The Courtesan's Wager Read Free Page B

disagreeable. What a woman had to endure to snare a man. It was quite uncomfortable.
    “Yes, darling, you would very much like to marry. Of course you would. Perfectly natural,” Sophia said politely.
    Amelia knew enough of the world to know very well that when a woman was that polite it was nothing but cruelty dressed in lace. She didn’t care. There simply was no one else who could manage things of this nature as well as Sophia Dalby.
    “I mean to say,” Amelia continued, raising her voice slightly and stiffening her spine, “what I mean, Lady Dalby, is that I would very much like to marry a duke and I would very much like your help in acquiring one.”
    There. She had said it as plainly as it could be said. Let Sophia try and pretend ignorance now .
    “Why, darling,” Sophia said, leaning forward and taking Amelia by the hand, “that sounds positively riveting. I’m quite sure that, between the two of us, we can manage to snare one duke, don’t you agree?”
    “You truly think so?” Amelia said, her breath escaping her in a rush of pure relief, nay, exultation. Here was the answer to all her problems in attracting a duke. She should have come to Sophia two years ago.
    “I have no doubt of it whatsoever,” Sophia said, patting her hand and leaning back in her chair, her dark eyes considering Amelia with a scrutiny that was blatant and unsettling. “If I may speak plainly?”
    “Of course,” Amelia said, not at all certain that speaking plainly was ever desirable, but what choice did she have?
    “You are, as I am quite certain you know, a very beautiful woman in the precise style of beauty that is so fashionable at the moment.”
    Amelia wasn’t entirely certain that Sophia’s observation ranked as a compliment, but not knowing what else to say, she said, “Thank you, Lady Dalby.”
    Lady Dalby smiled and said, “Lady Amelia, if you will allow? ”
    Amelia had no idea what Sophia was asking permission to do, but she nodded her assent. What could she do? Had she not just this moment asked for Sophia’s help?
    “You must never thank someone for complimenting you, particularly when the compliment is merely a statement of the obvious. And most particularly when dealing with dukes.”
    “I must not?”
    “You absolutely must not,” Sophia said. “You accept the compliment as your due and see where that leads. You must know your worth first before you can require anyone else to recommend you for it.”
    “Require?” Amelia said, well aware that she was repeating, but what was she to do? She found every word out of Sophia’s mouth to be singularly strange and unique and, she hated to admit it, useless. Of what possible use could this odd advice on the receipt of the most ordinary of compliments be in the pursuit of a man?
    “Yes, of course require,” Sophia said on a sigh of frustration. “Naturally, I am aware that your mother died many years past, perhaps at the most crucial stage of your training, and you, through no fault of your own, have certain gaps in your knowledge of . . . things.”
    Things. That meant men. Ridiculous. She understood men very well.
    “I am quite certain I understand things as well as any woman of my station,” Amelia said a bit stiffly.
    “I have no doubt that’s true,” Sophia said, smiling in what could only be termed a calculated fashion. “However, when a woman wants a duke for a husband, a bit more is required. You are quite certain you want a duke?”
    “Completely certain,” Amelia said.
    “Naturally, your reasons are your own,” Sophia said silkily, “and you are very fortunate that there are two dukes who are without wife this Season. You have met them, I suppose?”
    “The Dukes Edenham and Calbourne?” Amelia said. “I have been introduced to the Duke of Calbourne only. I have not been formally introduced to the Duke of Edenham, though I know of him, naturally.”
    “You know the rumors of him, you mean to say,” Sophia said, taking a sip from