How to Seduce a Scoundrel

by Vicky Dreiling

  Hester smiled knowingly as Amy tugged her skirts over her exposed calves. Then Hester walked over to the desk and smoothed out the crumpled paper.

  Julianne hissed in a breath, drawing Hester’s attention.

  “It seems you wrote down part of my advice. Were you planning to share it with your friends?” Hester asked.

  Julianne hesitated. “Perhaps I should have asked your permission first.”

  Georgette nodded. “We thought about sharing it with the other young ladies, but they might reveal Julianne wrote it, and the gossip would ruin her.”

  Julianne gave her cork-brained friend a speaking look. “You and Amy would be implicated as well.” She, on the other hand, had nothing to lose.

  Georgette’s eyes widened. “Oh, I didn’t think about that.”

  Amy mumbled under her breath.

  “I believe you should share the advice with all the young ladies,” Hester said.

  “The risk is too great,” Amy said.

  Hester regarded Amy. “Ah, I heard you were a sensible girl. I concede Miss Hardwick’s point about gossip, but I have an idea.”

  Julianne eased off the bed and walked to the desk. “What sort of plan do you have in mind?”

  Hester pulled out the chair. “Be seated,” she said, drawing out a fresh sheet of paper. “Now, the way to keep our little secret is to publish the advice anonymously. I have a gentleman friend who will ask no questions. He will make all the arrangements. That way no one will trace the identity of the author.”

  “It will be a book?” Julianne’s heart beat faster. “I am to be an author?”

  “I’m envisioning a pamphlet, as we can have it produced quicker,” Hester said. “Of course, all of us must keep the secret. As Miss Hardwick said, you do not wish to stain your reputations.”

  “Amy, even you cannot find fault with that plan,” Georgette said.

  Amy worried her hands. “I have grave misgivings.”

  Hester lifted her quizzing glass to inspect Amy. “Your concern is understandable, but in this case, there is no danger to any of you. If matters grow hot, I will take responsibility. One of the advantages of old age is that society excuses one’s eccentricities.”

  Amy frowned. “It still seems terribly risky to me.”

  “The only thing required of you and Lady Georgette is secrecy,” Hester said. “You must never reveal it to another soul.”

  “We will keep mum,” Georgette said. “Oh, this will be such fun.”

  Hester uncapped the inkwell, dipped the pen, and handed it to Julianne. “Now the work begins.”

  “I do not know where to start,” Julianne said. “It seems an overwhelming task.”

  “You need a title, do you not?” Hester said. “It must convey the contents in such a way that others will rush to purchase it.”

  Julianne furrowed her brows. “Advice to the Lovelorn?”

  “We need something more provocative,” Hester said, waving her hand in dismissal. “Ah, I have it: The Secrets of Seduction.”

  Georgette gasped. “Seduction?”

  “Only the suggestion of it, my dear,” Hester said. “Teasing and implied promises of secret pleasures make any man wild. I’ve some experience in the matter.”

  Since Hester had managed to attract five husbands, Julianne concluded she was an expert. “The title is perfect,” she said, scribbling it on the page and ignoring Amy’s moan. Underneath, she wrote By a Lady. She blew on the wet ink, set the page aside, and considered the blank page Hester handed her. “Now what?”

  “An introduction is necessary,” Hester said. “You must explain what drove you to conclude that unmarried ladies need a better method of leading gentlemen to the altar.”

  “Write it as if you’re addressing a friend,” Georgette said.

  “An excellent suggestion,” Hester said. “Julianne, let the words flow upon the page.”

  Julianne dipped the pen again. Excitement filled her as she wrote. When she finished, she read it aloud at Hester’s urging.

  Dear Desperate Readers,

  I am prevailed upon by friends to publish my advice designed to fell even the most resistant of bachelors. My friends and I have observed that far too many single gentlemen put off marriage in favor of unsavory pursuits. Meanwhile, our fair sex waits, often in vain. Ladies, it is time we took matrimonial matters into our own capable hands.

