“What are you doing in here, my lord?” she demanded, frowning at him.
Even her displeasure was somehow alluring.
He ground his molars and forced himself to imagine a shovel’s worth of cold December snow being dumped down the fall of his breeches. Anything to abate the irritating desire the disapproving creature glowering at him now inspired.
“Forgive me, Miss Winter,” he said, bowing stiffly. “I find myself bored and in search of diversion. I had not realized the library was occupied.”
Her lips pursed, and she raised a dark brow high, her countenance making it apparent she did not believe him. Nor was she wrong to find him or his motives suspect. A wise woman, Miss Prudence Winter.
“Now that you realized I am within, you can see the necessity for you to go,” she told him coolly.
Here was the other thing about her. Unlike most females of his acquaintance, Miss Winter was not easily won over by him. Upon their every previous interaction—three, not that he was counting—she had made him work for each word she deigned to utter.
“It would be wise for me to observe propriety and go,” he agreed calmly. “However, now that I have your ear, I find myself loath to leave.”
“Lord Ashley, you do not have my ear, you have my irritation,” she countered, sweeping toward him with purpose in her step. “I have told you before that I have absolutely no tolerance for meaningless flattery.”
Yes, she had, the impertinent baggage. Only worse.
“I believe you said you had no tolerance for meaningless flattery from empty-headed rakehells,” he mused, stroking his jaw as if in deep thought.
There was no need for thought. She had said precisely that. Verbatim.
“Then one wonders why you have followed me here, Lord Ashley,” she countered, standing near enough now that he could touch her if he wished.
Of course, he wished.
He clenched his fists to stave off the desire.
“I did not follow you, Miss Winter,” he lied.
“Of course you did,” she countered. “Just as you followed me on the two previous occasions our paths have crossed.”
“Three occasions,” he muttered below his breath before he could think better of it.
Ash could not be certain if she had truly forgotten how many times they had spoken or if she was intentionally nettling him. With Miss Prudence Winter, it could certainly be either.
“I beg your pardon?” she asked.
He cleared his throat again and then busied himself by brushing the sleeve of his coat. Affecting ennui was a special gift of his. “Nothing to concern yourself over, Miss Winter. I can assure you, I have not been following you.”
She tilted her head, considering him with a chocolate-brown gaze he could not help but to feel saw far too much. “As it pleases you, Lord Ashley. Please just go. I am in search of a book to read. Surely there is some other lady in attendance you can attempt to seduce in my stead? I am certain I have made my lack of enthusiasm known.”
Curse it, the woman was bold and brash. He would have told Gill to seek another bride, but the bind their wastrel father had left the estates in meant Gill needed to take a wife with the sort of immense funds only a Winter possessed. And the Winter sisters were all a troublesome lot, as far as Ash could tell.
“You have confused the matter, I am afraid, Miss Winter,” he told her calmly, forcing a polite smile. “Seducing you is not my aim at all. Rather, I am aiding my brother in his search for a bride.”
She appeared distinctly unimpressed. “While offering His Grace your assistance is commendable, I fear you are wasting your time with me. I have no intention of marrying.”
No intention of marrying?
Just what manner of female was Miss Prudence Winter?
Want more? Look for Ash and Pru’s story, Wagered in Winter, here!
Don’t miss Scarlett’s other romances!
(Listed by Series)
Complete Book List
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Heart’s Temptation
A Mad Passion (Book One)
Rebel Love (Book Two)
Reckless Need (Book Three)
Sweet Scandal (Book Four)
Restless Rake (Book Five)
Darling Duke (Book Six)
The Night Before Scandal (Book Seven)
Wicked Husbands
Her Errant Earl (Book One)
Her Lovestruck Lord (Book Two)
Her Reformed Rake (Book Three)
Her Deceptive Duke (Book Four)
Her Missing Marquess (Book Five)
League of Dukes
Nobody’s Duke (Book One)
Heartless Duke (Book Two)
Dangerous Duke (Book Three)
Shameless Duke (Book Four)
Scandalous Duke (Book Five)
Sins and Scoundrels
Duke of Depravity (Book One)
Prince of Persuasion (Book Two)
Marquess of Mayhem (Book Three)
Earl of Every Sin (Book Four)
The Wicked Winters
Wicked in Winter (Book One)
Wedded in Winter (Book Two) ~ Available in the special, limited edition box set Once Upon A Christmas Wedding
Wanton in Winter (Book Three)
Wishes in Winter (Book 3.5) ~ Available in A Lady’s Christmas Rake
Willful in Winter (Book Four)
Wagered in Winter (Book Five)
Wild in Winter (Book Six)
Wooed in Winter (Book Seven) ~ Available in Lords, Ladies and Babies
Stand-alone Novella
Lord of Pirates
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Love’s Second Chance
Reprieve (Book One)
Perfect Persuasion (Book Two)
Win My Love (Book Three)
Coastal Heat
Loved Up (Book One)
About the Author
USA Today and Amazon bestselling author Scarlett Scott writes steamy Victorian and Regency romance with strong, intelligent heroines and sexy alpha heroes. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Canadian husband, adorable identical twins, and one TV-loving dog.
A self-professed literary junkie and nerd, she loves reading anything, but especially romance novels, poetry, and Middle English verse. Catch up with her on her website www.scarlettscottauthor.com. Hearing from readers never fails to make her day.
Scarlett’s complete book list and information about upcoming releases can be found at www.scarlettscottauthor.com.
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Willful in Winter
The Wicked Winters Book Four
All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2019 by Scarlett Scott
Published by Happily Ever After Books, LLC
Kindle Edition
Edited by Grace Bradley
Cover Design by Wicked Smart Designs
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded, or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is punishable by law.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events, or
locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
For more information, contact author Scarlett Scott.
www.scarlettscottauthor.com
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