The Lady Seals Her Fate (The Langley Sisters #5) by Wendy Vella Page A

species, Hannah; it will be quite nice to enjoy the remainder of the season without having young women fired into my path whenever I enter a ballroom.”
    “Yes, I can see that would be hard,” she drawled. “Adoration and compliments. Being popular must be extremely difficult.”
    “No need to be nasty, especially as I am saving your elegant neck.”
    “True,” she sighed.
    “And for your information I have no wish to have women fall all over themselves for my attentions. I would much rather seek a woman out myself. Do you know that two weeks ago I was lured on false pretenses into a room at the Hatton Ball? I heard a giggle and realized it was a setup and ran, but had I entered I have no doubt that a young lady would have been in that room, and behind me would have been her father or mother.”
    “Good Lord, it seems a great deal of trouble to go to, just to wed you.” Hannah wrinkled her nose.
    “Some would say I’m quite a catch,” he snapped.
    “Really? Well there is no accounting for taste.”
    “For someone who is now reliant on my goodwill to carry out her charade, I would suggest you make more of an effort at being nice.” Alex threw her a look, but she was turned away, watching the carriages. He wanted to touch the soft ringlet bouncing on her shoulder.
    “Yes.” Her sigh was theatrical. “Forgive me, old habits die hard.”
    “Vixen. Now be alert, the Dowager Duchess of Stratton has signaled for us to pull alongside that monstrosity she calls a carriage,” Alex said.
    “Must we?”
    Ignoring Hannah’s frantic plea, Alex drew his horses to a halt. The Dowager Duchess had an open carriage, so they were able to converse with ease.
    “Hetherington!” the old lady barked.
    “I see you have yet to update your equipage, Your Grace, and still insist on driving about in that monstrosity.” Hannah inhaled heavily at his words, throwing him a panicked look. One did not insult the Dowager Duchess of Stratton.
    “You have no notion of comfort and style, boy. Gadding about in that thing would be bad for my digestion.”
    “Your sour disposition would suggest you left the house in an ill humor, Your Grace. Care to tell me which of your minions has been insubordinate today?”
    “Alex!” Hannah whispered urgently. “You should not speak that way.”
    “Impudent whelp!” the Dowager said. “Where are my books?” she added. “I want to read the works of Seneca the Younger, as I have told you many times, yet still you have not given them to me.”
    Alex felt Hannah release the breath she had been holding when the Dowager Duchess did not take him to task over the way he had spoken to her.
    “I do have them, and would be more than happy to lend them to you. However, I must insist you not eat or drink tea over them, as they are expensive copies and highly sought.”
    The old woman sucked in her lips until they disappeared. She was one of the older members of society, and had known him since his first season. Many were scared of her, but not he. They had discovered a mutual love of Roman literature at a house party, when he was hiding in the library from Lady Littlejohn, whose intention had been to take him to her bed, as to her mind there was no substitute for the stamina of youth to pleasure a woman. He and the Dowager had struck up a conversation and stayed in that room for over an hour discussing their favorite subject.
    “May I remind you it was you who tore the corner of my copy of Catullus .” The Dowager loved debating with him, because not many people would argue with the old bat.
    “And may I remind you that it was I who read to you, day upon day, when you lost your voice, and while the rest of London rejoiced in your condition, it was I who suffered alongside you.”
    She blew out a loud breath and then reached across the carriage with her walking stick and jabbed him. She was remarkably agile for an old woman.
    “Well?” The Dowager glared at Hannah, who was obviously speechless, as at