As overheard by a waiter at White’s while replenishing the drinks of
London’s four most notorious rakes…
“I daresay we need to liven this season up, gentlemen. What say you
all to a little wager to test our much touted skills?”
“What have you in mind, Simon?”
“I’m sure you’ve all laid eyes upon Lord Convy’s fetching little niece
from the country? Ah, I can see by the gleams in your eyes that you
have. I wager one of us can bag the little chit before she is even
given a chance to wear out the soles of her finest dancing slippers.”
“Hear! Hear!”
“I say Geoffrey has the best chance at her. What woman can resist--”
“No! I’ll take your wager, Simon, and any of you who interferes will
taste the tip of my sword.”
“Whoa there, Ackerly, no need for such dramatics. She’s all yours.
My good man! Yes, you. Bring the betting book ‘round, we’ve a
wager to record. One Lord Ackerly to seduce one delightful Miss
Angelique Deveraux…”
* * *
“Estella, is the lemonade always so…tepid at these affairs?”
Angelique Deveraux grimaced down at the pale yellow liquid filling the
crystal goblet she held. “You would think the drinks could be chilled.”
“My dear, dear Angel, no one comes for the refreshments. They
come to these affairs to be seen and to be--”
“Captured by ravenous wolves on the prowl.” Sebastian Culver,
Estella’s new husband, swooped up behind his blushing wife. After a
polite nod toward Angel, he dragged Estella out onto the dance floor
where they proceeded to shock all spectators by dancing much too
close for propriety’s sake.
Angel sighed at the display and took another sip of her drink.
Sebastian and Estella were still the talk of the town. Their whirlwind
love affair and subsequent marriage had captured the hearts of even
London’s most cynical. Angel had fantasized about just such a
courtship a time or two only to recall she was a nobody and beneath
the notice of almost everybody, including the one person she wished
most to notice her.
Aware of a slight change in the air about her, Angel set her lemonade
aside and craned her neck to see what had caused all present to swirl
to a halt and hold a collective breath. Ah…well that explained it.
The Rakes had arrived.
Purchase a copy to read more!
London’s four most notorious rakes…
“I daresay we need to liven this season up, gentlemen. What say you
all to a little wager to test our much touted skills?”
“What have you in mind, Simon?”
“I’m sure you’ve all laid eyes upon Lord Convy’s fetching little niece
from the country? Ah, I can see by the gleams in your eyes that you
have. I wager one of us can bag the little chit before she is even
given a chance to wear out the soles of her finest dancing slippers.”
“Hear! Hear!”
“I say Geoffrey has the best chance at her. What woman can resist--”
“No! I’ll take your wager, Simon, and any of you who interferes will
taste the tip of my sword.”
“Whoa there, Ackerly, no need for such dramatics. She’s all yours.
My good man! Yes, you. Bring the betting book ‘round, we’ve a
wager to record. One Lord Ackerly to seduce one delightful Miss
Angelique Deveraux…”
* * *
“Estella, is the lemonade always so…tepid at these affairs?”
Angelique Deveraux grimaced down at the pale yellow liquid filling the
crystal goblet she held. “You would think the drinks could be chilled.”
“My dear, dear Angel, no one comes for the refreshments. They
come to these affairs to be seen and to be--”
“Captured by ravenous wolves on the prowl.” Sebastian Culver,
Estella’s new husband, swooped up behind his blushing wife. After a
polite nod toward Angel, he dragged Estella out onto the dance floor
where they proceeded to shock all spectators by dancing much too
close for propriety’s sake.
Angel sighed at the display and took another sip of her drink.
Sebastian and Estella were still the talk of the town. Their whirlwind
love affair and subsequent marriage had captured the hearts of even
London’s most cynical. Angel had fantasized about just such a
courtship a time or two only to recall she was a nobody and beneath
the notice of almost everybody, including the one person she wished
most to notice her.
Aware of a slight change in the air about her, Angel set her lemonade
aside and craned her neck to see what had caused all present to swirl
to a halt and hold a collective breath. Ah…well that explained it.
The Rakes had arrived.
Purchase a copy to read more!
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