Proposing to a Duke by Claudia Stone

Author:Claudia Stone [Stone, Claudia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2017-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The hunt, it appeared, had already begun.

Isabella watched in alarm as the eyes of one Dudley St. James’ lit up with excitement as he spotted her from across the crowded ballroom. The determined gaze of the ton’s most notorious fortune hunter watched her as she hastily began to backtrack through the crowd in order to escape him.

“Drat,” Isabella thought to herself in irritation.

St. James’ had barely deigned to glance at her last season she had been such an unnoticeable wallflower, news of her much increased dowry had obviously reached his nefarious ears if he found her presence so exciting this season.

Keeping her back to the wall, and her eyes on St. James’ florid face, Isabella weaved her way through the crush of guests who thronged the perimeter of the Duchess of Blackmore’s ballroom.

As the small orchestra began to play the notes of a quadrille and the guests took to the floor with gusto, Isabella was momentarily hidden from her predator’s view. Seizing the opportunity, she flung herself bodily - and most indelicately - through a set of double doors, which were framed by two white columns.

“Thank goodness,” she said with a sigh of relief as she found herself alone in a darkened room. She turned to peek out one of the doors she had come through, into the crowd beyond. St. James’, who was clearly in his cups, was glancing around the ballroom in confusion, swaying on unsteady feet. It appeared her great escape had gone unseen - she was safe.

“I do beg your pardon,” an amused voice called out behind her; “But I appear to have interrupted a game of hide and seek.”

Isabella started violently and turned to face the person who had spoken. As her eyes lit upon the regal features of the Dowager Duchess of Blackmore, Isabella felt her heart sink. Tabitha, Duchess of Blackmore was one of the ton’s most esteemed patrons, a bad word from her could have Isabella blacklisted from every soiree of the season and she would have her vouchers for Almack’s revoked. Not to mention that she was the mother of the man she was so desperately trying to forget, though there was very little resemblance between mother and son - bar the cool, staring blue eyes.

“I beg your pardon your Grace,” Isabella said slowly wondering best how to approach the older woman, before deciding on blunt honesty; “It is not a game of hide and seek. I was hiding from one of your more enamored guests - but I have no desire to be found.”

“Is that so?” The Duchess arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow; “And which one of my guests is pursuing you to the point of seeking sanctuary in my library?”

A curious look on her regal features, the Dowager Duchess walked to where Isabella stood, opened the door a little more and peered surreptitiously into the ball room.

“Dudley St. James your Grace,” Isabella said, motioning to where her would-be-suitor now stood, his cravat mussed and a large amount of

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