Andrea Pickens - [Lessons in Love 03]

The Storybook Hero

Lessons in Love

Book Three

by

Andrea Pickens

Award-winning Author

THE STORYBOOK HERO

Awards & Accolades

RWA RITA Finalist

Regency Romance, 2002

"The Storybook Hero
is a real page turner... exciting adventure and an entertaining romance."

~
The Romance Reader

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ISBN: 978-1-61417-417-2

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Chapter 1

"Good Lord, given the circumstances, you might at least have made a semblance of an effort to appear in a respectable state." The speaker's patrician nose wrinkled in disgust, as if he could actually catch a whiff of the dregs of brandy and musky perfume from all the way across the room.

The figure sprawled in the worn armchair made no effort to smooth the creases in his rumpled cravat nor to rearrange his long legs in a more decorous posture. "And what circumstances are those, William? The prospect of a warm family reunion?"

The Marquess of Wright gave an exasperated snort as he turned away from his youngest brother and caught the eye of his other sibling. "You see? Bloody waste of time, inviting him. I don't know why we bothered. Uncle Ivor must be daft to have thought he might accept."

"Come now, William," murmured Thomas Sheffield in a voice designed to put out the sparks of anger beginning to flare in the marquess's heated gaze. "You promised to keep a cool head. Remember the reason we are here." Taking the ensuing silence as a grudging acquiescence, he sighed and went on. "And you, Alex. You might try not to goad him on. It has been a long time—too long. It's good to see you...." He paused as he regarded the bloodshot eyes, sallow complexion and state of dishevelment that spoke all too clearly of a night spent in reckless carousing. "...though I wish I could say you are looking well."

"Always the peacemaker, Tommy." Alexander Sheffield noticed the undone cuff of his wrinkled shirt and slowly fastened it in place. "Don't bother."

The marquess shrugged in impatience to indicate things were going exactly as he expected. "Well, will you come?" he demanded. "Or are you too busy wenching or gambling or God knows whatever else it is you do that seeks to sink the family name in further reproach."

"William," warned Thomas.

His younger brother only laughed. "Oh, I have much too thick a skin for any of Lordly William's stinging setdowns to have the least effect."

The marquess's lip curled in contempt.

"But," he added in a slow drawl. "I admit to an overwhelming curiosity as to Uncle Ivor's summons. And seeing that the chance to dine with my affectionate family occurs so rarely these days, I do believe I shall make an appearance." If truth be told, the fact that it would also irk his elder sibling to no end was perhaps the deciding factor.

"Very well. But if you think to bring another—" the marquess nearly choked on the word "—doxy into my house masquerading as a lady acquaintance, I vow I shall throw you bodily from the premises."

That had been a rather shabby thing to do, reflected the youngest Sheffield. He must truly have been four sheets to the wind to have come up with such a stunt. He had nothing against his sisters-in law. In fact, he liked them quite a bit. But then again, he had no trouble getting along with females.

"You might try pressing your coat and finding a fresh set of linen," continued the marquess. "And you might—"

Thomas put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Tomorrow at seven, then, Alex?"

The figure in the chair nodded, his unruly long, dark locks falling to obscure the flash of pain in his eyes. His hand shot out for the glass on the sidetable and he drained the amber contents in one quick gulp. "Oh, seeing that it has been quite some time since either of you visited Town, let me know if I may be of any assistance in suggesting some entertainment. Madame Violet has a particularly lovely assortment of females—do you still favor big breasts, William?"