The Courtesan's Wager by Claudia Dain Page A

was so common to remark upon it. Perhaps she should not have allied herself with a woman who had been a common courtesan. Then again, things could hardly have reached a worse state. If this interviewing of dukes did not turn the tide, she did not know what would.
    “But now that it is known that you rejected him,” Sophia continued, waving her fan gently, the wispy curls at her temples lifting in concert with the motion, “I should think that everyone in Town, who would not have crossed the Prestwick threshold last week, will push through the door to see whom you will discard next. Pity that you found Calbourne not to your liking. I’ve always seen certain advantages to large men. Perhaps, once you are married and more experienced, you will come to agree with me.”
    If that wasn’t the most . . . the most lurid and vile comment to make to a virginal and innocent lady, then Amelia . . . then Amelia . . . Yes, well, having interviewed a duke for the position of husband might have severely damaged her reputation as an innocent, though being a known innocent had hardly helped her, had it?
    “I don’t think that is likely, Lady Dalby,” Amelia answered with cool civility.
    Mrs. Warren chuckled. Mrs. Warren was something of a permanent fixture when dealing with Sophia. Amelia, while she had not actively disliked Anne Warren before, liked her less the more time she spent with her, likely because she was suspicious that Mrs. Warren was laughing at her.
    “You are amused, Mrs. Warren?” Amelia said with noticeably less civility.
    “Lady Amelia, I am often amused by the things Lady Dalby chooses to say. She has a distinct ability to make truth sound scandalous.”
    But perhaps only when the truth was scandalous. Naturally, Amelia kept that thought to herself.
    “Oh, look who has come to entertain us,” Sophia said, changing the direction of the conversation. One hoped. “It is Lord Iveston and his brothers, minus the lovely Lord Henry, of course. Did he and your cousin not leave Town?”
    “Yes, I believe so,” Amelia said absently, her thoughts momentarily overtaken by the arrival of the four unmarried Blakesleys, who were, taken as a whole, unfortunately spectacular.
    All blond. That was the first firm impression. The eye was positively arrested by the sight of all those gleaming gold heads.
    Then tall, so very pleasingly tall. Not at all like the nearly gigantic proportions of Calbourne, but merely so very nicely tall.
    And handsome. So startlingly handsome, though not mirror images of each other, they all had blond hair and blue eyes and remarkably fit physiques. Of course, she had met each of them at one time or another, but she’d never actually seen them clustered together in a knot of such raw masculinity before now.
    “What a close family they appear to be, to come as a throng to the Prestwick ball,” she said. Cranleigh stood shoulder to shoulder with Iveston, which was not unexpected given what she knew of Cranleigh.
    Sophia eyed her with an amused smile before turning her gaze back to the sons of the Duke of Hyde. “They are a very close family, yes, I do believe so, but as to why they are in attendance at the Prestwick ball, surely you know the reason for that.”
    “Do I?” Amelia countered.
    “They are here, darling Amelia,” Sophia said, closing her fan, “for you.”
    “I beg your pardon?” Amelia asked, snapping her own fan closed. She was not entirely certain, but she did think that Anne Warren was smiling in sympathy at her.
    “They are here,” Sophia said softly, “to protect their darling Iveston from a woman such as you, Lady Amelia. Was ever a woman more complimented than that? Three men to defend against a single, fragile woman. It’s perfectly delicious. You are to be congratulated.”
    “Lady Dalby,” Amelia said firmly, “I hardly think, that is to say, I am sure you must be mistaken. I have done nothing to Lord Iveston and wouldn’t think of—”
    “Think of, Lady