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Chapter 1

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Devonshire, England January 1818

"I will not marry him!"

Lady Aurora Huntley nearly toppled the study chair, leaping to her feet as if she'd been singed With a look of utter incredulity, she stared across the desk at her brother, her chest tight with unspeakable fury "My God, Slayde, have you lost your mind?"

"No" The Earl of Peray eyes narrowed in warning "I assure you, Aurora, I a on irrational Now, sit down"

"Irrational?" Aurora ignored the coaze up at her tall, formidable brother "You've just announced to me, as casually as one would announce the timan who is no , and you find er irrational?"

"The Viscount Guillford is a fine man," Slayde refuted, hands clasped behind his back as if prepared to do battle "He's honest and principled—I've done business with him for years and know that firsthand He's also financially secure, well respected, even te, as is evidenced by the nu for his affections—and his name"

"I'm not most women"

A muscle flexed in Slayde's jaw "I'm only too well aware of that Nonetheless, the viscount is everything I just described andreason—thoroughly ss In fact, according to him, he fell under your spell on his first visit to Pembourne That was the ti and, to quote Guillford, you entertained hihtful company until I arrived"

"Entertained him? We chatted about White's and the finer points of whist He racious attempt to teach me to play You were a quarter hour late Theroom, I excused myself and left That was the extent of the 'entertainment' I provided"

"Well, you must haveand lovely Further, he's one of a select and rapidly di feho remain unperturbed by the Huntley curse and by the scandal surrounding our age-old feud with the Bencrofts When you consider the events of the past fortnight, that last factor could be the nificant of all Guillford's attributes So, contrary to your protests, you are indeed going to marry him"

"But, Slayde…"

"No" Ada Aurora's oncoements are under way The subject is closed"