His Courtesan Bride (Brides of Mayfair 3) Read Free

complimented by flowing sapphire blue silk, while Felicity’s dark glossy locks were offset by a gown of emerald green. Felicity and Bliss were to make their debuts at a later date, but the men of the ton would get a peek at them tonight…and talk about them for weeks.
    It was all part of Lady Devlyn’s plan to make the Courtesan Club a wild success.
    “Serena, you look breathtaking!” Felicity enthused, stepping forward to hug her.
    Bliss gave her a quick hug as well. “You’re a vision. You look like a Greek goddess in that golden gown. The men will go wild.”
    Lady D gave a languid smile. “Yes, my dear—the men will go wild for it. For her . For all of you. And isn’t that what we set out to accomplish with the creation of the Courtesan Club—to bring the richest men in London to their knees?”
    The girls regarded each other, their expressions a mixture of excitement, disbelief, and female pride. Now Miss Serena Ransom was about to make her debut as the first member of the Courtesan Club.
    A confident smile danced across her lips and her veins hummed with excitement as she and her friends made their way toward the salon.
    She hoped London was ready for her.
    * * *
    Darius Manning, Earl of Kane, took another sip from his crystal champagne flute and gazed about the opulent room. In one corner, a string quartet played a Mozart sonata. Footmen milled about serving hors d’eouvres from silver platters. It seemed to all the world like any other high society party. Except that the room was filled with men only, most of whom looked like wolves waiting for the poor little sheep to show up. Darius had to admit, his curiosity was getting the best of him as well.
    Where was she?
    “What do you think, Dare?” the man beside him asked languidly, popping a grape into his mouth. “Will you entrap this virgin courtesan in your web tonight? Or will she entrap you?”
    Darius flicked a brow at his companion. Major Havelock Price had stood by his side through the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars and knew him better than any other human being on earth. Still, Darius did not enjoy being thought predictable, especially regarding a woman he hadn’t even met yet.
    Darius admitted to being many things, a notorious rake being chief among them, but predictable? That could sully a man’s reputation.
    “Gads, let’s have a look at the chit before you have me bidding for her, will you? She may not be to my fancy,” Darius said coolly.
    Havelock tasted a morsel of soft cheese. “Not to your fancy? The only woman I ever knew who didn’t strike your fancy was your wife. And considering what a harpy she was, it was completely understandable—God rest her soul.”
    Darius turned and shot a dark look toward Havelock. “It does not become you to speak ill of the dead, my friend.”
    “Bloody hell—I did say, ‘ God rest her soul, ’” Havelock said. “Forgive me, but Henrietta gave you nothing but grief. Ah, but that is not exactly true. She also gave you her father’s immense fortune which saved your family name and estates. But then, that was your plan all along, wasn’t it? I shouldn’t have skipped over that part. Now you have the wife’s fortune, the earldom in good standing, and you’re on the market for a courtesan to entertain your nights without any messy complications. I’d say you’re on top of the world, Darius.”
    Darius pondered his friend’s words as he studied the other men in the room. Perhaps he should feel that way, considering he could outbid any man here, even the young, brash duke at the billiard table.
    He, the seventh Earl of Kane, was one of the wealthiest men in England. That fact alone had made him many enemies, namely the old families with ancient titles but no money left to run their crumbling estates. Havelock had spoken the truth. Darius had made a fortuitous marriage to Miss Henrietta Barton, heiress to a huge shipping fortune. He had not loved her, though his poor wife had