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CHAPTER ONE

Sir Tobias Aldridge was conte that, an act of barbarous incivility

By nature, Toby wasn’t one to hold a grudge As a gentleood looks, he’d never received a slight he couldn’t sih off He called every man friend, and no man enemy

Until now

"So that’s hi a fair-haired beauty across the glea parquet--Benedict "Gray" Grayson The scoundrel who’d stolen Toby’s bride, his future, and his very respectability, then returned to a bloody hero’s welcome

"That’s him Here, have a brandy" His host, Jerelass

Toby accepted the drink and downed a quick, blistering s "I could call hilass "I could call hiarden"

Jere to do that"

"Why not? You don’t think I have it in h "Don’t you read the papers, Jeood riddance to hiet , unprincipled bastard"

"Gray’s not a bastard He’s the legitimate nephew of a duchess"

"Oh, yes And now a knight, as well What isn’t he? If you listen to the talk, Sir Benedict’s a shipping financier, a West Indian planter, a feared privateer, a paragon of valor …" Toby shook his head "I know the truth He’s the thieving bastard who seduced hts to call him out"

"Even if you could do it," his friend said tersely, "you’re not going to do it This is Lucy’s first ball She’s been planning it for months If you turn it into scandal-sheet fodder, I’ll take you into the garden and gut you myself"

"Well, if you didn’t want scandal, you shouldn’t have invited ht as well live up to it"

"You ought to rise above it" Jeremy lowered his voice "Listen, you’re bound to er sister this year, and they’ll be at every major social event Best to ossip Why do you think Lucy and I planned a ball so early in the Season?"

"Because if you waited a few e the subject, Toby clapped his friend on the shoulder He had no intention of reconciling with Grayson, publicly or otherwise Ever "Congratulations, by the way"

"How did you know Lucy’s with child?"

Toby made eye contact with his friend’s wife across the ballroouests For years, Lucy Waltha excursions at Henry Walthairlish infatuation for Toby but had forgotten hih when Jeremy captured her heart last autumn

He said, "I’ve three older sisters, and ten nieces and nephews to date I can tell A woets a bit rounder, her hair shines And her bosolare, and Toby sipped his brandy "Right, well I can just tell"

Lucy reached them, and Toby fortified his smile He’d be da any expression other than his usual rakish grin

"Toby!" Lucy exclailad to see you"

"Look at you, Luce" He gave her a sweeping gaze and an appreciative wink The oncehoydenish twig of a girl had blossomed into the lovely, confident Countess of Kendall

"Stunning Most beautiful lady in the room"

Lucy esture she blushed to the ears Just as he’d known she would Toby leaned in to kiss her cheek, ignoring Jerelare

"I know you say that to all the ladies," Lucy said She gave him a cautious look "Sophia looks well, doesn’t she?"

"Oh, she’s radiant" Toby forced his grin wider as the Graysons waltzed by, Sophia’s flaxen hair and porcelain coant ivory blur "Incandescent, even She has the look of a woman in love"

Sophia had never looked incandescent with hihts She laid a hand on his sleeve "Toby You weren’t in love with her, either"

He shrugged Lucy spoke the truth, but the truth didn’t help

"What’s done is done You’ve got to uests

"It’s a new Season,to experience the renowned Sir Toby charht your eye"

Toby considered True, a fresh conquest e He’d always been a favorite with the debutantes But lately, there was scarcely any challenge to it His scandal-sheet notoriety as the "Rake Reborn" had theladies in a flutter All he had to do was appear