Read Online The Harlow Hoyden by Lynn Messina - Free Book Online

someone who’s an excellent seducer, but he mustn’t be too good. I trust the point of this exercise is not to see your sister ruined.”

    “Of course not,” she said, much offended by the notion. “I love my sister and would never want anything bad to happen to her.”
    “ I know that, darling, but we must make sure that our libertine knows it as well. He mustn’t seduce her for real.”
    “You mustn’t tease yourself on that front, dear Kate. Lavinia could no more be seduced by a libertine than I. She could, however, have her head turned.That’s our objective.”
    These words had the exact opposite effect on Kate than their author’s intention. Rather than leave off worrying about Lavinia’s seduction, she began to worry about Emma’s as well. Despite her worldly experience—and Kate was not convinced that racing at breakneck speed down the Newmarket road made one either worldly or experienced—Emma knew nothing of men and was poorlymatched against one bent on seduction. In her mind’s eye, she could easily see Emma approaching a Lord Bancock about her sister’s virtue and walking away with a little less of her own.
    “All right,” Kate agreed, keeping this disturbing thought to herself. “But we must find a rake we can trust. We don’t want the tale spreading through drawing rooms. The scandal would destroy your whole family.And I daresay your mother would not thank you if you all had to retire to Derbyshire in disgrace.”
    Emma realized that this was a very real concern. Oh, she would think nothing of it if they had to bury themselves in the country, but if the story got out then surely Lord Windbag would hear of it. Nothing would be served if he knew of her scheme. “You make an excellent point. Young, handsome,adept and trustworthy. Just jot down a few names and I’ll be on my way.”
    Of course Kate recognized this for the paradox it was. Young, handsome, adept and trustworthy—these were the qualities of an eligible parti. Few of the most sought-after bachelors in the realm had this much to recommend them. Only Trent, and he had already shown his mettle. That was the caliber of gentleman they were lookingfor. Kate needed time to reflect on this problem. “I would love for you to leave with the list right now, my dear, but I must give it some thought. I have some ideas in my head, but I want to make sure that I choose the right gentleman. The wrong gentleman and the results could be disastrous.”
    Emma knew this was true, but still she was impatient. Now that she had a plan for breaking up her sister’sengagement, she wanted to go forward with it as soon as possible. She wasn’t made for things like waiting . “I guess you’re right,” she said sulkily.
    “Take heart, Em, the engagement was announced not a fortnight ago. The wedding itself is months away. Plenty of time to do mischief.”
    “I’m well aware of that, but it comforts me little. Every second she spends with him she falls deeper under hisevil spell. Soon she may even love him. Then we’ll be in a pickle.”
    “If she loves him, then perhaps she should marry him,” Kate said logically, although she knew logic had nothing to do with the way Emma felt about Sir Waldo Windbourne.
    “It is not a real sort of love,” Emma scoffed. “It is just the familiarity one mistakes for liking. Lavinia fears becoming a spinster. She doesn’t want toplay maiden aunt to Roger’s monsters. She wants her own children. I cannot question the sentiment, but I can take exception to her solution. She’s marrying Sir Windbag because he’s the only man who has asked. She’s settling for a man she won’t be able to stand in a few years. His charm, such as it is, will pall, and she will be left with a hollow sham of a marriage. Her interests will have been takenaway—I told you how he does not like her ‘hobby’ of raising orchids—and she will have nothing left to make her happy. I do not want that sort of life for my sister. She