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Chapter 1

London, Spring 1846

Nicholas Cantry, Viscount Lancaster—known to friends, fa charood hues, and his teeth ached froether, but as hedinner party, people still offered hi at all, perhaps they wondered if he had a touch of dyspepsia Certainly, they didn’t suspect hier

He was, after all, an ornament A pleasant way to pass the time A fairly harmless fortune hunter And that was the way he liked it No one ever looked past his huret a reputation he’d taken pains to cultivate

But finding his fiancée spreading her legs for another roos she’d screae that he could not simply turn and walk away

“My good Viscount Lancaster!” a voice trilled from his left Lancaster stopped in his tracks, spun toward the petite matron, and bowed in one fluid motion

“Lady Avalon,” he ”

“Oh, pah” She giggled, and smacked him in the shoulder with her oversized fan

“Lady Avalon, I had no idea you’d returned froht affair, are you?”

“Lancaster, you are scandalous”

“Only occasionally You are acquainted with Mr Brandiss?” He gestured toward their host and resisted an urge to ht pain from the back of his neck

“Oh, yes Mr Brandiss entleman as any peer of the realm” She leaned a little closer “I’ve also met Miss Brandiss What a beautiful bride you’ve chosen, Lancaster”

Beautiful, yes And treacherous And surprisingly loud when backed into a corner

But he only inclined his head in reement

“Lovely,” Lady Avalon continued, “and a very smart alliance I told everyone you would do quite well, and you have”

“Yes, Miss Brandiss illing to overlook et her delicate hands on my apple orchards They’re quite profitable”

“Ha! If you’d had a fortune, youngfor a decade It takes a barrel of charm to be seen as a decent catch even in your straits Very impressive, Viscount Mr Brandiss is a stickler when it coene”

“Quite,” Lancaster h to excuse me…”