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

most of them
     dire and dreadful and quite beneath her.
    Yes indeed, it would be best if she acted as if they had never met. Then there would
     be no speculation as to why she hadn’t mentioned him before. It was highly suspicious
     when one thought about it. She raised her chin slightly. She could do this. Why, already
     the shock of Mr. Russell’s appearance was shifting to irritation at his unexpected
     and unwanted presence. The man would ruin everything.
    “Oh, you needn’t stand on formality,” Camille said. “We are all friends and family
     here. It would be most awkward if you were to refer to us all by our titles.”
    “And yet completely proper,” Delilah said.
    “Don’t be silly.” Camille shot her a sharp look then smiled at Mr. Russell. “You must
     forgive my sister. While she is the youngest in the family she is oddly enough rather
     stuffy when it comes to things like propriety.”
    “Someone has to be,” Delilah murmured. It was at moments like this that she quite
     valued the importance of propriety, the barriers and the protection it provided.
    Camille ignored her. “So please do call me Camille and this is Teddy.”
    “How delightful to meet you, Mr. Russell.” Teddy extended a graceful hand to him.
     “I have always been fascinated by Americans, although I’m afraid you’re the first
     that I have met.”
    Mr. Russell took her hand and gazed into Teddy’s green eyes as if she was the only
     person present. “I hope you won’t be disappointed then.”
    The man was obviously an outrageous and well-practiced flirt. Not at all surprising.
     He had certainly flirted in New York. Still, it was most annoying and could be added
     to a fast-growing list of complaints against him, although admittedly the most significant
     was simply that he was here. Nonetheless, Delilah had the absurd impulse to smack
     his hand away from her friend’s.
    Teddy tilted her head to one side in a flirtatious manner of her own. “I can’t imagine
     that I would be.”
    He laughed, that deep, overly amused laugh that had burned itself into Delilah’s memory.
     “I will do everything in my power to make certain of that. And my friends call me
     Sam.”
    “Sam it is then.” Teddy smiled up at him.
    Delilah’s urge to smack Mr. Russell shifted to her friend. Which made no sense whatsoever.
     Teddy could certainly flirt with whomever she chose.
    “As I do hope we will be friends.” Did Teddy really just flutter her eyelashes?
    “And apparently you remember Delilah,” Grayson said.
    Mr. Russell released Teddy’s hand and turned to Delilah. Without thinking, she offered
     her hand. It would have drawn attention had she not. “Mr. Russell.”
    He took her hand and gazed into her eyes. But then he would, wouldn’t he? “Sam.”
    “Are we to be friends then as well?” she said in a tone sharper than she had intended.
    “I do hope so.” A slow, wicked smile curved his lips, although she might have been
     the only one who thought it wicked. But then she was the only one who knew just how
     wicked this man could be. And he was the only one who knew of her own wicked tendencies.
     “One can always use another friend.”
    “Yes, well, I suppose.” She tugged surreptitiously at her hand but he held it fast.
     The man was not going to make this easy for her.
    Laughter danced in his eyes. “I have to admit, I am disappointed that you do not remember
     our meeting. As I said, it was at the ball. But admittedly it was little more than
     an introduction.”
    “Was it?” she said lightly and tried again to pull her hand from his. “Surely you
     can forgive me for failing to remember. Everyone was in costume after all.” She drew
     her brows together. “You were dressed as . . .”
    “A pirate.” His amused gaze bored into hers as if daring her to deny their meeting.
     The blasted man was playing some sort of game with her. Well, two could play at this
     game.
    “A pirate, let me think.” She paused as