Lessons in French

Lessons in French

Laura Kinsale

Praise for

Lessons in French

"Laura Kinsale creates magic. Her characters live, breathe, charm, and seduce, and her

writing is as delicious and perfectly served as wine in a crystal glass. When you're

reading Kinsale, as with all great indulgences, it feels too good to stop. If there is one

thing I wish for every romance reader, it is to experience the singular and extraordinary

pleasures of a Laura Kinsale novel."

—Lisa Kleypas,
New York Times
bestselling author

"Laura Kinsale is the gold standard in historical romance! Funny, sad, witty, and deeply

sensual,
Lessons in French
is an exquisite romance and an instant classic. Laura Kinsale's

writing is such a pleasure, I know that I'll be rereading
Lessons in French
for years to

come."

—Elizabeth Hoyt,
New York Times
bestselling author

"Laura Kinsale is one of the very best writers that the romance genre has ever seen. I am

in awe of her talent, and I savor every word of her books."

—Madeline Hunter,
New York Times
bestselling author

"I loved it!
Lessons in French
is a delicious new Kinsale that couples the charm of

Midsummer Moon
with the intensity of
Seize the Fire
or
The Shadow and the Star
.

Intrigue, drama, secrets, passion, and a grand romance make this a wonderful addition to

Laura Kinsale's already excellent repertoire."

—Jennifer Ashley,
USA Today
bestselling author

"One of the most beloved writers of romance is back…She's better than ever, and she's

worth the wait! Her wit is laugh-out-loud funny, and her poignant moments are so

heartwarming. I'm glad she is back, and I do believe she is better than before, and I know,

like me, all her fans will be saying her new book was worth the long wait!"

—Amelia Grey, author of
A Duke to Die For
,

The Rogues' Dynasty

"Kinsale is a master storyteller. The sheer beauty of her writing never fails to inspire me."

—Laura Lee Guhrke,
New York Times
bestselling author

"Laura Kinsale is a master! I love her books!
Lessons in French
is one of those rare

books that should be savored. Each word is a gem... I loved it!"

—Jade Lee,
USA Today
bestselling author

"Laura Kinsale is, without question, the best romance writer working today. Each book

she writes has been a rare gift, and
Lessons in French is no different. At times touching,

sexy, heart-breaking, an
d laugh-out-loud funny, the story of Callie and Trev makes this

world a better place. No one, but no one, does it better."

—Anne Stuart,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Silver Falls

"What a delightful romp. Callista is witty, whimsical and deter mined. I LOVE her. Trev

may be the best Kinsale hero yet, a smouldering, complex bear of a man.
Lessons in

French
is a sensual, funny book with the patented Kinsale charm. When I'm not laughing

I'm hanging onto the edge of the chair, enjoying the wild ride. Remember why you read

Romance? This is it."

—Joanna Bourne, national bestselling author of
My Lord

and Spymaster

"Insightful. Uplifting. Laura Kinsale reveals the beauty and vulner ability of the human

heart with clean, page-turning prose. Don't miss this long-awaited classic from the master

storyteller who redefined romantic fiction."

—Jillian Hunter,
USA Today
bestselling author of
A Wicked

Lord at the Wedding

"
Lessons in French
will be welcomed by anyone who knows the subtle humor, powerful

emotions, and witty charm of Laura Kinsale's work. If you're new to Kinsale's writing,

this is a perfect book to start with. Regardless, if you pick up this book, be sure to reserve

several hours for complete indulgence."

—Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

"As great as ever, Laura Kinsale captures our hearts all over again with her newest, sure

to be bestseller,
Lessons in French
."

—Sue Grimshaw, Bookseller

"A truly gifted writer, Laura Kinsale is one of the romance genre's brightest stars."

—Loretta Chase,
New York Times
bestselling author of

Don't Tempt Me

"Lessons in French
is
très magnifique
! A passionate and enchanting story of a second

chance at first love."

—Dear Author

"Kinsale's delightful characters and delicious wit enliven this poignant tale of childhood

loves reunited. It will charm your heart!"

—Sabrina Jeffries,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Wed Him Before You Bed Him

"Laura Kinsale has done it again! Callie and Trevelyan are an engaging couple, one

readers are sure to want to see together. But they're not the only ones who will make

readers enjoy reading the book. The cast of secondary characters is rich and lively, and

the plot was intriguing. I found myself longing for bad weather so I had an excuse to

read."

—Sherry Lewis, award-winning author of
Her Secret Family

"Historical romance fans rejoice! Laura Kinsale is back and guar anteed to win your heart

with
Lessons in French
!"

—Catherine Mann,
USA Today
bestselling author of
Hotshot

"A Laura Kinsale book is a force of nature.
Lessons in French
is one of the best historical

romances I have read in years. Now I regret terribly that I finished it so fast, because I

need me another Laura Kinsale book."

