My Lady Rival Read Online Free

few random historical figures, his mind held fast to the vision of a slender blond beauty gowned in violet. A woman with ocean eyes, gracefully slim shoulders belying her strength, and a mask that offered the most overt display of wealth he’d ever seen.
    The Lady in Diamonds.

Chapter 2
    Willa Stratton blamed her presence at the Winstead masquerade on Mr. Andrew Woolstone. He was supposed to have been at his bachelor’s residence. He was supposed to have sold the information about the Madonna dye as soon as she offered. Instead, he was missing, and Willa didn’t have a clue as to his whereabouts. Yes, it was true he didn’t know who she was, nor had he expected for her to come to England to meet him, but those facts weren’t as important as the very distressing realization that Woolstone had disappeared.
    Of course, her suspicions immediately focused on A lex Laurie, current owner of the competing dye maker Laurie & Sons. He was the son of her father’s former business partner and now her father’s rival. Three years ago he’d become her rival as they competed for the same investor. A nd although she hadn’t heard that he was interested in acquiring the dye for himself, if there was anyone who could ruin her plans quite so thoroughly, it was A lex Laurie.
    Instead of celebrating her possession of the dye and informing her father that she had no intention of returning to A merica to marry Harold Eichel, she’d come to the masquerade as her father had always intended. He expected her visit to England to result in swaying A lex’s greatest investor to their side, but Willa had other plans. Or rather, she didn’t have plans any longer, now that Woolstone was missing; she had desperation.
    She danced; she smiled; she laughed. She didn’t simper, of course—Willa Stratton never simpered—but she certainly engaged in more than her fair share of flirting with Mr. Lunsford, A lex Laurie’s largest investor and close friend. A fter a cotillion, they stood on the perimeter of the dancing, Willa pointing his attention to another couple in the quadrille closest to their position.
    She knew her companion was Mr. Jack Lunsford, second son of the Viscount Carews, though they hadn’t shared their names. Even though he was masked in a red domino tonight, she could have drawn his every feature almost as clearly as a mirror’s reflection. She’d long since memorized the portrait she’d been given of him, the accounting of his habits and vagaries a tuneless litany in her head.
    She didn’t care for any of it now; all she wished was to somehow charm Lunsford into telling her what A lex Laurie knew of the Madonna dye. A nd whether he had anything to do with Woolstone’s disappearance. The blackguard.
    Of course, that was assuming that A lex was involved. If he wasn’t, then she must work even harder to find Woolstone before he did.
    A lthough they danced and flirted back and forth just as expected, it didn’t seem to take long for Lunsford to realize that Willa didn’t engage him out of amorous to take long for Lunsford to realize that Willa didn’t engage him out of amorous interests. A nd Lunsford, she knew, was a man who cared greatly about amorous interests.
    His suspicions were evident when he suggested they escape from the heat of the ballroom. “It’s a lovely evening, my lady. Shall we take a stroll on the terrace to find relief from the crush?” Though his gaze lingered on hers with all sincerity, there was a knowing tilt to his smile that convinced her that the question was but a test. There was also a slight mocking to his voice, though he covered it well with the tones of consideration.
    Upon arriving at the Winstead masquerade she’d been desperate. Upon recognizing Lunsford she’d been determined. A nd now, unfortunately, after having crashed into the man in the black mask a little while ago, she was distracted. Her attraction to a complete stranger who was of no consequence at all couldn’t have come