Page 1

CHAPTER 1

Jenny cringed as Lord Banefield stepped on her foot… again.

“Are you enjoying the Season, Miss Bennett?”

Not as much as I enjoyed having ten toes.

Jenny forced a smile. “Very much so, thank you, My Lord. However, if I may be frank, I must say the pool of willing suitors is severely lacking.”

Lord Banefield stumbled slightly, stepping on another one of her toes in the process. “I beg your pardon,” he choked out.

He looked absolutely horrified. Jenny didn’t know whether to laugh or be embarrassed.

“What?” she questioned with a chuckle. “Is it not the purpose of these affairs to find a suitable match and wed?” She fluttered her eyelashes for extra emphasis.

She used to be excited about these balls, but she quickly became quite tired of all the pomp and hype that surrounded them. If she didn’t poke the bear every now and then, she feared she’d lose her mind.

Lord Banefield blustered at her question.

Jenny let out another laugh and patted his shoulder. “There’s no need to worry, My Lord. My sights are not set on you.”

He seemed unsure how to take her comment. Jenny chewed on her bottom lip.

Oh. I may have just insulted him.

“That’s not to say that you aren’t a suitable match,” she continued. “You seem like a lovely man. I mean, if you were interested and if we could get to know one another more, there could be something there, and we cou?—”

“Miss Bennett,” Lord Banefield’s harsh whisper interrupted her rant. “I must say this is a highly inappropriate conversation to have while dancing.” He looked around the room, making sure no one overheard her salacious ramblings.

Jenny shrugged. “Dancing, eating, walking—it makes no difference to me where I am. I think it is an appropriate conversation to have anywhere.” She scrunched up her nose at the thought. “If it involves a decision that will impact the rest of my life, why reserve it for just a drawing room? Life primarily takes place outside of such rooms, Lord Banefield, so why not discuss it anywhere? It’s not like I’m asking you to do untoward things in the middle of the dance floor.” She snorted at the idea.

Lord Banefield huffed out hot air that lifted the tendrils that framed her face. “I must insist we end this conversation at once. An unmarried lady should not discuss such issues openly with an unmarried man, lest you attract rakes and scoundrels like the Duke of Marlow. Men like him are always on the prowl for unsuspecting young women.”

Jenny rolled her eyes. “Pfft. Rubbish. You must think I’m a dolt who can’t spot a reckless rake a mile away.”

Lord Banefield’s shoulder tightened under her hand, while the hand holding her own twitched. The poor man might go into an apoplectic shock if this conversation continued further.

“You naïve, little girl. Men like the Duke of Marlow only have one goal in life—to bed as many women as possible and leave them ruined. They don’t care who they stomp on to have their fun.”

Jenny pursed her lips. “Now, My Lord, is this proper dance floor conversation?”

Lord Banefield’s face turned an impressive purple. Jenny had to swallow her laugh so as not to push him over the edge.

“Rest assured, My Lord, I am an excellent judge of character. I have no doubt in my abilities to protect myself and my heart fromrakes and scoundrelssuch as the intolerableDuke of Marlow.” Jenny drew out the words as if she were telling a scary story to her nephew to entertain him.

This whole conversation was preposterous, and she was surprised she had entertained it as long as she had. She must be bored.

Her eyes scanned the room while Lord Banefield slowed his breathing. She eyed her sister-in-law, Frances, who was standing near the refreshments table, and made a mental note to go to her once this blasted dance ended.

Ouch.

Lord Banefield once again stepped on her foot. Jenny took a deep breath to regulate her emotions like Frances taught her, and brought her attention back to the man with two left feet.

Lord Banefield lifted his chin. “Regardless, it is quite off-putting, and a gentleman would not engage in such conversations. I guarantee, if you were having this conversation with an ill-mannered man, he would have left you standing here by yourself.”

Jenny took a deep breath. “Ifanyman could not handle my honest and sincere opinions about with whom I should share my life, then he is no man for me.”

Lord Banefield bristled. “You sound like a child dreaming of a fairytale.”