  Naturally, as a lady, I must remain anonymous to protect my reputation. Before I delve into the particulars, I entrust my readers to keep THE SECRETS OF SEDUCTION from falling into the hands of our gentlemen admirers. After all, a single lady must use every weapon available in her feminine arsenal.

  “A wonderful introduction.” Hester drew in her breath as if she meant to say more, but a knock on the door forestalled her. “Come in,” she said.

  A footman announced that Lord Hawkfield waited in the Egyptian drawing room. Julianne’s stomach tightened involuntarily.

  When the door shut, Georgette stood and shook out her skirts. “We must leave you now.”

  “You mean to abandon me?” Julianne said, her voice rising with shock.

  “I agree with Georgette,” Amy said. “You must face him today, and we will only be in the way.”

  “You needn’t worry. Lady Rutledge will be with you,” Georgette said.

  After her friends left, Julianne swallowed hard. She dreaded seeing Hawk today. In one night, her relationship with him had been altered forever. She needed more time to adjust to the sudden change, more time to mourn the dream she’d clung to for so many years. More time to heal.

  Hester gave her a sympathetic look. “Use your wiles to distract him. I’m sure all will work out as you wish.”

  She didn’t even know what she wished for anymore, but remembering his words last night, she pressed her nails into her palms. Under no circumstances would she grovel. She lifted her chin. “Please inform him that I am not receiving.”

  “That’s the spirit,” Hester said. “I shall return directly to report his reaction.”

  Afterward, Julianne returned to the desk, determined to put him from her mind, but that was easier said than done. Memories of their waltz last evening kept invading her brain.

  Stop. She would not let thoughts of him distract her from writing the pamphlet. Why should she waste her time on a man who had kept her dangling for years?

  The word dangling spurred an idea. All too often, gentlemen pretended interest, only to dash a poor lady’s hopes with nary a thought to the damage they’d done. The idea of letting those arrogant rogues continue to rule over the ladies infuriated her. She dipped her pen and started scribbling as fast as she could.

  A gentleman of sense and education wants nothing more than to marry a gently bred young lady with a pleasing countenance, soft voice, and deferential manners.

  Poppycock.

  At the risk of shocking my readers, I am compelled to reveal the truth. If you wish to secure a marriage proposal from the gentleman of your dreams, you must forget all of your mother’s well-intended advice.

  I imagine many of you are gasping at such a scandalous idea, but I submit that we are looking at the matter from only a feminine point of view. In order to understand what a man wants, we must first examine his attitude toward marriage.

  Do not misunderstand me. Bachelors know they are expected to wed in order to carry out their duty to their families. However, you will note that most are in no great hurry to renounce their bachelorhood. In fact, they are, by and large, determined to remain single as long as possible. Why?

  They do not wish to give up their drinking, gaming, and wenching.

  Do not despair. In the following chapters, I will reveal the secrets of becoming irresistible to even the most determined of bachelors.

  A knock sounded at the door. When Julianne answered, a footman informed her that Lord Hawkfield requested her immediate presence in the Egyptian drawing room.

  She sniffed. “Tell him I am occupied.”

&nbs
p; After the servant departed, she padded back to the desk with a smug smile. Let him stew.

  She read over her words and made several corrections when another knock sounded. In exasperation, she strode over to the door to find the beleaguered footman holding out a silver tray with a note. Julianne retrieved the folded paper and read the message.

  My Dear Impertinent Ward,

  Either you present yourself in the drawing room in ten minutes or you will forfeit the rest of the season.

  Impatiently yours,

  Hawk

  “A moment please,” she said to the footman. Then she returned to the desk and wrote her reply on Hawk’s note.

  My Dear Dictatorial Guardian,

  You have obviously forgotten the proprieties. It is a lady’s prerogative to refuse a caller. I will receive you another day, provided you present yourself in a gentlemanly manner.

