Scandal of Love Read Online Free
just wished it felt like happy news instead of a death sentence. In a way, it was. Her dreams had died.
Two days later, their engagement was set in the eyes of the ton. There had been many moments during the announcement of her engagement that she had worried about her decision, but there was no going back now. A broken engagement, especially after her previous scandal, would be even worse than before.
No. She would marry Lord Devericks.
Her father had been pleased with the arrangement. At least as pleased as he could be considering her fiancé was not the Duke of Wathersby, and that she would not be a duchess.
While no one besides Aubrey had come to visit her the previous day, they flooded her doorstep en-masse once her engagement was announced. Not that she received any of them. She just couldn’t face the smiles and congratulations yet.
She hadn’t even met her fiancé for heaven’s sake! When he had arrived to speak with her father, she had been ushered out on a last minute shopping excursion.
Tonight was the first time they would meet each other, but since it was at a public affair, there was no room for awkwardness or their plans would be ruined.
“Ready for this?” Aubrey asked, walking into Sera’s receiving room.
Sera nodded, smoothing the shimmering ivory silk of her ball gown. She was grateful Aubrey had offered to arrive with her at the ball. All eyes would be on her tonight, and she was happy to have someone at her side through it all. “You look wonderful,” Sera said, admiring how the rose silk of Aubrey’s gown made her skin look flawless.
“Thank you.” Aubrey reached up to her hair, touching a pink rosebud that secured her coiffure. Her friend shined, and Sera hoped that she would catch the eye of one of the gentlemen tonight.
“Well, let’s get on with it. The sooner we’re off, the sooner it will be over.”
“Don’t worry, after tonight everyone will have something else to talk about.”
Sera donned her matching pelisse, smoothing the material once again. “I know. I just don’t like it. I hate that I have to pretend to love someone I’ve never even met.”
“I know.” Aubrey nodded sympathetically. “You can do this though.”
Her father was waiting for them in the carriage. Once they were all settled, they began the short journey to the ball. They were arriving fashionably late so that everyone would be in attendance for their performance.
“It will be all right,” her father tried to reassure her.
Sera nodded numbly, trying to make her father feel better, but she knew it wouldn’t be all right. How could it be? She would be making a mockery of love and marriage, and there was no hope of ever having those things now. “Let’s go.”
Ascending the steps, Sera let out a pent up breath.
“Lord Winters, Duke of Dorchester, Lady Sera, and Lady Aubrey,” the announcer called out to the packed ballroom.
Like a wave cresting over the room, their voices were extinguished one by one. Holding her head up high, she walked slowly in the room. A serene smile on her face, almost as if she hadn’t a clue that she was the center of attention.
Please let this end soon, she thought, scanning the crowd.
But it was only just the beginning.
CHAPTER 3
Hearing his fiancée announced, Quinton turned toward the door like everyone else to watch the Duke of Dorchester and his daughter walk into the room. He remembered Lord Winters from their meeting the previous day, but he didn’t recognize Lady Sera.
Wrapped in a pink gown with matching roses in her dirty-blond hair, his soon to be bride was announced directly after her father. While not exceptionally beautiful, she did have several features that he considered pleasing. His sigh of relief was immediate. He hadn’t thought to inquire about the woman’s looks until after the bargain had been struck. The dread he had been feeling, not knowing if he would be able to bed the woman, had loosened in his gut.
Marrying her
Two days later, their engagement was set in the eyes of the ton. There had been many moments during the announcement of her engagement that she had worried about her decision, but there was no going back now. A broken engagement, especially after her previous scandal, would be even worse than before.
No. She would marry Lord Devericks.
Her father had been pleased with the arrangement. At least as pleased as he could be considering her fiancé was not the Duke of Wathersby, and that she would not be a duchess.
While no one besides Aubrey had come to visit her the previous day, they flooded her doorstep en-masse once her engagement was announced. Not that she received any of them. She just couldn’t face the smiles and congratulations yet.
She hadn’t even met her fiancé for heaven’s sake! When he had arrived to speak with her father, she had been ushered out on a last minute shopping excursion.
Tonight was the first time they would meet each other, but since it was at a public affair, there was no room for awkwardness or their plans would be ruined.
“Ready for this?” Aubrey asked, walking into Sera’s receiving room.
Sera nodded, smoothing the shimmering ivory silk of her ball gown. She was grateful Aubrey had offered to arrive with her at the ball. All eyes would be on her tonight, and she was happy to have someone at her side through it all. “You look wonderful,” Sera said, admiring how the rose silk of Aubrey’s gown made her skin look flawless.
“Thank you.” Aubrey reached up to her hair, touching a pink rosebud that secured her coiffure. Her friend shined, and Sera hoped that she would catch the eye of one of the gentlemen tonight.
“Well, let’s get on with it. The sooner we’re off, the sooner it will be over.”
“Don’t worry, after tonight everyone will have something else to talk about.”
Sera donned her matching pelisse, smoothing the material once again. “I know. I just don’t like it. I hate that I have to pretend to love someone I’ve never even met.”
“I know.” Aubrey nodded sympathetically. “You can do this though.”
Her father was waiting for them in the carriage. Once they were all settled, they began the short journey to the ball. They were arriving fashionably late so that everyone would be in attendance for their performance.
“It will be all right,” her father tried to reassure her.
Sera nodded numbly, trying to make her father feel better, but she knew it wouldn’t be all right. How could it be? She would be making a mockery of love and marriage, and there was no hope of ever having those things now. “Let’s go.”
Ascending the steps, Sera let out a pent up breath.
“Lord Winters, Duke of Dorchester, Lady Sera, and Lady Aubrey,” the announcer called out to the packed ballroom.
Like a wave cresting over the room, their voices were extinguished one by one. Holding her head up high, she walked slowly in the room. A serene smile on her face, almost as if she hadn’t a clue that she was the center of attention.
Please let this end soon, she thought, scanning the crowd.
But it was only just the beginning.
CHAPTER 3
Hearing his fiancée announced, Quinton turned toward the door like everyone else to watch the Duke of Dorchester and his daughter walk into the room. He remembered Lord Winters from their meeting the previous day, but he didn’t recognize Lady Sera.
Wrapped in a pink gown with matching roses in her dirty-blond hair, his soon to be bride was announced directly after her father. While not exceptionally beautiful, she did have several features that he considered pleasing. His sigh of relief was immediate. He hadn’t thought to inquire about the woman’s looks until after the bargain had been struck. The dread he had been feeling, not knowing if he would be able to bed the woman, had loosened in his gut.
Marrying her
Readers choose
Tom Harper
Willie Nelson, Mike Blakely
Rebecca Patrick-Howard
R.S. Wallace
Elyzabeth M. VaLey
Johanna Lane
Jayne Ann Krentz
Annie Reed
Kelly Boyce
Karl Edward Wagner