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THE DUKE’S CHRISTMAS LIST
by
BRONWEN EVANS
Unconventional Lady Charlotte Dunbar has particular notions with regard to her future. She refuses to follow her brother’s decree and society’s conventions by accepting her old childhood friend’s offer of a marriage of convenience. Now, armed with a stolen copy of Blade’s secret—and disgustingly traditional—list of what he really wants in a wife, Charlotte sets about convincing him that she is not—and never will be—the kind of woman he’s looking for.
Charles Spencer, Duke of Bladen—a cynic who doesn’t believe in true love—sees a ruthless rake setting up his childhood friend, Lady Charlotte Dunbar, as a target for seduction, and he is determined to prevent her ruin by marrying her himself. With the aid and connivance of her brother, Blade must convince the reluctant—and increasingly eccentric—lady—that he is the man who will fulfill all her dreams. After all, what a duke wants… to his surprise is love.
Prologue
London, May 1815
Much to Blade’s regret, one did not win a fair maiden’s heart by hiding in the shadows. He’d been doing far too much lurking of late.
Issuing an oath under his breath, he surveyed his quarry from behind the potted palm. The sight was enough to make a man want to draw blood. Lady Harriet Rondell had just finished a waltz with Lord Fallon, and Blade had to stop himself from striding across the room and ripping her from the dissolute rake’s arms.
He bit his inside cheek. How humbling. Charles Spencer, the Duke of Bladestow, resorting to spying on the one woman he would court this very night if he was free. But he was not at liberty to do so. The Prince Regent had requested his services for the season, and he’d been unable to refuse. His mission meant playing a role that was not conducive to courting Lady Harriet.
His hands formed fists as he watched Lord Fallon expertly guide the deep blue silk covered beauty toward the French doors and out onto the terrace. Lord save him from gullible debutantes. Harriet had accompanied a known rake onto a moonlit terrace in the middle of a grand ball with no thought to her safety or that of her reputation. Just typical.
Blade let out a slow breath, trying to rein in his anger. Where the hell was Harriet’s brother, Viscount Trello? He should ensure men like Lord Fallon didn’t get anywhere near his sister.
However, in all fairness, most of the men in attendance this evening were coveting Lady Harriet. She was an absolute diamond of the first water. The daughter of an earl with a large dowry always found favor. To add to her appeal, she had an enchanting smile, an intensely feminine grace, and a curvaceous body that set all his, and most of the men attending tonight, primal male urges flaming.
Blade pushed away from the column he hid behind and forged a path through the glittering bejeweled sea of company. Fury and fear twisted his guts. Rumors surrounded Lord Fallon, but what was fact, was that Fallon desperately needed a wealthy wife. And desperate men were dangerous men.
They had flung the terrace doors open to ease the heat from the chandeliers and the crush of perfumed soaked bodies. Blade paused in the open doorway to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. It took him mere moments to focus on the couple near the stone balustrade.
To his immense relief, Lady Harriet seemed to have realized her mistake and was trying to edge round Lord Fallon to head back to the safety of the ballroom.
Her delicate jaw tightened. She wasn’t letting Lord Fallon bully her. To Blade’s dismay, it almost looked as if she was taking pleasure in verbally dueling with the rake.
He knew Harriet had a brain, and the way she was scolding Lord Fallon proved it. She, unlike other young ladies, seemed to be totally immune to the rake’s good looks. Not that he found Lord Fallon attractive, but the ladies certainly did.
Blade had never liked the man because of the way he treated women. Stories of his cruelty to his mistresses and ladies of the night did not go unnoticed. And the most disturbing rumor of late was that Fallon had tried to abduct a wealthy young lady. Fallon had thought to ruin her by carrying her off to Gretna Green. Thankfully, his evil plan had been foiled with not too much damage done.
Blade’s mind sharpened back to the present when he saw the nobleman reach out and trail a languid finger along Harriet’s bare throat to the low neckline of her gown.
The resounding slap that filled the air only dimmed the urgent need to wrap his hands around the lecher’s throat.
“You will keep your hands to yourself, my lord, or you will be even more sorry for it.”
Lord Fallon gave a low, seductive laugh that pierced his ire further, and uttered, “I do love a female with spirit.”
She took a step backward, which unfortunately took her further into the gloomy bounds of the terrace and away from her avenue of escape. “Stay away from me or I shall tell my brother.” Every haughty line on her face screamed distaste.
Lord Fallon moved closer, but she stood her ground as if aware moving backward took her away from safety. When Blade noted Fallon’s hand reaching for her once again, he could stand still no longer.
“Fallon, the lady does not welcome your advances. It’s time you took your leave. In fact, if you do not walk down those steps and leave this ball, I shall be forced to call you out.”
At his appearance, Lady Harriet swung to face him, relief clear on her lovely face.
“This is none of your affair, Blade,” Fallon snapped.
“Oh, but it is. As Lady Harriet’s close family friend, I am standing in for her brother. Thank your lucky stars it is not Trello standing here.”
Fallon’s face flushed with anger. As Blade took a step closer, Fallon turned and fled down the steps into the garden.
Alone on the terrace with her, Blade turned and found his gaze arrested by Harriet’s beauty. “This was not well done, my lady. It could have cost you everything.”
She stepped close, her scent swirling round him, making his breath hitch. “But my knight in shining armor arrived to save me. Thank you.”
It was hard to stay angry when Harriet stood before him, her smile as bright as the sun, her perfume a heady mixture of allure and innocence. “You wouldn’t need saving if you acted as any respectable young lady should.”
Her answering giggle was full of flirtation. Or perhaps too much wine had been drunk.
“I hardly think one stroll out on the terrace could label me reckless, Blade. And if it brought you running…” She stepped closer. “This is the first ball where I’ve spoken with you all season.” She poked his chest. “If I didn’t know you like me well enough, I’d think you were avoiding me.”
He wasn’t avoiding her exactly. His favor for Prinny meant he had to keep a low profile where the ladies were concerned. “I have many duties and obligations.”
“But you’ve been at almost all the balls and yet not once have you asked me to dance.”
He sighed. “Have you seen me dance with any lady?”
A frown saw her cute button nose wrinkle. “No.” She assessed him with beautiful blue eyes. “You seemed glued to Princess Charlotte’s side.” Intelligent eyes that missed nothing. Her smile wavered. “Are you planning on marrying into royalty?”