His Wicked Lady Read Free Page A

it’ll be difficult to
attain to the level of respectability I’ve managed, especially
given the way things are in London, but I promise you, it’s
possible. There are still decent people in the world.”
    His sister shot him an amused smirk as she
rose from the settee. “I take it you didn’t have a good evening at
Lord Roderick’s ball?”
    “Considering you got scandalized at one of
his balls, I can’t be surprised.”
    She picked up a decanter and poured him some
brandy. “There was a scandal this evening?”
    “No, thankfully, there wasn’t.” Though there
might have been had fortune not prevailed. “I don’t understand the
appeal of going to the balls. I went with you as a chaperone. There
was a purpose. But it seems meaningless to spend the evening
reveling in gossip and other idle chatter between dances when I
could be doing something productive with my time.”
    “Like holding a baby?”
    “Exactly. This is much better.” Mathias let
out a contented sigh, and Malcolm nodded. “See? Even he agrees.
He’s taking after me already.”
    Shooting him an amused smile, she set the
glass beside him and took her baby. “Have a drink, Malcolm. It
seems like you need it.”
    She was probably right. After his harrowing
experience with the blonde lady who dragged him to the dance floor
against his will, he could use some brandy. He took a swallow of
it, forgoing the process of savoring its taste.
    “You must be agitated,” she commented.
    “My hand has been forced. I must seek a wife,
and I must do so at once. You said Helena can help me with this
matter?”
    “I thought you told Father you had no desire
to marry.”
    “Yes, well, that was then. This is now.”
    “It was only yesterday when you talked to
him.”
    “A lot can happen in a day.” When she didn’t
look convinced, he groaned. “I know it’s sudden, but this evening
I’ve come to terms with the truth. If I don’t get a bride in a
respectable fashion, one is going to be thrust upon me through a
scandal.”
    To his surprise, his sister burst out
laughing. She, of all people, should understand how quickly
scandals could happen!
    “I doubt a lady is going to enact some
scandal so you have to marry her.”
    “Oh? And why is that so funny?”
    “Malcolm, please stop.” She continued
laughing to the point where tears fell from her eyes. “I might drop
Mathias if I’m not careful.”
    With a huff, he quickly set his glass down
and took the poor baby back in his arms. “There. Now my nephew is
safe.” He patiently waited for her to calm down before asking, “Why
is it so hard to believe a lady might take it upon herself to
scandalize me?”
    Instead of answering him, she laughed again.
“Scandalize you? Why, Malcolm, you do say the silliest things. Only
you would talk that way.”
    Logan came into the room, which only served
to prove this evening definitely wasn’t going Malcolm’s way. Logan
smirked at Malcolm and approached the decanter. “I see you’ve been
telling my lovely wife about your great prowess with the ladies at
tonight’s ball.”
    “This has nothing to do with that,” Malcolm
said.
    “I know. I was merely being polite. I already
know you don’t want to get married. And who can blame you? No lady
will have you.”
    Malcolm’s jaw dropped, and he turned to
Melissa. “You told him Father wants me to get married?”
    She finally managed to catch a breath as she
fanned her face with her hand. “You can’t be surprised he knows.
He’s my husband.”
    “To be fair to Melissa, your father came over
to ask if Helena had any ideas on which lady might be a suitable
match for you,” Logan told him. “She didn’t tell me about your
plight.”
    “My father was over here to see if Helena
could pair me up with a lady?” Malcolm asked his sister.
    Clearing her throat after a couple more
chuckles, Melissa said, “I told Father it wasn’t right for him to
try to pair you up with a lady without your permission. Whether