—Sherry Thomas, award-winning author of
Not Quite a Husband

"
Lessons in French
is wonderful romp, presented with wit, style, and Laura Kinsale's

trademark heart-stealing characters. I smiled my way through it, loving every word."

—Jennifer Blake,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Gallant Match

"A rich and rewarding romance from the legendary Laura Kinsale!"

—Mary Jo Putney,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Loving a Lost Lord

Copyright © 2010 by Laura Kinsale

Internal design © 2010 by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Cover design © 2010 by Dawn Pope/Sourcebooks, Inc.

Cover illustration by Alan Ayers

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except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without

permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously.

Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by

the author.

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QW 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Ventoux, the Peter Pan of Great Pyrenees dogs,

Who reminds me that

Life is scary and fun, and if you don't know what to do,

do something odd,

Play even if you don't have someone to play with,

And be sure to dance for joy.

One

LADY CALLISTA TAILLEFAIRE WAS A GIFTED WALLF LOWER. By the age of

seven and twenty, she had perfected the art of blending into the wallpaper and woodwork

so well that she never had to dance and only her most intimate friends greeted her. She

could sit against the pink damask in the ballroom or sit against the green silk in the

refreshment chamber. She didn't even have to match to be overlooked.

"Did you hear that a carriage came to Madame de Monceaux's!" The scarlet plume on

Mrs. Adam's headband swayed alarmingly as she leaned near Callie's ear. "I believe it

is—" But she suddenly broke off her confidence and took Callie's hand. "Oh, do look

down! He is starting this way again."

Callie obeyed, instantly developing a profound interest in the catch on her bracelet. She

had not quite succeeded in becoming completely invisible at these affairs. There were

always the gentlemen of a certain category who solicited her hand, just in case she might

be clutching her eighty thousand pounds in it, Callie supposed, which would save them

the trouble of a stop at the bank as they carried her off.

"There, you are safe!" Mrs. Adam said gustily, as if Callie had barely scraped through

with her life. "Let him pour the butter-boat over Miss Harper, if she is so foolish a girl as

to listen to it."

Callie let go of her bracelet. She had found that looking down and discovering a f

lounce had come loose from her hem, or a stone had worked its way into her slipper, was

evasion enough to discourage the hopeful abductors. Even for eighty thousand pounds

they were not very persistent. She was, after all, Lady Callista Taillefaire, who had been

jilted three times. Even a gentleman with dishonest designs would have to ask himself

what, precisely, could be wrong with her.

She had wrestled with this question herself. Indeed, she and her father and her sister

and their acquaintance and all the local gossips and probably two or three of the wiser

village goats had spent a good deal of time dissecting the matter. No satisfactory answer

had been agreed upon. Her father had attributed it to the general decline of British

manhood into riot and villainy. Her sister, Hermione, felt that Callie showed a deplorable

lack of respect for the fashion in caps. The gossips largely blamed it upon Napoleon.

During the French wars, they had blamed everything on Napoleon, and even five years

after Waterloo he had not outlived his usefulness in that regard. The goats, being

commoners, very properly kept their opinions to themselves.

It was Callie's own conclusion that she was quite plain and had red hair, and she was

very stiff and shy with gentlemen, even after she became engaged to them. Perhaps more

so after she became engaged to them. Her eyes were neither brown nor blue, but some

grayish green middling color, her nose could politely be described as Grecian, having

barely escaped the threat of Roman, and her fair skin f lamed with unbecoming splotches

of pink in the slightest touch of wind.

It was also true that she had a habit of lugging newborn calves into the kitchen from

time to time, which might be considered eccentric in the daughter of an earl. But since

her family had taken care that no rumors of this peculiarity should escape beyond

Shelford, Callie felt that she was not held to be actually dangerous.

Mrs. Adam eased her ample figure from her chair, giving Callie's hand a squeeze and a

pat. "Bless me, there is Mr. Hartman going in to tea. I must speak to him about the altar-

cloth, but I will be back directly. You'll be quite all right now that the sets are forming."

Callie nodded. Having escaped the looming threat of being dragged off by her hair and

ravished, or at least required to dance, she dared a glance at Miss Harper as the young

lady took her place. The girl seemed to be enjoying her swim in the butter. Callie gazed

at the couple, imagining herself—suitably embellished with golden hair and f lower blue

eyes and eyelashes that were the toast of England—dancing gracefully through the

figures. She made light and witty conversation. Her smile pierced the fortune hunting

gentleman to his heart. He was so taken with her that he forgot all about her fortune and

fell desperately in love for the first time in his cynical and dissolute life. He vowed to

give up gambling and drink on her behalf, and fought several duels with men of vague

but wicked demeanor in defense of her honor. Finally, when she refused him, having

selected from among her large following a gentleman of steadier nature, he threw himself

from a sea cliff, leaving a poem of unrequited love in which Callie was thinly disguised

as a mythological heroine with a name at least eight syllables long, which she would look

up later. The poem was published in all the papers and made the ladies weep over it in