it did not signify. She had no intention of making his acquaintance, especially after that letter from Montclief. The last thing she needed was for Montclief to learn that she’d befriended a well-known rake. Undoubtedly, Montclief would assume the worst, and then he would take Justin away from her. She could not afford to rouse even the slightest suspicion.
Laura walked to the window and looked down at the street. That smart, shiny black carriage probably belonged to Lord Bellingham. Any moment now, he would emerge along the walk, and then she must step back, so that he wouldn’t know she had watched him.
No doubt he thought himself a gift to women. He probably thought she had loose morals because she was a widow. Well, if he thought he could corrupt her, he was in for a surprise. She intended to keep far, far away from him, just as Lady Atherton had advised.
Footsteps sounded outside the door and thudded on the carpet, but she kept her gaze on the street. Another carriage drew up. Well, that would be Lady Atherton. “Reed, I hope you sent the earl on his way.”
“He tried, but I’m not so easily dissuaded.”
Laura gasped and whirled around.
The adventure of Lord Bellingham and Laura, Lady Chesfield, continues in Vicky Dreiling’s sizzling new series…
To save her stepson from his mean-spirited uncle, Laura will need the help of the devil himself.
The last thing Lord Bellingham wants is a wife, until the beautiful Laura asks him to take part in a sham engagement—awakening his most wicked desires.
See the next page for a preview of Book 1 in the Sinful Scoundrels series,
WHAT A WICKED EARL WANTS
Chapter One
London, 1819
C ould this day possibly get any worse?
Laura Davenport, Lady Chesfield, rubbed her temples after her butler quit the drawing room. Doubtless, she was the only woman in London who had the temerity to refuse admittance to the wicked Lord Bellingham. Indeed, she suspected even the most genteel of ladies would flutter their fans and flirt outrageously with him. Since she was a vicar’s daughter, she liked to think she was made of sterner stuff. Unfortunately, she’d discovered last night that she was more than a little susceptible to the uncommonly handsome earl.
She would not think about the way he’d let his gaze travel over her body last evening at the ball. Most certainly, she would not dwell on the way her skin had heated while he’d perused her. Above all, she would banish the illicit fantasies that had danced in her head while she’d tossed and turned in bed last night.
Even if she wanted to dally with the notorious earl, she would not dare, especially after receiving the scathing letter earlier from her stepson’s guardian. Montclief was displeased that she had taken his seventeen-year-old nephew to London. She’d found his terse letter hypocritical and insulting.
Yesterday, she would not have worried a jot about Justin’s uncle. For years, he’d refused to do his duty by his nephew, claiming he was too busy with his own large brood. His letter, however, had left her with no doubt that Montclief would take Justin away if he heard even a hint of a problem.
Laura inhaled and exhaled slowly to steady her nerves. She would write a short letter to Montclief to reassure him that all was well in London. It would be an outrageous lie, for Justin had turned quite rebellious recently. She must impress upon Justin the necessity of steering clear of trouble. If he did not cooperate, she would have no choice but to remove him from London.
She walked over to the window. The wavy glass distorted the view somewhat, but that shiny black carriage obviously belonged to the Earl of Bellingham. Any moment now, he would emerge from her town house. All she wanted was to see the back of him retreating.
How had he discovered her name and address? The thought troubled her. She had no idea why he’d sent up a flask, of all things, but of course, she’d refused his strange gift. They had not
Laura walked to the window and looked down at the street. That smart, shiny black carriage probably belonged to Lord Bellingham. Any moment now, he would emerge along the walk, and then she must step back, so that he wouldn’t know she had watched him.
No doubt he thought himself a gift to women. He probably thought she had loose morals because she was a widow. Well, if he thought he could corrupt her, he was in for a surprise. She intended to keep far, far away from him, just as Lady Atherton had advised.
Footsteps sounded outside the door and thudded on the carpet, but she kept her gaze on the street. Another carriage drew up. Well, that would be Lady Atherton. “Reed, I hope you sent the earl on his way.”
“He tried, but I’m not so easily dissuaded.”
Laura gasped and whirled around.
The adventure of Lord Bellingham and Laura, Lady Chesfield, continues in Vicky Dreiling’s sizzling new series…
To save her stepson from his mean-spirited uncle, Laura will need the help of the devil himself.
The last thing Lord Bellingham wants is a wife, until the beautiful Laura asks him to take part in a sham engagement—awakening his most wicked desires.
See the next page for a preview of Book 1 in the Sinful Scoundrels series,
WHAT A WICKED EARL WANTS
Chapter One
London, 1819
C ould this day possibly get any worse?
Laura Davenport, Lady Chesfield, rubbed her temples after her butler quit the drawing room. Doubtless, she was the only woman in London who had the temerity to refuse admittance to the wicked Lord Bellingham. Indeed, she suspected even the most genteel of ladies would flutter their fans and flirt outrageously with him. Since she was a vicar’s daughter, she liked to think she was made of sterner stuff. Unfortunately, she’d discovered last night that she was more than a little susceptible to the uncommonly handsome earl.
She would not think about the way he’d let his gaze travel over her body last evening at the ball. Most certainly, she would not dwell on the way her skin had heated while he’d perused her. Above all, she would banish the illicit fantasies that had danced in her head while she’d tossed and turned in bed last night.
Even if she wanted to dally with the notorious earl, she would not dare, especially after receiving the scathing letter earlier from her stepson’s guardian. Montclief was displeased that she had taken his seventeen-year-old nephew to London. She’d found his terse letter hypocritical and insulting.
Yesterday, she would not have worried a jot about Justin’s uncle. For years, he’d refused to do his duty by his nephew, claiming he was too busy with his own large brood. His letter, however, had left her with no doubt that Montclief would take Justin away if he heard even a hint of a problem.
Laura inhaled and exhaled slowly to steady her nerves. She would write a short letter to Montclief to reassure him that all was well in London. It would be an outrageous lie, for Justin had turned quite rebellious recently. She must impress upon Justin the necessity of steering clear of trouble. If he did not cooperate, she would have no choice but to remove him from London.
She walked over to the window. The wavy glass distorted the view somewhat, but that shiny black carriage obviously belonged to the Earl of Bellingham. Any moment now, he would emerge from her town house. All she wanted was to see the back of him retreating.
How had he discovered her name and address? The thought troubled her. She had no idea why he’d sent up a flask, of all things, but of course, she’d refused his strange gift. They had not
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