Lord Rakehell by Virginia Henley Page B

kiss.”
    â€œOh dear, if it was that obvious, I need more practice.”
    â€œIf you will allow me to escort you to supper, I’ll see what I can do.”
    â€œYou are a cheeky sod, John Claud.”
    He grinned. “Yes, I know. Would you come riding in the park with me after church on Sunday?”
    â€œI would love to.” She gave him an inviting glance. “If I didn’t have a previous engagement.”
    â€œWith whom?” he demanded.
    Anne didn’t answer his question. “Why don’t we go tomorrow? On Saturday afternoon the park isn’t as crowded.”
    â€¢Â Â Â â€¢Â Â Â â€¢
    After the ball, far too exhilarated to sleep, Anne sat propped up in bed, filling the pages of her journal with all the exciting details of her debut. She purposely left out any mention of Emily. The only member of her father’s first family she put in her journal was her half brother Leicester.
    I’m glad Leicester was on leave. He never fails to tell me how much I look like my beautiful mother. He’s extremely dark and handsome and I’m surprised that he’s still unmarried. There is a striking family resemblance between him and Montagu.
    Next, Anne wrote down the names of all the young men with whom she’d danced, gave a thumbnail sketch of each, and described how she felt about them.
    I seem to be attracted to young men with Irish ancestry. No doubt it’s because I have Irish blood and it’s “like” calling to “like.” Or perhaps it gives me perverse satisfaction since the English nobility tend to look down on us Irish. I’m looking forward to my outing with Fitz Kerry. He has the boldest blue eyes.
    She saved the best till last, but when she wrote down
John Claud Hamilton
, she lapsed into thought, wondering what to say. She realized her feelings about him were not simple; they were complex. He was the most attractive male at her ball, and he was fun to be with, but she found his proprietary behavior toward her disconcerting. Finally she wrote,
He kissed me, and it was heavenly until I realized it wasn’t James.

Chapter Four
    â€œI much preferred the training at the Grenadier camp in Ireland to the methods they use in Germany. All that cold Teutonic discipline and stiff-legged marching seems rather soulless to me.” The Prince of Wales and James Hamilton were returning to London aboard a Royal Navy ship.
    â€œWell, at least it postponed your Cambridge studies, and you managed to leave unencumbered,” James reminded him.
    â€œOnly thanks to your warning me what my sister was up to regarding the Danish princess.”
    â€œI thought Alexandra was rather sweet and innocent. Was there nothing about her that attracted you, Teddy?”
    â€œWhat’s to attract? She isn’t a woman, she’s a girl . . . a colorless slip of a thing. She was flat as a fluke, no breasts whatsoever, and a personality to match.”
    â€œWell, you didn’t have to put up with her on many occasions. She didn’t relentlessly pursue you. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for your sister Vicky. I’ll be glad to be home to get some sleep.”
    â€œMy sister and the young Danish princesses have absolutely opposite personalities. Why on earth do you suppose Vicky and Frederick are so thick with the family?”
    James turned up his collar against the bitter cold wind of the North Sea, and reminded himself that Teddy was not a deep thinker with an analytical mind. “I’m afraid that Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Victoria have English views that clash with the authoritarian rule of President Bismarck. I would go as far as to say they loathe Germans. It is quite evident that they wish to align with Denmark as a buttress against Germany; hence their friendship with the Danish royal family.”
    â€œYou explain it all so well, James. Ulterior motives and political maneuvering never