How to Become a Lady: Book One of the London Ladies Series

by Hannah West

  “Why such a happy expression, Emma,” Derek’s deep voice said giving her a start.

  She looked over to him, warmed by the use of her name. “My sister is happy. She deserves it.”

  “And you,” he asked her.

  Surprised she looked at him with wide eyes. “Me?”

  “Do you deserve to be happy? Desire to be?” he queried, curious.

  She nodded looking back to the dancing couples so they did not draw attention. “I hope so. I would like to be. Hopefully by Season’s end I will be.”

  His gaze followed hers. “You shall be,” he said with confidence.

  “Is there any true guarantee?” she mused. She wasn’t expecting an answer but he gave her one nevertheless.

  “No, but if you try and put forth your best effort then I’m sure it is possible. However if someone were to help you achieve happiness that might be your guarantee,” he mused, “But nothing comes without hard work.”

  “I agree that you should have to work to some degree to get what you want,” Emma returned.

  He turned to her in surprise, his expression mirroring his emotions. “A lady that believes in hard work, never thought I would see the day.”

  “More like a woman working hard to be a lady,” she muttered.

  “How is that?” he asked but she did not get a chance to answer.

  Young Lord Mervill came up to her and bowed, giving her a wink. “How are you, Lady Emmaline.”

  Emma smiled politely and replied, “Most well, Lord Mervill. How are you?”

  “Quite well, quite well indeed, my lady,” he said with a bob to his head.

  While he was cute in a puppy sort of way, he was very young, just turned eighteen or so Cassie had informed her. Her sister also had told her he was a Viscount and heir to an earldom, but that was years off.

  He had come calling once after her first ball, but she could tell he was not serious which was fine for Emma. She had not seriously started looking for a marriage partner yet and he was too young for her. Her taste ran to men a bit older, not old enough to be her father by any means, but old enough to want children.

  Like Lord Marcus, who had danced with her earlier. He was somewhat handsome, well off and settled into his title and only in his mid-thirties. He did have one young daughter that he adored from a previous marriage and that was one of the things she liked about him.

  She did not need a titled man not one who was extremely wealthy, he did not have to be handsome. She wanted a husband who would be responsible, yet have a sense of humor. Be older than her yet want children and also take the vows they made to each other seriously. Emma would not marry a man who would keep a mistress and a wife believing that she would sit quietly at home and wait for him. A man who could satisfy her in the bedchamber.

  “May I request your next dance,” asked Lord Mervill drawing her back to the present.

  She gave him her most sorrowful look, “I am most sorry, Lord Mervill, but my dance card is full for the evening. I promise I shall save you a dance for another time.”

  Emma was lying of course, she had a few empty spots but she was saving those for more serious men she thought of as potential prospects. No better time to weed out those she didn’t like.

  But she was a good liar and he took her at her word. He gave her a most gallant bow and moved on to greener pasture.

  “You little minx,” the Duke of Montrose said as he came to stand next to her again, “You lied to the poor boy.”

  Well blast, perhaps she was not as good a liar as she thought.

  “Of course you noticed,” she said sarcastically under her breath, then louder, “Well I need to save my dances for potential suitors. He is too young for me anyhow.”

  “Then is there no chance of me getting a dance this eve,” he asked with a raised brow.

  “But of course there is. I shall always save one for you. I could not dance with suitors all night, I might go mad listening to some of them,” Emma said playfully.

  Taking up her promise he requested her next open dance and she agreed. It was not until three dances later she realized she had promised him a waltz. However the man most have known, sneaky devil.

  When he claimed her for the dance it caused a stir among the close-by crowd. It would seem he did not dance to often with many ladies.

  “You should dance with other ladies more. You draw too much attention to us. What if other’s found out about our friendship, our deal? Should you not use your dances as well to search for your duchess?” she asked after she curtsied to him.

  “I should,” he agreed, “but it is easier for me then you. I have a list to help me.” He smiled smugly.

  “I list of ladies good enough to be considered for the Duchess of Montrose?”

  Chapter Twenty

  How to Become a Lady ~ Rule Twenty: A lady does not comment upon strange matters.

  Why on god’s green earth had he told her about the list his mother had made for him? At the moment he would very much like to slap a hand to his forehead for his stupidity. But for now he would have to acknowledge it and move forward, hoping there was some way to work it in his favor.

  So he answered her honestly, “Yes. However as some go, some more are added.” He winced slightly, “It seems to be the most important thing for my mother.”

  He twirled her around and then led her away from another close dancing couple.

  She frowned slightly at him as she answered, “Did she do this for you or her?”

  “Do what,” he asked a bit confused by her train of thought.

  “Did she make the list taking in your wishes into consideration as far as what you want or did she make the list based on who she thought would be suited first best for the role of duchess, her position, and you second?”

  Clever little minx, Derek thought. No other lady would have thought as much left alone ask him of it. But he saw no harm in telling her. She would be his wife and would have to deal with his mother anyway.

