How to Catch a Wicked Viscount (The Disreputable Debutantes, Band 1) - Softcover

Bennett, Amy Rose

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1984803921 ISBN 13: 9781984803924

Verlag: Berkley, 2019

Inhaltsangabe

A young lady's tarnished reputation might cost her everything in this first book in the Disreputable Debutantes series. 

Shy, bookish Sophie Brightwell is expected to make an advantageous match to improve her family's fortunes. However, Sophie's plans to make a spectacular debut go horribly awry when she and her three closest friends are expelled from a young ladies' academy for unbecoming conduct. Since the ton will be sure to close their doors on these disgraced debutantes, they determine that unconventional means need to be employed in the husband-hunting market. Rakehells—the beau monde's wickedest members—might be the only men willing to overlook a young lady's besmirched reputation. 
 
But how does one catch a rake?

Nate Hastings, the devil-may-care Viscount Malverne, is the older brother of Sophie’s best friend, fellow disgraced debutante Lady Charlotte. When a terribly foxed Nate accidentally compromises Sophie, Charlotte strikes a wicked bargain: in order to avoid a scandal and the parson's mousetrap, Nate must help Sophie snare a husband. But as Nate fulfills his obligation and begins to instruct the lovely Sophie in the art of luring rakes, he soon finds himself battling his own fierce attraction to her.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Amy Rose Bennett is an Australian author who has a passion for penning emotion-packed historical romances. Of course, her strong-willed heroines and rakish heroes always find their happily ever after.
 
A former speech pathologist, Amy is happily married to her very own romantic hero and has two lovely, very accomplished adult daughters. When she’s not creating stories, Amy loves to cook up a storm in the kitchen, lose herself in a good book or a witty rom-com, and when she can afford it, travel to all the places she writes about.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

***This excerpt is from an advance uncorrected copy proof***

Copyright © 2019 Amy Rose Bennett

 

Chapter One

Disreputable debutantes in the making!

A shocking scandal of epic proportions at a certain London school for

‘Young Ladies of Good Character’ shakes the ton.

Does your genteel daughter attend such a den of iniquity? Read on to discover ten things one should consider when choosing a reputable academy...

The Town and Ton Tatler: The Society Page

 

Mrs. Rathbone’s Academy for Young Ladies of Good Character, Chelsea, London.

Midnight, 1st February 1815

 

“Heavens. Take care, Charlie.” Sophie Brightwell winced as her friend entered her bedroom and carelessly pushed the door shut with her slippered foot. The resultant bang was decidedly too loud in the relative silence of the dormitory wing of the Chelsea townhouse. “You’ll wake Mrs. Rathbone for sure. If she finds out what we’re up to...” Sophie couldn’t suppress a shiver.

Lady Charlotte Hastings—or Charlie to her friends—threw her a disarming smile as she deposited a band box of contraband and a battered leather satchel on the end of the single bed. “Don’t worry so, darling Sophie,” she said as she untied the black satin ribbon securing the box’s lid with a flourish. “I just passed her bedchamber and she was snoring like a hold full of drunken sailors.”

Arabella Jardine, who was perched on the edge of a bedside armchair, pushed her honey gold curls behind her ears then smoothed her robe over her nightrail. “Aye, ‘tis true, Sophie,” she agreed in her soft Scots burr. “I suspect she’s been into the sherry again.”

Sophie pressed her lips together to suppress a small sigh. Even though she loved Charlie like a sister, the earl’s daughter didn’t have as much to lose as she did, or indeed their other two partners in crime this night—Arabella Jardine and Olivia de Vere—if they were caught flouting the young ladies’ academy’s strict rules. So whilst it was quite true that Mrs. Agatha Rathbone, the apparently upstanding, middle-aged headmistress of her eponymously named boarding school was fond of a tipple—or ten—on Friday evenings, and nothing short of an earthquake or a herd of rampaging elephants was likely to rouse her, Sophie was still anxious about the whole idea of a midnight gathering—especially given the fact it was occurring in the room she shared with Olivia.

Sophie’s pulse leapt once more as the door opened again, this time admitting her roommate bearing a tray of mismatched china teacups.

