Bridal Favors - Engaged in Wickedness

Bridal Favors

Engaged in Wickedness

A novella

by

Jade Lee

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Copyright © 2011 by Katherine Grill. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

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Chapter 1

I do so love men
, Lady Gwen thought with a grin as she finished a dance with yet another handsome young gentleman. He bowed stiffly to her because he was a soldier, and Gwen barely restrained a giggle. He was so adorable in his uniform, all starched and proper, but everyone knew a minute alone with him would be a grave risk to her reputation. She knew, of course, because she had already done it, disappearing into an alcove last week with him to receive a few heated kisses. But now their time was over, his kisses already judged as sloppy, so she dismissed him. After all, there were nearly two dozen other gentlemen awaiting her attention, many of whom would try for a secret caress or a stolen kiss.

She cast a wicked smile at her friend, Amelia, careful to avoid the eye of Amelia's harridan of a mother. Mrs. Chichester was playing chaperone this evening since Gwen's own mother couldn't be bothered, her father was likely drunk in a brothel somewhere, and her brothers were otherwise engaged. Little brother, Jack, was doing a Grand Tour of the Continent, so he was excused; but Robert was right here in London. Well, a pox on them all! She could entertain herself! Then just to prove she wasn't in the least bit lonely, she cast a dazzling smile at the nearest of her admirers.

Oh, bad choice! The man she'd targeted was a jackanapes and in debt up to his ears. But it was done now. She would let him get her some punch and then later, perhaps a quick turn about the gardens. Amelia had told her that he kissed with amazing skill and she should know as she had heard it directly from Cynthia whose cousin had been all but assaulted by the man! So Gwen would keep to the lighted walks. Enough to allow a kiss or two to discover if he was as good as was rumored but not enough for any real danger.

She smiled at the man. Mr. Sorrenbarr was his name, though apparently his nickname was something rather... well, sorrier. "I think I should like a glass of lemonade, Mr. Sorrenbarr," she said with the right touch of airy mindlessness. "Do you think you could escort me?"

Two dozen unchosen gentlemen groaned, but the man in question had a gleam in his eyes that both thrilled and horrified her. Some part of her knew she was playing with fire—and with absolutely the wrong man—but as no one seemed to care, most especially her family, then she could do as she pleased.

He took her arm with a grin, and sadly she noticed his teeth were a rather disgusting dark yellow. She was just thinking that she didn't want to kiss him after all when the most horrendous thing happened.

She was
accosted!
Bumped into by an idiot. One who carried a glass of punch, no less. And it went flying, spilling pink liquid all over the place.

She squealed and jumped back, saving herself from the worst of the mess. Sadly, the disaster landed on another lady: a poor country girl who'd once been in yellow but was now stained half pink.

"Good God!" cried Mr. Sorrenbarr. "You clumsy fool! Have you no eyes? You practically ran down Lady Gwen!"

Mr. Sorrenbarr's words were too harsh, and his vehemence made him spit. It was just lemonade after all. Meanwhile the bumbler in question raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"I was in the process of apologizing," he began. And he had been, though his attention had been on the poor country miss. But Mr. Sorrenbarr cut him off, his sniff of disdain harsh enough that Gwen wondered if he'd just given himself a headache.

"You are a fool and an idiot! You shouldn't be allowed around decent people!"

Now that was going too far. All he'd done was run into her, but Gwen didn't have the wherewithal to comment. She was too busy looking at the idiot, taking in his physique, such as it was, and finding herself strangely impressed.

She didn't know why. He was tall. A good head taller than she, though he tended to slouch a bit as if apologizing for his height. His brown hair curled every which way, and his ears were too big. Even worse, his clothing was rather average and not that interesting. And yet when she looked into his brown eyes, she found a startling presence there. A full consciousness, as it were. As if the man were awake when so much of the world was not. She continued to stare and the impression grew, especially as he was looking right back. His gaze was solid, steady, and filled with some emotion that she couldn't name, but that touched her all the way down to her toes.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sorrenbarr would not shut up. "Sirrah!" he hissed. "Have you nothing to say for yourself?"

"I am waiting for Lady Gwen to apologize."

It took a moment for her to realize he was speaking to her. Or about her. Or whatever. She hadn't been paying attention as she looked into the man's eyes. Now his words penetrated, but again Mr. Sorrenbarr was there huffing and puffing.

"Her! Good God, man, you nearly killed her. And God only knows what you have done to her gown!"

The tall man arched his brow at her. "Have you nothing to say, Lady Gwen?"

She blinked, forcing her thoughts together. "Me, sir? I believe I was the one wronged."

His gaze dimmed and she could tell that she'd disappointed him somehow. Then she cursed herself for being annoyed for failing him. Which made her voice even more tart as she scrambled to make sense of the situation. "Shouldn't you be apologizing?"

He released his breath. It wasn't a loud sound or even an obvious grimace. But she saw it and again, she cursed herself for caring. He was rude, damn it! And she saw no reason to—