Seducing the Single Lady Read Free Page A

could not go anywhere with out thinking she saw him.
    Later that afternoon she returned home for calling hours. They were always a lively affair, just as she liked it after all those lonely years. Because they were so full of her beaux, other marriage-minded mothers brought their own daughters, thus creating quite a scene full of all manner of matrimonial dreams and schemes.
    Except for S usannah’s, of course. She had thought perhaps to take a lover, for companionship and affection. But she had every intention of remaining unwed. Never again would she put her fortune and freedom in the control of another. It made her feel trapped and desperately dependent upon the whims of others.
    But Damien’s return from the dead most likely put an end to that plan. So long as she was bound by it, she would not be free to marry another if she were so inclined. Damien had made it clear that he would not release her from the obligation. Oh, she could evade his proposals and no one could force her to marry him. But she was not truly free.
    Would he listen to her wishes? Take away her choices?
    Damien was older, more mature, more grounded than the wild boy she remembered. Perhaps he’d hit his head sometime between quitting the country and his rumored death.
    But there was no doubt that Damien was Damien, and not some desperate pretender. He was not dead. Which meant she was still betrothed to him. Which meant her suitors would vanish in due course. Why waste their attentions upon her when they had no chance of profiting from her favors? 
    “What do you say, Miss Grey?”
    Susannah blinked, pasted a smile upon her face and peered around her drawing room to see who might have spoken. Obviously she had just missed a lively conversation. Already Damien was driving her to distraction!
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “Woolgathering, are you?” Stanford murmured.
    “You must be quite distracted by the return of your betrothed,” Lady Crowden gushed and everyone heartily agreed with her.
    Susannah noticed then that her drawing room was more crowded than usual today. Of course, news of Damien’s return traveled fast and the ton would be expecting A Scene. They had presumably gathered here to witness it. She would not deliver it to them.
    “ It was quite unexpected,” she replied.
    “Of course! We all thought he was dead!” Lady Montague declared.
    “ One would think he would call upon his fiancé,” Lady Hastings added. “It would be the right thing to do.”
    “Especially one as s ought after as you, Miss Grey,” Miss Everleigh said kindly.
    Susannah smiled, her stomach turning a flip-flop or two.
    “Speaking of fiancés, ho w are your wedding plans coming along, Miss Everleigh?”
    “Oh, I’d much rathe r hear about yours, Miss Grey,” the young girl replied, in spite of Susannah’s hopes to change the topic of conversation.
    Susannah considered declaring there would be no wedding.
    The questions persisted until Susannah became rather cross with her callers and wished for solitude. This wish intensified when Viscount Bedford was announced and a buzz of excitement erupted and swarmed around the room, thus dashing her hopes that anyone would leave. A mother and daughter, who had just bid everyone a goodbye, mentioning an urgent appointment, sat right back down.
    “Look who has returned from the dead to grace us with his presence,” Susannah declared.
    “Miss Grey.” The way Damien said her name, all low and slightly rough, sent a shiver racing right up and down her spine.
    “ Damien. What a surprise.”
    “That a man should call upon his betrothed?”
    “A first, for you,” Susannah replied, forgetting her manners and forgetting her audience entirely.
    Lord Sommerly moved aside, and Damien took the man’s chair, which put him right next to Susannah. She was vaguely aware of the audience, silent and rapt, in her drawing room.
    She was keenly that he was exceedingly handsome. The intensity of his gaze warmed her.
    “We’ve