A Duke Makes a Deal (GAMBLING PEERS #1) by Matilda Madison EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Matilda Madison
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 3 MB
- Price: Free
London, 1822
“Do not be anxious, my dear,” Joseph Woodvine whispered to his
daughter, his white mustache twitching with trepidation. “All will be well.”
Clara Woodvine smiled tightly at her papa as she held onto his coat
sleeve. She tried her best to appear as if she wasn’t nervous, even though
there was a slight ringing in her ears as they climbed the stone steps. This
was to be the most exciting night of her life. Not only was it her first ball in
society, but if everything went according to plan, she would be engaged
before the night was over, praised and congratulated by every guest in
attendance tonight. This night was meant to be a triumph.
What did she possibly have to be anxious about?
Swallowing hard, Clara ignored the erratic beating of her heart. She felt
like she had eaten too many sugary treats. She was jittery and nauseous all
at once, and no amount of steady breathing seemed to calm her nerves. She
wasn’t usually prone to worrying. She had always had a healthy dose of
self-assurance, but this was well outside her usual realm of experience.
They entered the foyer of the Earl of Trembley’s Mayfair home as a
footman directed them to a queue that led into the ballroom. Clara turned to
face her mother, Mary, who tried to give her an encouraging nod but
appeared rather pale herself. They walked through the bright, vaulted
entranceway where hundreds, if not thousands, of white flowers decorated
every spare inch. It was the definition of elegance, Clara mused as they
were shepherded to the front of a receiving line.
“I’m not sure if this was the right gown to wear,” Clara whispered to her
mother as she tried tugging up the neckline.
Her mother had insisted that she wear the latest fashion London had to
offer. While Clara quite liked the pale green color of the fabric, which
brought out the green in her eyes, she hadn’t been sure the low, square
neckline her mother had chosen was appropriate. Nor was she particularly
pleased with all the embellishments the seamstress had insisted upon. As
Clara glanced around the room, she half suspected her dressmaker had
added the extra beading simply for cost’s sake rather than fashion. While all
the other ladies in attendance wore gowns adorned with satin braided piping
or silk laces, Clara’s dress was heavily decorated with gold-colored glass
beads, stitched in tiny, individual star-like patterns that covered the gown
from hem to hem.
On a figure like hers, which was far rounder and plumper
compared to the narrow hips that were so popular among young ladies these
days, she was sure she stuck out like a particularly gaudy sore thumb.
“It’s divine, dear. Now stop tugging at it,” her mother whispered back,
her hand coming up to tuck a flyaway strand of Clara’s frizzy ash blonde
hair behind her ear. “We should have used oil of neroli on your hair to keep
it tamed.”
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