The Lady and the Earl (Seabrook Family Saga) by Christine Donovan

he would have
taken her right then and there in the open for anyone to see––so lost in her
he’d been. He’d been so utterly overpowered with lust and need that it shocked
William when he remembered. Perhaps he should take a mistress. That way, when
he saw Amelia, he could control his baser needs. It bothered him to think it,
but she needed someone like the young duke with his stellar reputation. The
realization caused a pain to settle deep inside his chest.
    There was one thing he knew. He could not let his feelings for Amelia
ruin her life. God knows he’d already ruined enough lives.
    ***
    “Must I attend Almack’s, Mother?” Amelia complained as she descended
the grand staircase where Bella, Sebastian, and her mother waited for her.
    “Amelia, my dear, you already know the answer to that,” her mother
replied in her sternest yet sympathetic voice.
    Once in the carriage, seated next to Bella with Sebastian and Mother
opposite, Amelia closed her eyes. Nerves plagued her. No matter how many times
she went out in polite Society, she would be haunted by the impression made
upon her by people whispering about her behind their fans last evening. And
here she was again, sitting in a carriage, going out to Almack’s––of all
places. Would they even let her in the door? And she knew William would not be
there this evening to keep her company, to distract her from all the gossip.
After the scandal surrounding him and his family, Almack’s would never have
renewed William’s subscription. So where did that leave her? Sad and
vulnerable. She would count the minutes until it was time to go home.
    As the carriage came to a halt in front of Almack’s Amelia held her
head up high and her back stiff as she exited on her brother’s arm. Let people
say what they want. She could play the consummate actress for the Season. Then
she would retire to the country with Olivia and live out her days within the
confines of her daughter’s love.
    Her stomach clenched as she wished William was here with her. But that
was silly, and she must not let herself think about William. He had his own
life and demons and secrets to deal with.
    Thankfully, Myles and Amesbury were in attendance. Between them and
Sebastian she never found herself alone. Right now she stood with Amesbury at
the refreshment table, sipping the dreadful watered-down punch.
    “Amesbury, how is it some pretty debutante hasn’t managed to bring you
in front of the parson?” As soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to take
them back. She placed her hand on his forearm to apologize. “I’m sorry. How
terrible of me to have forgotten that you were once betrothed to Lady Beth.”
    “Don’t think anything about it.” Amesbury patted her hand, but his eyes
roamed the room. Who was he looking for? “Lady Beth had every right to
break our betrothal. I treated her horribly.” With those words, he visibly
tensed up before Amelia’s eyes. “I hear it said she’ll be engaged to Lord
Robertson before the Season ends.”
    Oh, dear, by the melancholy way he spoke about Lady Beth, Amelia
believed Amesbury still had feelings for her. What had gone wrong to have her
calling off the nuptials? Amelia would have to ask Wentworth. Why did it seem
everyone was destined for heartbreak? Why did Society dictate such silly rules
when it came to marriages among the ton ?
    Across the room Amelia spotted a tall, lean soldier in uniform. Could
it be? Her knees buckled. She reached out with her right hand and grabbed Amesbury’s
shoulder to stop from falling in a heap on the floor. And would not that create
more fodder for the gossips.
    “Who is that man in uniform?” she asked in a voice foreign to her own
ear.
    “Come.” Amesbury took her arm and escorted her to an empty chair well
away from the crowd. “That is Captain Rycroft’s younger brother.”
    “I thought I saw a ghost. He’s changed so since I last saw him. Is
Daniel’s mother, Lady Dartmouth, also