched with regret. “I’d love to lie about who I am. I simply didn’t think of it.”

“If only you had, then we would be on equal footing. As it is, my reputation is in your hands.”

“Mrs. Flowers, every time a woman dances with a man, her reputation is in his hands. That is why it is such an honor when a lady agrees to dance with a man.”

“But I asked you to dance,” she said. “Or if we are to be accurate, I informed you that you were to dance with me.”

“Then I suppose
my
reputation is in
your
hands.”

She looked at him with some surprise; then the dance separated them. There ensued an interminable winding and stepping and crossing, until finally the orchestra’s sawing dwindled away. As Miss Meredith applauded with the other dancers, Joss caught her elbow and steered her to the edge of the room.

The crush was slightly less here. When Joss glared at a dandy seated on a small bench, the fellow scrambled away and Joss handed his partner into the seat. “Do tell me, Mrs. Flowers,” he said as he looked down at her, “how have you passed off this new identity?”

A fan dangled from one wrist; she caught it up in her other hand and began teasing it open. It bore a painting of some curly headed Greek-looking youth, with white draperies and tiny wings and puffed-out cheeks.

“Zephyr,” she said, noticing Joss’s gaze. “The god of the west wind. An apt decoration for a fan, don’t you think?” She waved it at him, and a welcome eddy of cool air brushed his features.

Joss ignored this attempt at diversion, lifting his brows.

She snapped the fan closed. “Very well. I’m visiting Bath in company with the Countess of Tallant. She was at the Duke of Wyverne’s house party too, if you remember?”

“Yes, certainly.” The young auburn-haired countess and her doting husband shared unshakable good humor, though the lady was considerably more talented at billiards than the earl.

“Lady Tallant is”—Miss Meredith paused—“not well. She’s here to take the waters and doesn’t plan to mix much in society. So I was tasked with visiting the Pump Room after we arrived, to sign our names in the guest book and meet the Master of Ceremonies and whatnot. I took the opportunity to…not be me anymore.”

“You are still you,” Joss reminded her. “You simply called yourself something different. Why Mrs. Flowers, by the way?”

She coughed. “I saw a vase of flowers in one corner as I was introducing myself, and that was that.”

“To think, if the Master of Ceremonies had made your introduction in a different room, Bath might now be admiring the charms of Mrs. Roman Statue.”

Her attempt at a frown was a dreadful failure; in a moment, it flipped into a smile and a low chuckle. The sound was throaty and knowing, entirely different from the feathery giggle she had used with the portly drunkard who had tried to seize her for a dance.

That had been a maiden’s laugh. This? This was the chuckle of a woman who liked the company of a man.

Only when her laugh fell silent, the smile vanishing, did Joss realize he had been staring at her in some wonder.

“So you’ll keep my secret?” she asked in a brittle voice.

“That depends on why you possess a secret in the first place.” Though his brows were getting tired from all the lifting, he kept the blasé expression on his face. “Why are you posing as a widow, Miss Meredith? Are you in some danger?”

Her features crumpled; then she straightened her shoulders. “Not at all.” She looked up at him, and her smile almost reached her brandy-gold eyes. “It’s as simple as this, Mr. Everett. I require a lover.”

Thanks to my husband, who critiques pages, listens to me mumble about story ideas, and puts our young daughter to bed every night so I can squeeze in a little more writing. And thanks to Amanda, who does the first two of those things with great cheer, even though she has kids of her own to put to bed.

On the Sourcebooks team, deep gratitude to Deb Werksman, Susie Benton, Danielle Dresser, and the folks in art and marketing. To Paige Wheeler, always a marvelous advocate. And dear readers, my thanks to you for finding my books.

And finally, thanks to my friends and family—especially my parents. They’ve both worked in the field of mental health since before I was a wee glimmer, and their expertise has inspired and informed this story.

Also, they gave me my first books. So really, this is all their doing.

Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing too.
To
Charm
a
Naughty
Countess
is the second book in the Regency Matchmaker trilogy. Theresa lives with her family in the Midwest.

Between a Rake and a Hard Place

by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe

Lady Serena’s list of forbidden pleasures

Attend an exclusively male club.

Smoke a cigar.

Have a fortune told by gypsies.

Dance the scandalous waltz.

Sir Jonah Sharp thinks Lady Serena Osbourne will be just like any other debutante, and seducing her will be one of the easiest services he’s ever done for the Crown. Then he catches her wearing trousers and a mustache in his gentleman’s club and she demands he teach her to smoke a cigar. But what will truly be Jonah’s undoing is finding out he’s an item on her list too, which makes him determined to bring her all the forbidden pleasure she can handle.

“Shimmers with romance… Well-rounded characters and effortless plotting make this installment the best in the series.”—
Publishers Weekly

For more Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com

Much Ado About Jack

by Christy English

How to become London’s most notorious widow:

1. Vow to NEVER re-marry

2. Own your own ship and become fabulously wealthy

3. Wear the latest risqué fashions in your signature color

4. Do NOT have a liaison at the Prince Regent’s palace with a naval captain whose broad shoulders and green eyes make you forget Rule #1

Angelique Beauchamp, the widowed Countess of Devereaux, has been twice burned by love, and she is certain that no man will ever touch her heart again. But that doesn’t mean she can’t indulge a little—and it would be hard to find a more perfect dalliance than the dashing Captain James Montgomery.

After a brief but torrid affair, James tries to forget Angelique and his undeniable thirst for more. The luscious lady was quite clear that their liaison was temporary. But for the first time, the lure of the sea isn’t powerful enough to keep him away…

Praise for
How to Tame a Willful Wife
:

“Refreshingly honest and passionate.”—
Publishers Weekly

For more Christy English, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com

What the Groom Wants

by Jade Lee

USA Today
Bestselling Author

An honest love…

Radley Lyncott has been in love with Wendy Drew as long as he can remember. When he went to sea, she was too young to court. Now that he’s returned to take up his Welsh title, he is appalled to find that debt has ruined the Drew family, and—even worse—Wendy is being courted by another man.

Or a dangerous attraction?

Family comes first for seamstress Wendy Drew, who is forced to settle her brother’s debt by working nights at a notorious gambling den. But her double life hasn’t gone unnoticed—she has captivated none other than Demon Damon, a nefarious rake who understands Wendy’s darkest desires and is hell-bent on luring her into his arms.

Praise for Jade Lee:

“Lee has a definite flair for creating engaging characters…”—
Booklist Online

“Ms. Lee is a wonderful storyteller. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.”
—
My Book Addiction Reviews

For more Jade Lee, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com

How to Lose a Lord in 10 Days or Less

Tricks of the Ton

by Elizabeth Michels

Their love sparks in the stables

After years away from home, Andrew Clifton, Lord Amberstall, is attacked by a hired hit man on his way back to London. With an injured horse and no shelter, Andrew becomes the unintentional houseguest of the Moore family.

But it’s bound to be a bumpy ride

Katie Moore could always be found at the stables—until her riding accident. Now she locks herself away from Society—embarrassed by her injuries. While Katie tends to Andrew’s horse, the two are at odds about everything, except their feelings for one another and the danger that they’re about to discover on the road ahead…

Praise for
Must Love Dukes
:

“Michels’s fast-paced debut is sweet and…accurately depicts the difficulties faced by nineteenth-century aristocratic women.” —
Publishers Weekly

For more Elizabeth Michels, visit:

www.sourcebooks.com