Page 10 of Embracing the Earl (The St. Clairs 3)

Chapter Four

Luke enjoyed beingaround beautiful women. He was used to sharing their company, especially in his tightknit family. His sister was one of the great acknowledged beauties in London with her St. Clair midnight black hair and bold, green eyes. Both Crawford sisters, Catherine and Leah, were as sisters to him now. Catherine had striking auburn hair and bright blue eyes while Leah had golden tresses and green eyes. Even Cor, his grandmother, was still dazzling at seventy-five, her lovely face bearing but a few wrinkles and her snow white hair setting off crystal blue eyes.

The women Luke had taken as lovers over the years all had beauty in common. He liked looking at them. He never bothered getting to know them, though. They weren’t to be a permanent fixture in his life. He took what he wanted but gave amply in return.

His entire world had changed in the last minute, though.

Lady Caroline Andrews was breathtaking—andhe wished to know her—a first for him. This was a poised woman, not some young miss pushed straight from the schoolroom onto the Marriage Mart as the Season began. He wondered if she’d made her come-out before she’d left for America, for he believed he would have remembered if she had. What a shame she’d been buried in such a desolate place, stuck while the war raged on. Not only had she suffered the loss of her mother and aunt during her years away from home, she’d arrived in England and learned her father was also dead and buried.

Yet she appeared composed and serene, even having learned that her family homes were being sold and she was displaced, with nowhere to go. Any other woman of thetonwould have fallen apart, hysterical, crying for her smelling salts. Lady Caroline calmly accepted what she’d learned.

This was a woman worth knowing.

It didn’t hurt that she had rich, caramel hair, streaked with as much blond as brown. Or that her brown eyes reflected warmth and a hint of humor. Her ample bosom and tiny waist also appealed to him. Her attractiveness was merely a nice addition, a bow on the mysterious package that he wished to unwrap.

What really captured Luke’s attention was when they’d touched. The electricity between them was palpable. He’d never experienced anything so raw and real. They owed it to themselves to get to know one another. Conveniently, Lady Caroline staying with Rachel would help throw them together more often than if they merely saw one another at events during the Season.

Luke determined by Season’s end that Caroline Andrews would be his, body and soul.

They entered the drawing room and Evan rang for tea. It arrived almost immediately. As Rachel poured cups for all of them, Lady Caroline assisted by passing around slices of the cake that accompanied it.

“May I ask about your horse, Rachel?” the newcomer asked in her gentle, cultured voice.

Ah, his sister had already endeared herself and prompted her guest to use first names. That pleased Luke tremendously. It would also give him an advantage over other bachelors who would swarm Lady Caroline at the first event of the Season.

Rachel smiled dreamily. “Calypso was a wedding gift from Evan.”

She reached for his hand and squeezed it, love for her husband shining brightly from her eyes. Something else good, in Luke’s opinion. Lady Caroline would see what a loving couple Rachel and Evan were and what a loving family Luke came from. Another advantage for him.

“Did you ride much in America?” he asked, wanting to claim some of her attention himself.

“Not much. We walked everywhere. To shops. Church. My aunt’s bookstore.”

“Oh, she had a bookstore?” Luke’s interest grew.

“Do you like books?” she asked, eyeing him, her intrigue obvious.

“Very much so. I was a terrible student at Eton and university but I’ve always enjoyed reading. I don’t care what the topic. I buy books by the dozens,” he admitted, something he usually kept a secret from others.

“Then you are the type of customer I will seek,” Lady Caroline said.

“Customer?” he asked.

“Yes. I plan to open a bookstore in London.”

“How interesting,” Rachel said. “Will it be like your aunt’s in Boston?”

“I hope so. I plan to call it Evie’s, after her. She was Evangeline but everyone called her Evie. I think that sounds warm and friendly, just the kind of atmosphere I want to create.”

“Opening a business requires a great deal of knowledge,” Evan said.

“Oh, I have it,” their guest said confidently. “I don’t mean to sound like a braggart. Aunt Evie taught me all about her business. She sold her husband’s ship when he passed away and used the proceeds to open her own shop. She expanded it twice. During my time in Boston, I worked alongside her. I learned not only about how to sell a book to a customer but all about inventory and keeping ledgers. I even negotiated a lower rent for her building.”

Luke’s admiration for her grew. “Do you have an idea where you’ll locate Evie’s?”

“Not yet. We literally arrived in London only today. I’m hoping that I can purchase an existing bookstore. If not, I can lease or buy a building and then build my inventory from the ground up.” She looked at him. “Perhaps you can give me some pointers on the type of books London gentlemen read, Lord Mayfield.”

“I’d be happy to do so, Lady Caroline,” he replied.

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