To Tempt an Earl Read Free Page A

night in with a modiste rather than
your nice warm bed back home." Beatrix quipped, a knowing smile
bending her lips.
    "Very well," Bethanny conceded. She was quite fond of her bed.
    And morning chocolate.
    And the newspaper.
    "I knew you had some sense," Beatrix replied,
a grin tugging at her lips.
    Bethanny scrunched up her nose at her sister
but smiled nonetheless. With a reluctant sigh, she signaled the
modiste, Madame Beaulieu. She was a short woman, thin and petite,
with chestnut hair strewn with silver.
    "Avez-vous terminé?" she asked, her
accent thick.
    "Yes, I believe I'm finished," Bethanny
answered.
    " Vous êtes une vision, Miss Lamont. An
utter vision. The gentlemen will fall to their knees at your
beauty! De l'avenir, les messieurs vont tomber à genoux autour
de vous."
    "Thank you, Madame Beaulieu." Bethanny felt
her face flame at the compliment.
    While she appreciated the sentiment, she
would rather prefer to simply draw the attention of one man, having him fall to his knees… now that would be perfect.
    Shaking her head to dispel her daydream, she
waited as Madame helped her out of the dress.
    In short work, the dress was packaged up to
take home. The servants at the duke's townhome in Mayfair would
press it and have it perfect by tomorrow.
    "Can we go now, please? I'm so hungry!" Berty
whined.
    "Yes, yes, we can leave now." Carlotta,
Duchess of Clairmont placed her gloved hand over her mouth to
stifle a giggle.
    Bethanny indulged in an amused grin at her
youngest sister's propensity for food, sweets in particular. If
Berty wasn't eating, she was impatiently waiting till she was given
the opportunity to do so again. At nine, the little girl was as
opinionated as Lady Southridge and as stubborn as the duke. Her
dark hair and feathery lashes made her appear innocent when the
opposite was often far more accurate
    "Berty, you cannot possibly be hungry."
Beatrix speared her sister with a disbelieving glare.
    "I am! It's been hours—"
    "It's been perhaps one hour, Berty."
    "One hour too long," Berty huffed, crossing
her slightly pump arms in front of her slightly plumper frame.
    Beatrix rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow
to Carlotta.
    "We'll return shortly. I have faith that
you'll survive until we do."
    "But—"
    "Berty…" Carlotta warned gently.
    "Yes, Your Grace."
    Bethanny noted the slight color in Carlotta's
cheeks as Berty used the address Your Grace as they were to
do when in public. Though it had been almost two years since their
marriage, Bethanny doubted that Carlotta, or Lottie, as they
usually called her, was accustomed to such a title. Her humility
endeared her further to the girls.
    "Come along, girls. Let's be off. We still
have a few other places to stop before we head home," Carlotta
spoke kindly.
    "A few more places? Truly? I'm going to
wither up and die!" Berty lamented.
    Bethanny snickered then covered her mouth
with her gloved hand as Carlotta shot Berty a silencing glare.
    Beatrix snorted.
    Berty stomped.
    "It's not funny, Bea." She growled.
    "Oh, it is. It wouldn't be nearly as amusing,
however, if you didn't react so." Beatrix replied.
    Berty glared and took a menacing step toward
her sister.
    "Girls?" Carlotta called, a slightly
exasperated edge to her tone.
    "Coming." Berty paused then raised her
eyebrows toward Beatrix. Pointing to her eyes and then Beatrix's,
she mouthed. "I'm watching you." Then, with a longing glance across
the street at a pastry shop, she turned and followed Carlotta.
    Bethanny swallowed her laughter and, rather,
focused on all that needed to be done.
    It was nearly one in the afternoon, and they
still needed to visit the milliner and get back in time to prepare
for Lady Hollyworth's small dinner party. Bethanny took in a deep
breath, wincing at the smoky and stale scent that hung in the air.
One more day.
    One more day, but it felt like one
million.
     

     
    Graham followed Murray down the marble hall
toward the library. Though the house looked the same as far