“Ah, perfect timing, Miss de Vere,” Charlie remarked as she lifted two dark glass bottles from the band box and brandished them in the air. “So what poison will you choose, my lovelies?” she asked, her topaz-brown eyes dancing with merriment. “French brandy or sloe gin?”

Olivia carefully placed the tray on the cherrywood bedside table then tossed her dark braid over one slender shoulder. “Wh-what do you r-recommend? I h-haven’t tried either one.” Her manner of speech was an unusual combination of the lyrical and the discordant, her tone low and melodious with an appealing smokiness. Yet it was her stammer that drew attention; Sophie knew it tended to emerge when Olivia was nervous or extremely fatigued.

“My grandfather let me try a wee sherry at Christmas,” added Arabella. “But I’ve never tasted brandy or gin.”

“Hmm. The brandy is probably a little smoother for non-seasoned drinkers. Perhaps we should all begin with that.” Charlie turned her bright gaze on Sophie. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes.” A burst of curiosity overcoming her trepidation, Sophie leaned across the quilted counterpane to examine the jumbled contents of the box. “So, what else have you smuggled in here?”

An enigmatic smile tugged at the corner of Charlie’s mouth. “Oh, this and that,” she said as she passed the bottle of brandy to Olivia to dispense. “All will be revealed after we raise our glasses—or I should say cups?—in a toast.”

“A toast to what?” Arabella asked as she took her brimming teacup from Olivia. Beneath her gold-rimmed glasses, her pretty nose wrinkled when she sniffed at the amber liquid. “You are being altogether too mysterious, Charlie.”

“To us, of course. And our new society.”

Sophie arched an eyebrow. “And does this society have a name?”

“It certainly does.” Charlie handed a teacup to Sophie then beamed as she added, “Right, my darling girls. From this night on, we four shall henceforth be known as The Society for Enlightened Young Women; a society which will aim to provide its members with a stimulating education in all manner of worldly matters not included in this academy’s current curriculum. Such knowledge will, of course, be invaluable when each of us leaves here and is subsequently obliged to embark on a quest to secure an advantageous match during the coming Season. And as we all know how cutthroat the marriage mart can be, I, as head monitor, feel it is my incumbent duty to begin your supplementary tutelage sooner rather than later.” Her gaze touched each one of them. “If we are all in agreeance...”

Olivia nodded, Arabella murmured ‘yes’, and Sophie’s brow knit into a suspicious frown. “What worldly matters in particular?” she asked.

Charlie cast her a knowing smile. “Why matters that all men, young and old, know about, but we, as the fairer, weaker sex, are supposed to remain ignorant of until we are wed. But by that time, I rather suspect it is too late. To my way of thinking, it would be much better to enter into marriage with one’s eyes wide open. And dare I say it, perhaps we might have a little fun along the way too?”

“Are...are you referring to sexual c-congress?” whispered Olivia, her doe brown eyes widening with shock.

“Yes, I am. Amongst other things. The art of flirting is also an essential skill any wise debutante should have in her arsenal, and naturally, it is a precursor to any activity of an amorous nature.” Charlie turned to Sophie and raised a quizzical brow; her eyes glowed with anticipation. “What say you, my friend? You haven’t responded yet.”

Sophie worried at her lower lip as she considered Charlie’s proposal. Even though she hailed from County Suffolk and possessed a rudimentary knowledge of ‘sexual congress’—as it pertained to the mating rituals of farmyard animals at least—there was still much she did not know about the ways of the world—and the male of the species—compared to Charlie.

Indeed, Lady Charlotte Hastings was the only one in their close-knit group who had several brothers—one of whom was a well-known rakehell. And she also had a bluestocking aunt who was purported to be a ‘liberal thinker’ and ‘a woman ahead of her time’. For these reasons, Sophie didn’t doubt for a moment that Charlie possessed unique insights into the male mind and a singular knowledge of taboo topics.

Unlike her confident, highborn friend, Sophie was not a member of the haut ton. But if Charlie was prepared to equip her with the skills and knowledge of a sophisticated debutante, she’d be an avid pupil....

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Berkley
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2019
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1984803921
• ISBN 13: 9781984803924
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 320
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: preigu; mail@preigu.de; ; Lengericher Landstr. 19; Osnabrück; 49078; Deutschland