The Earl's Scandalous Wife Read Online Free

lined up to marry him.  She didn’t have the luxury of waiting for him to court her and propose marriage, not when she would have to conte nd with others who were interested.  And right now, he was her only prospect.
    Turning back to Mister Robinson, she asked, “And what about you?  Are you looking for a wife?”
    “I’m already married to that gorgeous lady over there.”
    She followed the direction he indicated and saw a beautiful lady who was talking to a couple of other ladies.  She then turned her attention back to Lord Clement.  If she couldn’t have Mister Robinson who had seemed quite amiable, then she supposed she better go with Lord Clement. “Will you introduce me?”
    “I’d be happy to.”
    When the dance ended, he led her over to his cousin who was insisting his friend use some type of maneuver on the chessboard.  Had she played chess, she would have understood why his friend commented that it was a wise move, but as it was, she knew nothing about the game so had to settle for a polite smile as Mister Robinson cleared his throat.
    The two turned toward her, but her eyes settled on Lord Clement.  He had deep blue eyes that hinted at enthusiasm for life, something the Duke of Leavenshire lacked, something her mother had told her was very important in a gentleman.  If her mother was still alive, she’d never allow her brother to pawn her off on someone as awful as the duke.
    But that was not going to even be an issue now that she was going to marry Lord Clement.   All she had to do was figure out a way to become engaged to him.  What scandalous activity could she do?
    “I thought you left London with y our wife yesterday,” Lord Clement told Mister Robinson.
    “Yes, well, we delayed going there,” Mister Robinson replied.  “I have something I need to do first.  Speaking of which, I’d like to introduce you to...” He smiled.  “Forgive me, but what was your name again?”
    “Miss Leighton,” she repli ed, her heart pounding in her chest.
    “This is Miss Leighton.  Miss Leighton, this is my cousin Lord Clement and his only friend in the world Lord Roderick.” Glancing at Lord Clement, he chuckled.  “I’m only kidding, of course.” Turning back to her, he shook his head in a way that indicated Lord Roderick really was Lord Clement’s only friend.
    She bit her lower lip so she wouldn’t laugh.  Mister Robinson had a splendid sense of humor.  Since Lord Clement was his cousin, perhaps he was the same way.
    “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Lord Clement said with a bow, Lord Roderick following the same sentiment with a bow of his own.
    “Perhaps you’d like to become wild and toss aside that cane of your s so you can share a dance with her,” Mister Robinson told his cousin.
    “I’d like to dance,” she offered, her desperation prompting her to be bolder than she knew she should be.
    “Oh,” Lord Clement glanced at his cane, “I can’t.”
    “W on’t dance,” Mister Robinson corrected.
    “Can’t.   One leg is shorter than the other.”
    “By a mere inch.  They make shoes that enable him to walk evenly without a cane.”
    “I walk just fine.”
    “Which is why he insists on having a cane.”
    She watched as Lord Clement sighed in exasperation at the way Mister Robinson teased him.  Hoping to ease things for Lord Clement, she said, “I think a cane is quite distinguished.”
    “You do?” Mister Robinson asked, not hiding his surprise.
    “Yes, I do.” She looked at Lord Clement. “If you’re not comfortable dancing, perhaps you’d like to talk?” She swallowed the lump in her throat.
    “There you go,” Mister Robinson told Lord Clement.  “You can talk.  All you need to do is open your mouth and words come out.”
    She bit her tongue so she wouldn’t laugh at Mister Robinson’s joke.
    Lord Roderick groaned.  “Mister Robinson, have you nowhere else you can be?”
    “I brought over a lady to talk to my cousin.  That is a