A Most Scandalous Proposal Read Free Page B

would come out of this evening, after all.
    Five minutes later, Julia found herself second-guessing that prediction. Benedict led her into a quiet corner of the garden far from prying eyes.
    “I want you to stay away from Ludlowe,” he said in a harsh voice and without preamble.
    A shiver prickled along the back of her neck. Never once had he seen fit to give her orders, as if she were one of his men. In the darkness, half his face lay in shadow so that he appeared as some creature of the night.
    Puzzled, she frowned. “But why does it matter? It’s not as if he makes a habit of attending these things. He’s made a career of avoiding marriage.” Unfortunately for Sophia and her hopes.
    “He’s about to inherit an earldom. His priorities have changed.”
    “It hardly signifies. Besides, we’ve managed to arrange things so he’s spending time with Sophia.”
    Benedict stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her upper arms. The heat of his palms permeated his gloves and seared into her bare skin.
    “He hasn’t got his sights set on Sophia. He’s set them on you.”

CHAPTER TWO
     
    E VER SINCE her first season, Sophia had dreamed of this night. William Ludlowe had actually asked her to dance. She didn’t count the first time, although that had been a waltz, because Julia had practically pushed him into her arms.
    A reel, of course, was less romantic and hardly conducive to conversation, but no matter. The second time, his invitation had come without a prompt.
    The jaunty tune wound to a close, and Sophia’s heart thudded in her chest. Under the cover of her fluttering silk skirts, she crossed her fingers in a silent plea for him to remain by her side.
    As she straightened from her low curtsey, she smiled and snapped out her fan. “Gracious, that was vigorous.” With any luck, he’d take the hint and offer refreshment.
    “It was.” His elbow angled toward her, and she laid her hand on it, her fingers tingling beneath white gloves, as he led her off to the side. “I say, I haven’t seen your sister for a good while now.”
    Sophia’s smile wavered. Why should he care about her sister? “I’ve no idea how anyone can keep track of a single person in such a crowd.”
    Besides Mama, who, even now, watched Sophia through narrowed eyes. Assessing as always, calculating the chances along with the potential income. Perhaps thenews about Ludlowe had already reached Mama’s ears. For once, Sophia was on Mama’s side.
    “You’d think we’d have seen her on the dance floor before now,” Ludlowe went on. “You do not think she’s fallen in with the wrong sort, do you?”
    Sophia wafted her fan before her heated face. “What sort is that?”
    “Why, the sort to lure her out into a secluded corner of the gardens.”
    “She has more sense than to do such a thing. She values her reputation too much.” She didn’t have a choice there. Neither, for that matter, did Sophia. Not when, as their mother constantly reminded them, the St. Claire family had fought for years to attain its current social status, and even then they remained firmly on the fringes of the
ton
. A title in the family would go a long way to solidifying their position.
    An odd, almost possessive gleam came into his eye. “Yes, she does, doesn’t she?”
    Sophia’s fan continued to flutter with barely a hitch. Thank goodness. She feared her smile, however, had become rigid. Her cheeks certainly ached with the effort of masking her disappointment with a cheerful appearance. When would she learn?
    “Of course, if you’re really that concerned, we might take a turn on the terrace ourselves. See if we can’t spot her.” She kept her gaze fixed firmly on the corner where her mother stood on the edge of a circle of other society matrons, in the hopes that the view would prevent the color from rising in her cheeks. Such a bold proposal, but after five seasons of nurturing a fruitless
tendre
for Ludlowe, her desperation had reached its