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Yes, of course I am! I’ve known Horace all my life, and he’s the only ine

But as she opened herThe truth wasn’t as simple as a yes or a no Despite the fact that Horace was almost like another son to her mother and father, another brother to Charles, and Tina knew they wanted her to marry him just as much as she wanted to marry him herself Despite all that there were far colder and matic reasons for such an alliance

Horace was a very wealthy man

Tina’s father had lost most of their fortune in a disastrous speculation

Put the two facts together, and that hy she needed to marry Horace No one had put pressure on her to do so—not yet—but in her heart Tina kneas the right thing to do The only thing to do She must marry Horace—which she told herself she wanted to do anyway—and save her family from disaster and ruin

It was the logical choice The practical choice

But she felt an aversion to telling her friends the truth She didn’t want their pitying ss Tina had too ht try to talk her out of it

“I am madly in love with Horace,” she said firmly “He is the only possible man for me”

The glasses were filled and raised once more

“To Tina and Horace! May they be very happy! Good husband hunting!”

Oh, Tina knew she would need to be very good to win over Horace Horace who never gave her a second glance except to tease her—if she’d had pigtails she was certain he would have pulled them But soh to propose Because surely, if he loved her and she loved hie would succeed?

But a in If only there was soive her instructions in what to do and say

Chapter 1

Summer 1838

Mayfair, London

Miss Clementina Smythe inspected the brass plate Number Five Mr Eversham lived at Nu, its long s blindly gazing across the square, and wondered which of those s belonged to Mr Eversham

Perhaps they all did, perhaps he ealthy enough to own the entire building, but she didn’t think so The as Mr Eversha on the races, not to ed to work for a living How his blue-blooded ancestors ossip was that he was very well connected indeed although society tended to shun him these days To ed in was advising gentle the ladies of their dreams

In other words, Tina decided cynically, he was a seducer who taught other men the art of seduction

His reputation was rumored to be very bad and in other circunize him in the street, let alone visit his address without a chaperone But she had no choice She was here for his help She needed him to teach her hoin the tricky heart of Lord Horace Gilfoyle