How to Beguile a Duke (Entangled Scandalous) by Ally Broadfield Page A

Malboeuf, called upon me at Walsley Manor. Is the name at all familiar to you?”
    Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe so. Should it be?”
    “Her father is Claude Malboeuf, a pirate turned legitimate merchant who runs a shipping corporation out of New Orleans.”
    She sat up straight. “Oh my. She is the daughter of a pirate? What business could she have with you?”
    “Save your surprise until you hear the rest.” He crossed his ankle over his knee and continued. “Her mother is Helena Walsley, the daughter of the second to last Viscount Walsley to occupy the house.”
    Staring at him with wide eyes, she opened and then closed her mouth without saying anything.
    “Ponder that for another few days and you’ll understand my position. The blasted woman wants to purchase Walsley Manor from me, but of course I refused. She is now here in London, planning to participate in the season.”
    She filled her cheeks with air and slowly released it. “How…difficult. You put so much time and effort into restoring Walsley. But I also understand why she would wish to have it back in her family. What a situation to find yourself in.”
    He raised his brows. “There is no situation. The house is mine, and I shall not sell it.” Unless, of course, he lost their bet. But that was extremely unlikely to occur, especially after she wielded her knife at the Theatre Royale.
    She clasped her hands together. “How disappointing for Miss Malboeuf. She traveled all the way from the New World only to be denied.”
    He snorted. “She is not the sort of girl to give up easily.”
    “How interesting. With her background, do you think she will be accepted into society?”
    He shrugged. “She attended the opera last night. Hartley’s wife is her sponsor.”
    Patting a loose lock of hair into place, she said, “Oh, with the Hartleys guiding her she should do well. I hope so for their sake, since their daughter is also out.”
    “It becomes even more interesting. Not knowing that she had called upon me in Derbyshire, Hartley approached me at White’s yesterday afternoon to arrange for us to be introduced at the opera. He invited me to make her acquaintance in their box last night.”
    She leaned back against the settee. “You had time to waste at your club yesterday afternoon, but you were too busy to inform your own mother that you were in town?”
    “I hadn’t realized you were sitting around, anxiously awaiting my arrival.”
    She reached across and slapped his hand. “I do not know where I went wrong with you. Truly.” But there was no heat in her words. “Then she…that is…the Hartleys are unaware of her visit to Derbyshire?”
    “So it would seem. I’m willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps she had hoped to purchase the estate prior to going to London. It may have made sense depending upon where her ship landed.”
    “You refused to sell Walsley, and she simply left for London?”
    He shrugged. “More or less.”
    She raised her brows. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    He stood and paced toward the front of the room. “She was very…challenging to deal with. She kept pushing me to sell, and I suspect she will continue to harass me until I either give in or die.”
    “And?”
    “I offered her a wager. If she is able to secure a proposal of marriage from a titled member of the ton , I will sell Walsley to her.”
    She lifted her brows. “Aren’t you worried that she will win the wager?”
    He shook his head. “Not in the slightest.” At least, not really. Sure, she was gorgeous and wealthy, which was bound to attract fortune hunters, but she didn’t seem the sort to allow someone to take advantage of her. The most likely result was that she would drive them away before they could make her an offer.
    “She’s that uncivilized?”
    He searched for the right word to describe her. “Not exactly. She’s…different. She has the wealth and poise to carry it off, but I don’t think she’ll be