THE WALLFLOWER’S ABSOLUTELY SCANDALOUS SEDUCTION (THE NOTORIOUS BRIARWOODS #1) BY EVA DEVON – eBook Details Online
- Status: Available for Free Download
- Authors: Eva Devon
- Language: English
- Genre: Historical Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
London, 1789
Five dances. Just five.
That was all that was required of Lord Crispin Newfield, fifteenth Earl
of Drexel, and yet it felt like so very much. He had promised his mama, the
formidable Lady Millicent, that he would attend the Cadly ball and do as an
earl should. He would ask five young ladies to dance with him. He would
also consider them for the role of his countess.
Still, he would far rather be at Devonshire House speaking about
politics and gambling. He was quite careful about how he gambled. He
attended the famed house for the conversation, more than for the turn of a
card and the possible loss of a fortune.
After all, he had more fortune than most people knew what to do with.
His ancient line had no problem with copious amounts of capital. As a
matter of fact, they had more coin than most could ever imagine, and that
meant, of course, that the continuation of his line and their power was
essential.
Crispin had turned thirty recently, and his mother had become obsessed
with getting him married. Thirty seemed to be a line for her. He’d crossed
it, and now she would stop at nothing until an heir and a spare were
produced.
In practical terms, he understood her need. Her eldest son, his brother,
had died of a lung complaint when he was but fourteen.
Crispin was not supposed to have been the heir, and his life had changed
immeasurably the day his elder brother died.
His mother was a rather determined woman. And his hat was off to her
on that point. She’d survived a great deal. But sometimes he wondered at
her willful urge to thrust him into the institution which she had abhorred so
entirely. She had loathed his father, and his father had loathed her.
Something that all of their children had known. The entire family was
aware of it.
In fact, society had known as well. The reputation of his family for their
dislike of each other was now legend, but tradition held the Drexel earldom
together.
Tradition that stretched back hundreds of years, and none of them would
shirk their duty, including him. Still, he had hoped to play the field a bit
longer. Yet here he was surveying said field of young misses dressed in
various hues of pale colors and dancing back and forth. Doing their best to
impress the gentlemen about them.
He disliked the Cadly ball. The punch was bad, the music below
mediocre, and, frankly, the conversation was exceptionally dull. No young
lady could say anything interesting, lest she risk being branded a
bluestocking.
Frankly, he rather wished that a bluestocking would approach him. At
least then he wouldn’t fall asleep of boredom.
He placed a gloved hand behind his back and surveyed the floor again.
Who would he ask?
His mother had suggested several young ladies’ names, and he had of
course looked them up. It was his duty to know something about the ladies
who might one day grace his bed. If it was up to his mother, she would’ve
For More Read Download This Book
EPUB