Taming the Rake by Monica Mccarty Read Free Book Online Page A

happened with Viscount Danby’s daughter. Most of the young ladies of my acquaintance are quite terrified of him.”
    Gina was surprised, but she supposed his reputation did inspire a certain amount of trepidation. But she hadn’t considered that she should be scared of him. Wary, yes, but not scared. She felt sympathy for his sister. It must be difficult for a young girl making her come out to contend with a brother who was always tottering on the edge of scandal.
    “What do you think?” Gina asked. “Is your brother a cruel man?”
    The question obviously distressed the poor girl. She hesitated a little too long. “I don’t know him well enough.” Perhaps realizing she was being disloyal, she said more firmly, “No, of course not.”
    But clearly Lady Augusta wasn’t completely sure and that fact bothered her.
    “He never returns home?” Gina asked gently.
    “Mother can be…” She paused, looking for the right word. “Difficult.”
    Gina nodded in understanding. One look at the Countess of Coventry’s dour, humorless expression and Gina had headed in the opposite direction. She knew a ton dragon when she saw one.
    “After his marriage…,” she trailed off. “I’d hoped that Coventry’s marriage would work out differently.”
    “It wasn’t a love match?” Gina asked, surprised by her own curiosity on the matter.
    Lady Augusta shook her head. “I don’t think so. My parents proposed the match years ago. Initially Coventry did seem happy, but then it was horrible.” She shivered, and lowered her voice. “I think they despised each other.”
    Gina wanted to ask more, but knew that further inquiry on such a delicate subject would be unseemly.
    Lady Augusta continued. “And now with the scandal involving Lady Alice, I fear that no respectable young lady will ever give him a second glance.”
    “I very much doubt that. Your brother is a very handsome man.” And many sins would be forgiven simply for that fact. Though Gina realized there was undeniably some truth to what Lady Augusta said. Ladies might look at his handsome face and sigh romantically, but few marriageable young ladies would likely look in his direction for more. And even fewer fathers would permit it. But there would always be someone willing to defy convention for the promise of a handsome, titled husband.
    Lady Augusta’s face immediately brightened. “You think he’s handsome?”
    Gina felt the heat rise in her cheeks, realizing she’d spoken her thoughts aloud. “Well, yes… I suppose.”
    Lady Augusta looked so pleased by her response that Gina began to feel a tad uneasy. Gina could almost see Lady Augusta’s mind working and if Gina wasn’t mistaken, finding herself around Coventry was not going to be a problem. A matchmaking sister, on the other hand, might be.
     
     
    Cecelia descended on Gina not long after Lady Augusta excused herself. Gina could tell that Lady Augusta was disappointed that her brother had left so quickly.
    “Did you know that he would be here?” Cecelia asked furtively.
    “Of course not,” Gina said. “This is the last place I would have expected to find the notorious Lord Coventry. It must have been my stepmother’s doing.”
    “Well,” Cecelia asked impatiently. “What did he say?”
    Gina recounted the conversation as best she could remember. When she was finished, Cecelia looked at her with newfound respect. “You surprise me, Gina. I didn’t think you had it in you.”
    “To be so bold?”
    “No, the boldness doesn’t surprise me.” Cecelia laughed. “But staring at his trousers does.”
    Gina blushed. “I must admit, I didn’t think I could do it.”
    Cecelia grinned, a wicked glint in her eye. “You bore up well under such hardship.”
    Gina nodded wearily. “The things we must endure for the betterment of womankind.”
    Both girls broke out into peals of giggles, sobering quickly when numerous frowns were directed their way.
    “Well,” Cecelia started. “It sounds as