A Wicked Way to Win an Earl by Anna Bradley

truths from her children. Her mother wouldn’t have wanted two of her beloved daughters tangled up in such a world.
    Lord Carlisle’s world.
    Delia drained the glass of wine. “It’s only for two weeks. We’ll just stay away from him,” she comforted herself as she crawled under the covers. “It won’t be difficult. Far beneath his notice . . .”
    She dropped off to sleep, dreaming of a bare chest, unbuttoned breeches, and bold, seeking hands.
    *   *   *
    Lord Archibald leaned against his cue. A cheroot dangled from his mouth and his eyes were trained on the billiards table. Alec leaned across the green baize and lined up his shot.
    â€œWhat was the outcome of that business with the rustic chits from Surrey?” Archie asked, just as Alec drew back his cue. “Bloody awful shot, Carlisle,” he crowed when Alec’s ball veered far left of his target.
    Alec scowled. Archie hated to lose at billiards. “It remains to be seen.” He took up his own cheroot from a tray on the side table. “The matter bears further investigation.”
    â€œCome, now, Carlisle—at least tell me if she’s pretty or not.”
    Alec drew on his cheroot. “I don’t know.”
    â€œYou don’t
know
? Why the devil not? This isn’t a difficult question.”
    â€œI didn’t notice a devastating bosom.” He thought of the angry glare Miss Somerset had given him when she’d caught him sneaking a look.
    Archie grinned. “Yes, well, perhaps if you’d started with her face, Carlisle . . .”
    â€œI couldn’t see it properly. She was covered in mud and it had grown dark. And before you ask,” he added, “I couldn’t see her hair, either. Not one strand. Her bonnet appeared to be nailed to her head.”
    â€œNot a promising start,” Archie said. “Or a very promising one, depending on how you look at it. Robyn’s attention span is shorter than most. It doesn’t sound as though she’s the sort to hold it for long.”
    â€œWhere is Robyn? I haven’t seen him all evening.”
    Archie shrugged. “Shepherdson.”
    Nothing further needed to be said. If Robyn was out with Lord Shepherdson, they wouldn’t see him again tonight.
    â€œRobyn wasn’t here to welcome her to Bellwood,” Archie pointed out. “That’s a good sign, isn’t it? He can’t be
that
enamored of her.”
    Alec snorted. “You assume Robyn remembers what day she’s arriving. I’d be surprised if he even remembers what day of the week it is today.”
    â€œStill, a silly little country lass may be just what you need, eh?”
    â€œShe’s not silly. Just the opposite. She’s clever. Sharp-tongued, too.”
    Archie grimaced. “Clever, sharp-tongued, and plain? Dreadful combination.”
    â€œI never said she was plain.”
That blush that had stained her cheeks right before she retired this evening . . .
“I said I couldn’t see her well enough to tell.”
    â€œOh, she’s plain. Or at least she doesn’t have the legendary Chase beauty. You’d have noticed
that
. What color are her eyes? Does she have
des yeux de feu bleu
?”
    Alec stared blankly at his friend. “What the
devil
are you on about?”
    â€œCome, now, Carlisle. Surely you’ve heard of ‘the eyes of blue fire’? Who was that Greek chit? The one with snakes for her hair?”
    Alec wasn’t drunk, but this conversation made him feel as if he were. Still, he’d known Archie since they were lads. The best course of action was to follow along. “Medusa.”
    â€œRight. That’s the one. Back when Millicent Chase was the toast of the
ton
, the gentlemen swore her eyes were such a beautiful, perfect blue, they could turn a man to stone.”
    â€œPart of him, anyway,” Alec said dryly.
    Archie