  Never yours,

  Julianne

  After instructing the footman to deliver her missive, she returned to the desk, but the latest edition of La Belle Assemblée tempted her. She perused the fashion plates, finding one especially lovely walking gown trimmed with pink ribbons.

  The door flew open, startling her. Hester hurried inside, her eyes bright. “My nephew is in a state. I must say your reply was quite inventive, but now you must come.”

  Julianne set the magazine aside and frowned. “I will not bow to his demands.”

  “You mustn’t push him too far. He threatened to return you home if you do not cooperate.”

  Hawk probably wanted to be rid of her so he could spend all of his time carousing and raking. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “Oh, very well.”

  She followed Hester downstairs. Despite her earlier bravado, Julianne’s anxiety grew with each step she took. When they neared the drawing room, she turned a pleading look on Hester. “I do not wish to see him today. It’s too soon.”

  “My nephew will bluster, but you’ve nothing to fear.”

  She wasn’t afraid of Hawk. She was afraid of herself, because deep inside, a little corner of her heart still ached. But she vowed never to let him see he’d wounded her. Taking a deep breath, she walked with Hester into the drawing room.

  Hawk turned away from his contemplation of the faux mummy and clasped his hands behind his back. Naturally the dogs leaped up, barking and wagging their tails. Hawk ordered them to sit and strode across the plush carpet. He wore a hunter-green riding coat and buff trousers that hugged his muscular legs like gloves.

  Why was she admiring him when he’d humiliated her last evening? She lifted her chin and gave him a freezing look.

  “Ah, now I perceive the reason for your reluctance to greet me,” he said.

  She regarded him with suspicion. “I beg your pardon?”

  “You are looking a bit peaked, no doubt the result of your indulgence last evening. I daresay you’re ready to renounce wine forever.”

  She averted her gaze because she didn’t want him to see that his jest hurt.

  He chuckled. “You’re awfully touchy today.”

  Hester let out a disgusted sigh and ambled over to the sofa. “Marc, you brute. Do not tease her.”

  Julianne drew in her breath, determined to pretend she didn’t care. “I’m impervious to him.” She didn’t spare him a glance as she marched over to the sofa directly across from his aunt and perched upon it. For good measure, she covered a yawn.

  “You did not sleep well last night?” he asked.

  She would never admit it. “On the contrary, I slept like the mummy.”

  “Julianne, you know why I’m here,” he said. “I’ll hear your explanation and your apology now.”

  “Marc, she apologized to me last night,” Hester said. “Let us forget this matter.”

  “An apology won’t satisfy him,” Julianne said. “He expects me to grovel.”

  “I expect you to tell me why you tricked me last night,” he said.

  She huffed. “You act as if I have done you an injury.”

  “You barely escaped ruining your reputation last night,” he said.

  “I find it exceedingly hypocritical of you to criticize me when your reputation is firmly entrenched in the mud.”

  “If you think to divert me, you are sadly mistaken,” he said. “Your brother named me your guardian, and I intend to protect you, whether you like it or not.”

  “He must have been out of his wits.”

  “I believe that described you last evening,” he said.

  “Now, now,” Hester said. “She was only a tad tipsy.”

  “She was three sheets to the wind,” he muttered.

  “If you had not acted like an ill-mannered ogre last night, none of this would have happened,” Julianne said. He’d all but made a public declaration when he’d gazed into her eyes after their waltz. Then he’d denied any tender feelings for her. He was a heartless cad.

  “You blame me for your indiscretion?” he said, his voice rising.

  The dogs growled.

  “You are agitating Caro and Byron,” Julianne said.

  The dogs growled louder.

  “Hush,” Hester cried.

  The dogs started yapping. Hawk ordered them to cease. They kept barking, making Julianne’s temples throb.

  “I will see to them.” Hester pushed to her feet. Despite her cajoling, the canines refused to obey. Then she grabbed two biscuits off the tea tray, walked to the door, and called out, “Treat, treat.”

  The spaniels raced out of the drawing room.

