It's #MidWeekTease time once more
*Happy Dance*
and
if you are reading this on Wednesday,
only one more sleep until
*Drum Roll*
#TeamHarry
Seducing the
wallflower…
Over the years, Lydia Field
has perfected the art of being a wallflower. It’s the only way to avoid the
attention of unwanted suitors – and the perils of a convenient, loveless
marriage! Instead, she dreams of the day she can leave London’s high society
behind her, trading the glamorous balls and afternoon teas for a quiet life in
the country.
But in an unguarded moment,
she finds herself catching the eye of notorious rake ‘Handsome Harry’, Lord Birnham.
Now that he’s glimpsed the wildness and fire that lurks beneath Lydia’s demure
exterior, Lord Birnham will not rest until he has unleashed the full extent of
her passion!
For if there’s one skill
that Lord Birnham is known for, it’s the art of persuasion…
and a wee tease...
On the spur of the moment, Lydia
decided to slip out and purchase a novel to read on the long journey she
intended to undertake. For once, she totally flouted convention and didn’t take
a maid or a footman. Her mama would be horrified if she knew, and the ton would
have no hesitation in labelling her flighty and worse.
She couldn’t have cared less.
As she wore an old and shabby-ish
pelisse and a bonnet that shaded her face, no one gave her a second glance and
she reached the bookshop unnoticed. Once inside the shop, with its unmistakable
scent of leather and paper, Lydia’s tension slipped away from her like a
discarded cloak. She slipped her bonnet down – the brim impeded her vision – and
let her gaze feast on the delights in front of her. A happy half hour passed as
she deliberated between the volumes on the shelves, and eventually picked one
she thought should be light and entertaining, and another, which seemed darker.
Between them and chatting with Millie, the journey should pass tolerably well.
Now all she had to do was return home,
look as unhappy and unsettled as she had done recently, and wait until the
appointed time to leave.
Sneak
out like a thief. It was so annoying that she had
to behave in such a way, but Lydia understood her parents well enough to know
it was the only solution. She turned to go and have her books parcelled up but
discovered her route was blocked. By a young man. Who, she realised with a
jolt, she recognised.
She should have kept her bonnet on.
Lydia stared at the young man who
barred her way. Surely he wasn’t going to cause a scene in Hatchards? Lydia
nodded her head infinitesimally in the hope he would find some grace and good
manners. He didn’t. He neither moved nor spoke, just glowered.
‘Excuse me,’ she said levelly. ‘I wish
to pass.’
His eyes narrowed and he didn’t move.
Her temper spiked. Even though he was dressed as any young man of the ton
should be, something set him apart, and not in a good way. The wild look in his
eyes, perhaps, or the fact that the petulant look she had noticed before was
gone, to be replaced by something more adult and, not to put too fine a point
on it, worrying.
Harry’s heir.
‘You look like a scullery maid.’
‘I thank you.’ she replied frostily. ‘Please
move to one side.’
He stayed put. Those nasty spiders of
worry began to make their presence known on her arms. It was one of the most
unpleasant feelings ever. Why on earth was he behaving so abysmally?
‘I have heard you think you are going
to marry Lord Birnham,’ he said in such a violent tone she jumped. ‘I think
not. Not if you value your family.’
Lydia saw red. She was tired of being
told what she was and was not to do. People needed to stop dictating to her and
let her live her life. All the worry changed into annoyance.
‘What is all this about?’ she demanded.
‘I am so sick of your family trying
to dictate to me and mine.’ She conveniently forgot her mama and her machinations. ‘I am marrying no one.
Not you, not him, and not the man on the street corner. No one. Understand?’
He scowled. ‘Not him certainly, but me,
definitely.’
‘You are mad.’ Lydia went to brush past
him, and he barred her way by putting one hand on each stack of books. A very
real, albeit tiny, frisson of fear skittered down her spine and she stiffened.
He was not going to intimidate her. ‘Leave me alone or I will be forced to take
action.’
‘I’ll get what I want,’ Jeremy said. ‘Wait
and see.’
She didn’t bother to reply. After all,
she wouldn’t be around much longer for him to cry out whatever threat he had
intended to make. Lydia ducked under his outstretched arm, dropped her books on
his feet, and swept past him, ignoring his howl of pain.
Chair swivel jiggle only one more sleep. (but it is up for Preorder on Amazon, Kobo, and Are)
(I can't find my chair swivel jiggle picture so you'll have to suffer this one instead, sorry ;) )
Catch all the other #MidWeekTease posts
Happy reading,
love, Raven xx