  “Do not think too ill of her. However she did it to ensure her position was placed in good hands. She was raised to believe position is power, is everything and must come first. You see,” he said twirling her again, “My father and grandfather caused great scandal that damaged the family. I must not do the same.”

  She stuttered on a step after that but righted herself.

  Was she worried about scandals? He could see to it that neither ever harmed her or her reputation.

  “That explains why you are the way you are,” she said finally. “It is the only way you know how to be because you don’t want to be your father.”

  The way she said it peaked his anger, but she was right of course.

  “So why take a wife now?” She asked him with a curious look.

  He unclenched his jaw. “A promise to wed before my thirtieth year and a desire to have a wife and children. I have out grown my youthfulness and wild ways.”

  “If that is so then how will you go about finding the right lady,” she asked, but she seemed distracted for the first time since he met her. She didn’t even take note of his jest.

  “I find someone who is kind and interests me. But what is the most important is that she wants me for me and not my title. Over the years I have grown wary. I hope for happiness. Something I have never considered before until recently.” And perhaps love, he added silently.

  It was clear to him the Wenbrooke loved his wife. He would like to have that.

  The soft feel of her through her dress brought back stirring of lust and Derek fought the urge telling him to claim her hot lush mouth again.

  Lulled by the music unwittingly he drew her closer, leaning into her.

  She smelled of cinnamon and vanilla and that made him hunger for her even more.

  He watched as she suddenly noticed he was coming closer and her eyes widened, breath paused.

  Derek was only a hands breath away when the final strings of the waltz played, bringing him back to the present and not his fantasy.<
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  So instead of kissing her in front of the whole of the ton, he gently dipped her before bringing her up and letting her go.

  The out looking crowd applauded and the dancers disbursed, leaving him to guide her back to the sidelines. Derek smiled at on goers, thanking them for the complements.

  He was his ever polite and stoic self on the outside while his carnal self on the inside wished to take her to a dark room and do things unspeakable in polite company.

  Suddenly just before they reached her family she turned to him.

  “Thank you for the dance,” she said quickly, “I can take myself from here. You had best find a lady on your list and give her a dance.” With that she turned on heel and left him standing alone.

  He smiled slightly. She had made a habit of walking away from him in and dismissing him. But why was she in such a hurry to leave him and suggest he find another dance partner? Strange woman, but interesting.

  Well he should start marking off names in an attempt to please his mother while shortening the list to have Emma added to it. So far he went in search of another to mark off.

  He would think upon her strange actions later.

  ~

  Emma was flushed, hot and having troubles being able to breath. She realized she was panicking.

  He didn’t want to be part in a scandal, couldn’t be and that is what she was. She was a scandal waiting to happen, anyone who found out that her father was a drunk and had left her with debt she had to work to the bone to pay off, would shun her.

  She would be given the cut direct from everyone. The Duke of Montrose, her friend, would be forced to do so as well to avoid disaster.

  Emma had to be careful toeing that line, if she was careful enough then no one would ever have need to know, but if they did she would have to put her sister first. Cassie’s happiness mattered most.

  With her dowry money Emma could go away where, like America, but her sister and her brother-in-law, could not.

  Emma took a couple deep breaths and calmed herself. No need for alarm, nothing was happening and no one knew. She looked for Cassie and started her way when Lady Anna, Derek’s sister, cut her off her path by coming to stand right in front of her.

  “Lady Emmaline, you look a little flushed, would you join me on the terrace? It has become rather stuffy in here,” Lady Anna said taking her by the hand before she could answer.

  She stumbled to keep up with the other girl’s pace as Lady Anna hauled her outside and closed the French door behind them.

  “What are you doing?” Emma demanded as she pulled her hand away.

  Lady Anna looked around to make sure no one was listening and then answered.

  “I need your help. My mother has made a list for my brother to choose a wife from and will not chose elsewhere,” she said sounding as if it were the end of the world. “He must fall in love, he simply must!”

  If Emma had a drink she would have chocked on it.

  “Why?” Emma asked, unable to keep her mouth shut/

  “I assumed you were friends with my brother, don’t worry no one else has noticed,” Lady Anna said, “Did he tell you of Father? Of Father’s scandal.”

  Only barely, but Emma found she wanted to know more, so she nodded.

  Lady Anna nodded, “Good. Well it happened because our parents were forced to marry and that led to some very long bitter years before it happened. So my brother must wed where he chooses, for love. I fear our family would be ripped apart otherwise. My mother does not realize what she is doing will lead to the same thing.”

  Emma wondered just what was the Ashford family scandal was, no one else seemed to talk about it, no one in the ton anyway. Most importantly why Lady Anna thought she could make the man fall in love with another?

  “Why do you think I can help?” she asked before she went to lean against the marble railing.