  After Hester followed the dogs out and shut the door, Hawk took three long strides until he stood at Julianne’s feet. “Now you will explain, and don’t lie. I’ll know.”

  His words last night pierced her heart anew. Lady Julianne is practically a sister to me. He knew that he’d misled her and everyone else at that ball.

  “Answer me,” he said.

  She rose from the sofa, refusing to let him loom over her—not that it did much good since he was a head taller. “You presume I planned to escape the ballroom for mischievous purposes.”

  “It is fact, not presumption,” he said.

  “I left the ballroom because you made a scene when Ramsey asked me to dance.” Her hand had shaken uncontrollably. If her friends had not intervened, she might have shed tears and disgraced herself.

  “I thought you would have the grace to take responsibility for your poor judgment,” he said.

  “You embarrassed me in front of my friends.” In front of the entire ton. Misery engulfed her. Everyone had heard his words. Others standing nearby had smirked. And he was so blind he didn’t even realize what he’d done to her.

  He scoffed. “Ah, I see. You were so disappointed that you ran off to drown your sorrows.”

  She ought to be relieved he’d not guessed the real reason she’d left the ballroom, but his callousness made the pain far worse. “I needed something to soothe my nerves.”

  “That, my dear, is one of the sorriest excuses I’ve ever heard.”

  She glared at him, tempted to ask him what his excuse was for misleading her and everyone else at the ball. But if she voiced the words, he would know she’d tumbled head over heels for him. She would never give him that satisfaction. “You made a spectacle of yourself. Ramsey is my friend’s brother, and you insulted him. You had no right to refuse on my behalf.” In truth, she would have claimed weariness to avoid dancing with Ramsey, but she’d no intention of admitting that to Hawk.

  “I had every right,” he said in a low, dangerous tone. “You will stay away from him.”

  She didn’t give two straws about Ramsey, but she would not let Hawk give her orders. “I will not treat my friend’s brother as if he were a pariah. If I wish to dance with him, I will.”

  Hawk’s eyes blazed. “If you think to add Ramsey to your long list of conquests, you had better think twice. He is not one of those besotted cubs who hang on your every word. You are out of your depths with him.”

  “I a
m not a green girl fresh out of the schoolroom,” she said. “And your concerns about Ramsey are ridiculous. He would never do anything to risk his reputation or that of his family.”

  “I know the man. He’s risked scandal repeatedly. His exploits reached his father recently. The marquess is pressuring him to marry in hopes of reforming him—a wasted effort, I might add.”

  “Now I understand. You object to Ramsey’s marital aspirations because the loss of one bachelor could spur a matrimonial landslide. All your dissolute friends would abandon you for their wives. Such a lonely prospect must be terrifying to a rake like you.”

  “Enough of this nonsense,” he said. “Ramsey is the worst sort of devil. He views you as a prize. The unattainable Lady Julianne would puff up his overblown consequence. Trust me. He’s unscrupulous enough to put you in a compromising position, and then you would have no choice but to marry him.”

  “Oh, I’m shaking in my slippers,” she said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.

  “Seduction is no laughing matter.”

  “Goodness, I had no idea,” she said.

  His jaw clenched. “No, you clearly do not or you would not make light of the matter.”

  He obviously thought she didn’t have a brain in her head. “Even if Ramsey were to attempt to lure me into an indiscretion, which I seriously doubt he would, I am not foolish enough to fall for such a trap.”

  His voice rose. “You wouldn’t even realize what was happening until it was too late. Either you agree to stay away from him or I’ll arrange to send you home.”

  How dare he threaten her? “I will not allow you to run roughshod over me all season.”

  “Pack your trunks,” he gritted out.

  Her throat constricted. He meant to send her home in disgrace. Everyone in the ton would gossip about her. It would hurt her family. Something hot welled up inside her. “I’ll pack my trunks, and then I will go to Georgette’s home. Her mother will welcome me, and I will be free of your tyranny.”

  “If you think I will let you stay in the same house as Ramsey, you are mistaken.”