The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride by Victoria Alexander

all of Grayson’s Americans were tall. Apparently, they grew
     them that way.
    Grayson raised Camille’s hand to his lips and gazed into her eyes in that manner he
     had that made Teddy and even Delilah want to sigh with the sheer romance of it. “And
     do you remember my good friend—”
    “Of course I do.” Camille pulled her hand from her fiancé’s and stepped around him.
     “It hasn’t been that long.”
    “Delighted to see you again, Lady Lydingham,” the American said smoothly. Camille
     blocked her view and it was impossible to get a good look at him. His voice was vaguely
     familiar but then Americans did sound alike. “I must apologize for my early arrival.
     I hope it won’t be too much of an inconvenience.”
    Delilah and Teddy exchanged skeptical looks.
    “Not at all. Millworth is huge and there is more than enough room to spare,” Camille
     said in her best gracious hostess voice. “But you must be famished from your travels.
     Do join us and I will ring for something for you to eat.”
    Delilah reached for her cup and drained the last of her tea.
    “If it’s no trouble,” the American said.
    “None whatsoever.” Camille returned to the table. “Allow me to introduce Lady Theodosia
     Winslow. She is coordinating the wedding plans. And I’m not sure if you met my sister
     when we were in New York.”
    Delilah affixed a pleasant smile, turned her head, and looked up.
    And stared into the dark brown eyes of her grand adventure.
    And worst nightmare.

Chapter Three
    Her breath caught.
    Her stomach lurched.
    Her cup slipped from her hand.
    “Dee!” Teddy jumped to her feet.
    Delilah’s gaze jerked from Mr. Russell— Mr. Samuel Russell —to the tabletop.
    “Damnation,” she muttered then winced. She never cursed. Never in front of others
     and rarely to herself. But if ever anything called for a reaction stronger than an oh my this was definitely it.
    “Goodness, Delilah!” Camille gasped, whether at her sister’s blasphemy or the dropped
     cup Delilah didn’t know and didn’t care. “It’s a good thing your cup was empty or
     you would have drenched us all.”
    “Yes, of course. My apologies,” Delilah said with a weak smile and was grateful she
     could manage that.
    A footman hurried forward to tidy the table. In the back of her mind, Delilah noted
     how fortunate dropping her cup was as it gave her time to compose herself. Unfortunately,
     not nearly enough.
    This was Grayson’s friend? His good friend and occasional partner? Not the employee of one of his business associates?
     Obviously she was not the only one who had not been completely honest in New York.
     Why, the beast had practically lied to her!
    “Delilah,” Grayson said. “This is my good friend Mr. Samuel Russell. You might have
     met him in New York.”
    “One meets so many people.” She could manage no more than a half-hearted smile. What
     in the name of all that was holy was he doing here? Here? In England? At Millworth Manor? Her family’s home? In her world? Precisely where he didn’t belong. Where she had never wanted to see him. Where she
     had never expected to see him. She drew a deep breath. “When one travels that is.”
    “And it is hard to remember one among so many,” Mr. Russell said in an altogether
     too smooth manner.
    “Indeed and I must apologize, I’m afraid I don’t recall meeting you.” Delilah adopted
     a pleasant tone and struggled to appear calm. The worst thing about lies and deception,
     no matter how relatively innocent, was that inevitably they returned to bite you when
     you were least prepared for them. And she certainly wasn’t prepared for this. For him .
    “But I believe we did meet. Briefly. At the ball if I remember correctly.” He cast
     her an innocent smile that would have been most convincing to anyone watching but
     nonetheless spoke volumes to her. “ Lady Hargate, isn’t it?”
    “It is.” Delilah nodded, a million thoughts running through her mind,