  Lady Anna followed her. “It would seem my brother trusts you. I believe it does him good to have a lady as a friend, but I have also noted he is different with you, more so then with me. With you he seems to relax, he is a rather stuffy man.”

  “True,” Emma agreed smiling.

  “I know to most marrying for love is foolishness and nonsense, at least according to my mother, but it would solve more than one issue. Brother promised I could marry where I wished, but I know him and duty comes first. I need you to help me make him understand his duty is to himself first. He must fall in love.”

  This could prove disastrous for her, but she did believe in such things. Emma knew she would not settle for less.

  She sighed, giving in, “Fine.”

  Lady Ana squealed with delight.

  “But,” Emma =interjected holding up a finger, “I have a few conditions. Firstly he is not to know I am helping and second I will not go out of my way to dissuade him of any particular lady.” Emma gave her a serious look. “He will have to choose for himself.”

  “Agreed,” Lady Anna said holding out a hand. “I shall see to the rest. All you have to do is help him narrow down that list.”

  Emma eyed her, having the feeling she wasn’t being told the whole plan, but she stretched her hand out.

  ~

  Anna went back inside not even trying to hide her mischievous grin. Part one of her plan had just been put into play by the lovely Lady Emmaline.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  How to Become a Lady ~ Rule Twenty-One: A lady did not make light of others for fun.

  Derek was walking a thin line between wanting to walk out of the ballroom and stomping on the foot of Lady Caroline de Buarg.

  She had a nasally voice that grated on his last never as she continued on giving him a list of everything she could do and things she did not like.

  He did not know what possessed his mother to ad her to the list. If his mother had spent but a moment talking to the young lady she herself would have run screaming from the room. Lady Caroline also had the bad fortune of looking like his lease favorite nag at his country property. While she came with a very rich with a tempting dowry he could not wait to be rid of her quick enough.

  It was as if she did not realize the sound of her voice combined with her unfortunate looks made her a bad option for a wife, but add in her high opinion of herself, he was afraid she would never make a match.

  So when their dance ended he made his exit as gracefully and quickly as he could. His next match with Lady Charlotte did not end much better.

  While she was a pretty little thing she seemed very simple. She could not hold a topic of conversation that intrigued him and she made noting but the expected polite replies to his questions.

  By the end of that dance he realized just how blind he had been to this part of his world until he met Emma. It was as if he had been behind a wall, assuming this was all there had ever been to the glittering world of the ton, but Emma had pulled back the veil to show him there was more then what was on the surface. He had spotted Emma dancing around with a few dandies dressed to the nines in color silks and laughing as if she were having the greatest time of her life.

  He realized he was jealous that other men were touching her where on he should be touching her and he had a hard time control the urge to snatch her way from him. It was turning out to be a hard night.

  Never before had Derek ever felt this way and he found it very unsettling. But he would not give it up for the world and turn back into his upright, cold self. Emma had stoked a small fire within him that grew more with every interaction with her. She had brought him to life and he enjoyed living in her version of the world filled with bright colors and emotions.

  She had turned the cold grey world filled with pastels into a bright palette of warmth. While he still pretended to be the same for those on the outside he enjoyed his new found self with her. He could not wait to see what happened next with her.

  If Derek was he sort of man to take what he wanted without a second thought she would already be his and be in his bed.

  He decided then
as he walked away from the three lady of the night he would mark off his list that he would pay a call upon Wenbrooke the following morning. He would tell Wenbrooke he was going to marry Emma, but to let her enjoy her time more before she was told of his offer. He still had wooing to do for her and more ladies to cross off his list for his mother.

  The shorter the list the better chance he had of getting his mother to add Lady Emmaline to it. Derek had even suggested to his sister that Emma would become a good friend and in doing so his mother would learn of Emma from Anna.

  Derek smiled to himself as he sought Emma and her family out, but he frowned after he scanned the room for the second time and did not see her or her family.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  How to Become a Lady ~ Rule Twenty-Two: A lady must never cause a scene.

  Emma watched as her sister had been picked up in the arms of John after she had collapsed to the ground. One moment she had been talking to Emma about the lords she had dance with that would make good husbands, the next she had acted dizzy and then fell to the ground.

  Emma had caught her on the way down and had called for help as she cradled her sister’s head in her lap.

  They had left shortly after, John sending one of the footmen to fetch a doctor and bring them back to the townhouse.

  Emma bit her lip, worrying it as her thoughts ran wild. She could not explain any reason for what had happened. Hoping Cassie was okay, she paced in the hall now outside her sister’s room.

  She could hear nothing beyond the thick oak door of the room, but when it creaked open she pounced up person who emerged.

  “How is she,” Emma pressed John who came out looking relieved and wary.

  He rubbed a hand over his face in tired manner before looking at her and giving her a small smile. “Thankfully since you caught her there is nothing really wrong with her. The doctor said she fainted from fatigue and needs rest. He believes that the stress from the past few months have worn on her.”