Page 3 of Most Sought-After Scoundrel in London
“Eavesdropping is not a gentlemanly act, Lord Hurlington.”
“Never claimed to be a gentleman.”He stared at Lady Violet, amused.Where was the quiet, reserved widow who barely spoke at social engagements?He rather liked this bold new version of the lady he’d not had the pleasure of speaking beforehand.
“Hmph.”Lady Violet crossed her arms over her chest and pinned him with her molten brown eyes that had his heart skipping a beat.
He had been a fool for not seeking out her company earlier, but now that she’d caught his attention, the woman would bear the consequences of piquing his interest.“If you care to share your conundrum with me, mayhap I could be of assistance to you rather than Mr.Hardy.”
Her gaze raked over him.It wasn’t the first time a woman had taken in his form from head-to-toe but it was the first time that he was worried he’d not pass muster.
With a shake of her head, Lady Violet replied, “Unless you can convince Mr.Hardy to carry out my request within a week, I doubt you can be of much help to me.After all, I’m seeking out the name of a gentleman… not a rogue.”
He turned to face Mr.Hardy, whose cheeks were now a bright red.Given Cameron’s seniority in the Network, he could easily order Mr.Hardy to carry out Lady Violet’s request, but not knowing exactly what information the woman wanted he decided it would be wise to tread with caution rather than make hasty promises.“Lucky for you, I’m well acquainted with quite a few gentlemen.If you shared with me your request, you might be surprised at how persuasive I can be.”
Lady Violet cocked her head to one side and muttered, “Persuasive” as if it was a negative trait rather than one to boast of.After another long pause, she finally shared, “I’ve been tasked by my fellow widows to determine which gentleman is considered to be the most intriguing, the most astute, and which scoundrel is the most scandalous."
“And how is Mr.Hardy to assist you in obtaining the answers?”
With the barest hint of a smile, Lady Violet explained, “I’ve asked that he individually wrap an order of chocolates with wrappers that pose the questions and have instructions as to how to submit their votes, which shall be delivered to the ladies of theton,regardless of their marital status.”
Cameron blinked twice.“Brilliant.Allowing for anonymity means your results should be fair and honest.”
“Exactly.”Lady Violet looked over her shoulder at Mr.Hardy.“However…”
Having never had the desire to make a woman happy aside from his mama, Cameron found himself awash with the deep longing to see that Lady Violet’s wish came to fruition.“Mr.Hardy, there must be a way we can accommodate Lady Violet’s request.”
“How do you propose I accomplish the feat of fashioning such wrappers and distributing them to the hundreds of ladies Lady Violet wishes to poll?”
The old man had a valid point.
Cameron attempted to find a solution when Mr.Hardy suggested, “Perhaps, Lady Violet, if you would reconsider the number of ladies invited to vote, I could see to the task.”
The woman took a moment to ponder his proposal.“Mr.Hardy, that is a reasonable request.I’m excited to discover what the results will be.”
Lady Violet had struck Cameron as the unyielding, stubborn sort, but he’d obviously been wrong in his assessment of the woman.What other misconceptions did he hold about the lady?
Mr.Hardy scowled and wagged his eyebrows at Cameron.A clear signal that it was time for Cameron to take his leave.
“Well, now that it is all settled, I shall bid you both a good day.Lady Violet.Mr.Hardy.”Cameron left the confectionery, and it wasn’t until he was halfway to his club that he noticed the bounce in his step that had been missing for months.
The delicate tinkling of teacups mingled with the lively chatter that filled Matron Manor’s drawing room had Violet sitting on the edge of her seat.With the aid of Mr.Hardy, she had managed to successfully and anonymously poll the members of the Wicked Widow League.She squeezed her hands tightly in her lap and counted the seconds, waiting for Lady Bertha to arrive so that she could finally be done with the absurd mission and reveal the results that she found rather astounding.
Violet had counted and recounted the ballots on three separate occasions to ensure that she wasn’t mistaken, yet the results remained the same.The annoyingly handsome Lord Hurlington—the same man whose image haunted her dreams ever since their encounter at Mr.Hardy’s confectionery—had been voted almost unanimously by her fellow Wicked Widows as the sole gentleman to lay claim to all three titles as the most intriguing, the most astute, and most scandalous of scoundrels.While Violet’s intuition screamed foul play, she couldn’t find fault with her methodology or execution of the poll.It wasn’t too difficult to believe that the man had captured the attention of her peers, yet she couldn’t shake the thought that the results were weighted.A hush descended upon the room as Lady Bertha entered.
Finally, she could announce the news and put all thoughts of Lord Hurlington aside.
“Lady Violet, you look lovely as always,” Lady Bertha greeted her.
She stood and dipped into a curtsy as she replied, “As do you, Lady Bertha.”Violet noticed that all other conversations had ceased, and she was now at the focus of everyone’s attention.
“I’m eager to hear the results of your poll, Lady Violet.”There was an unmistakable twinkle in the woman’s eyes.
Violet considered Lady Bertha a pillar amongst the Wicked Widows, who shared her opposition to the idea of entering a marriage; however, she was also aware that the woman secretly loved to partake in the occasional matchmaking scheme and had played a role in the unions of no less than three couples in the last year.A tendril of worry rolled down the back of Violet’s neck as Lady Bertha’s penetrating gaze remained firmly focused upon her.Lady Bertha wouldn’t embroil her in one of the farfetched schemes, would she?Violet shook off her wayward thoughts and pasted on a smile before turning to address everyone in the room.“A good afternoon to everyone.”
Her fellow widows gathered to form a semicircle around Violet.Speaking on a one-on-one basis was difficult enough for her, but to face an entire crowd had her palms sweating and her feet itching to run.Having been left alone for the majority of her life to live in her imaginary world, Violet’s transition to living amongst the Wicked Widows has been riddled with both anxiety and excitement.She briefly glanced over her shoulder at the door, but she would have to barrel through at least a third of the ladies gathered to make an escape.Facing problems head-on had served her well in the past, no need to change tactics now.
Rolling her shoulders back and straightening her spine, Violet inhaled and counted to three before beginning, “Thank you for joining me today.”She glanced about the room and was slightly startled by the unadulterated curiosity in the women’s wide eyes that pinned her to the spot.“I suspect you are as eager as I am to discover the results of our poll.”Heads bobbed and giggles filled the air.“Against all probabilities, one man’s name topped the list in all three categories?—”
Lady Bertha interrupted, “Only one?”
