Page 1 of Sense and Suitability
Prologue
Emmeline Lockhart’s life teemed with secrets.
Too many secrets for a country gentleman’s daughter, but at least it made her parochial life a little more exciting.
Her smile tipped. Very well—a lot more exciting, in fact.
She tugged at her gloves and stared out into the ballroom, the candlelit chandeliers casting an almost angelic glow across Lord and Lady Ruthton’s glossy floors. The hosts of the St. Groves Season never failed to fill their palatial home for every one of the balls they hosted, which was a substantial number for the season. Anyone who was anyone clamored for an invitation to the parties of the wealthiest and most influential aristocrats of their flourishing spa town.
But tonight one of Emme’s secrets would come to light. A secret she treasured even more than her occupation as a published author. Tonight she would finally become engaged, putting all the nasty rumors of clandestine meetings and covert affections to rest. Tonight Simon Reeves, cousin to the Viscount of Ravenscross, planned to ask her to marry him.
Her!
A woman without rank or riches.
And though her family was highly respected within St. Groves, they held no esteem in the larger world, so the entire romance proved every bit as fantastical as the fairy stories her mother used to read to her.
Men like Simon didn’t marry lower gentry.
Especially not lower gentry with an insignificant dowry and a scandalous secret profession. Perhaps if she had written books more sanguine and suitable for gentlewomen—like the anonymous author ofPride and Prejudice—her work might be more accepted by society. But her first two stories involved pirates, kidnappings, and other sensational exploits wholly improper for a gentlewoman to read, let alone write about.
And perhaps she hadn’t counted the cost of such a secret when her cousin Thomas convinced her to submit one of the stories she’d only ever shared with her family. Danbury and Sons had taken the book and, upon Emme’s insistence and Thomas’s keen business sense, chosen to keep the authorship of the story shrouded in mystery. Not even her family knew of the first publication, or her newly submitted second.
And neither did Simon.
Her heart fluttered at the very thought of him.
And their engagement needed to begin with complete honesty, despite her fear of his response to her secret. She had every intention of divulging her career to him once they were sequestered alone from the public’s hearing. If they determined to keep her writing a secret, it wouldn’t dampen his reputation at all.
They could just go on as they were in all of their delightful affections.
And though she had very few dealings with many of his relations, especially his cousin the Viscount of Ravenscross, the title carried esteem she never wished to sully.
“She’s already putting on airs,” came a loud whisper to her right.
Two ladies, Mrs. Wheaton and Mrs. Low, stood near the archway where Emme waited, doing very little to hide the object of their conversation.
“It truly is appalling the way she’s practically thrown herself at him.”
Emme increased the speed of her fan to cool the heat in her face and turned her attention away from the women. She’d never once thrown herself at Simon. Stumbled into him, perhaps. Crushed a foot once or twice. But never thrown anything at him, herself included.
In fact, if they hadn’t chosen the same hiding spot while attempting to avoid unwelcome suitors, they would likely have never met at all. Rank ruled—quite literally, in some respects—but especially in the social world. Her smile spread at the memory of their amusing attempt to remain hidden and avoid scandal.
That one unexpected meeting began a humorous rhythm of consecutive encounters, which slowly grew into a friendship and then... something even sweeter than friendship.
All the rumors of the determined flirt, Simon Reeves, melded into an awareness that beneath the dashing facade lay a faithful heart worth the loving. And despite every sensible notion, every caution of society, every inward warning at the implausibility of the match, Emme had given her heart to him.
From all accounts and to her utter surprise, he’d responded in kind.
However, over the last few weeks, their clear preference for each other had become more apparent, which no doubt led to the newest rumors swirling about the ballroom. Emme hated being the topic of conversation.
“She’s only a distraction for him until he finds a more suitable bride. Everyone knows he has no plans to marry until later, as he’s so frequently professed,” one of the ladies said.
Emme had heard those rumors too. Recognized the stories of Simon charming one lady after another with no real design to match himself to any of them.
But he had told her he meant to propose.Tonight.
Professed how she’d redirected his course.
