How to Seduce a Scoundrel (12 page)

Julianne smiled. “I had a bit of help from you.”

“Now we must plan your next chapter,” Hester said.

“It occurred to me that the first step is to exude confidence.”

Hester nodded. “I agree. A lady who is sure of her charms attracts the notice of gentlemen. And if she pretends not to notice them watching her, they will grow more interested. Men are attracted to what they cannot have. They love the chase.”

All these years, she’d never made a secret of her feelings
for Hawk. She’d agreed to his every suggestion, laughed at his every joke, and followed him everywhere when he visited her family’s country estate. Would he have been more interested if she’d not been so open about her feelings?

She fisted her hands, despising herself for speculating about what she might have done to attract him. Did she have no pride at all?

“Once the chase begins, the lady must use her wit, charm, and vivacity—all of which you possess,” Hester said.

Hester’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. “You mean flirt?” she asked.

“Teasing and witty repartee will beguile a gentleman, but once again, the lady must not let her true feelings show,” Hester said. “Once she secures his interest, she must drift away before
he
becomes too confident of
her
affections.”

Julianne thought of all the young men she’d teased over the years. She’d danced and flirted with them, but she’d been certain they’d understood it was all in good fun. Yet, twelve gentlemen had proposed to her. Had she given them the wrong signals?

The same way Hawk had done to her?

Guilt flooded her chest. “Hester, isn’t it wrong to mislead gentlemen?”

“All is fair in love and war,” she said. “If you give the impression you are elusive, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Julianne bit her lip. If that were true, why did she feel as if she’d done something wrong?

“Something is troubling you, gel.”

“I never meant to wound those gentlemen who proposed to me, but I must have inadvertently encouraged
them.” She looked at her clasped hands. “Afterward, I always tried to explain that I wasn’t ready for marriage, but I wounded them nonetheless.” Of course, she didn’t mention that she’d been waiting for Hawk.

“Did you ever allow any of those gentlemen to court you exclusively?” Hester asked.

She lifted her chin. “No, of course not.”

“Did any of them seek your brother’s permission first?” Hester asked.

“No. I think their proposals were rather spur of the moment.”

“Oh?” Hester said.

Julianne winced. “The first gentleman proposed after I allowed him to walk with me at a garden party. The next time, I was returning to a musical exhibition when the gentleman stepped outside the drawing room and drew me aside. The third one surprised me while I was walking in the park with my maid. The fourth one—”

Hester chortled. “My dear, you must have grown quite wary of gentlemen popping out of the shadows. You obviously inspired their passions.”

She remembered what Hawk had said about Ramsey. “At the time, I didn’t understand, but now I suspect they viewed me as a sort of prize to win.”

“Whatever gave you that impression?” Hester asked.

“Hawk said that Lord Ramsey is trying to pursue me because I’m supposedly unobtainable.”

Hester fingered her quizzing glass. “My nephew is jealous. That is a good sign.”

She had no such illusions. “I’m sure he’s not. He dislikes Ramsey and told me to stay away from him. Do you know if they had an altercation?”

“If they did, my nephew certainly would not discuss it with me.”

Based upon Hawk’s words, Julianne surmised something had occurred. He knew something about Ramsey, something he refused to divulge. The mystery niggled at her brain. She wanted to know more, but Hawk had no intention of revealing anything.

“You were angry at my nephew last night,” Hester said.

“He insists on following my every move. It is quite provoking,” she said. But last night, she’d glimpsed a different side of him. He was truly concerned that Ramsey could prove dangerous to her. Of course, it was silly of him. She could manage Ramsey, whether Hawk believed her or not.

“My nephew is fighting his attraction to you because of the promise he made to your brother,” Hester said. “Enchant him and build a slow fire. At all costs, however, you must not let him get close too soon.”

Julianne’s cheeks heated. She rose and walked to the window to avoid Hester’s scrutiny. Of course, she’d failed miserably when she’d let him kiss her. She’d not even tried to resist him, even though he’d made his disinterest clear at the ball. Had she secretly hoped that their kiss meant more than mere lust to him?

“Gel, what is wrong?”

She dared not look at Hester. Mama had always said all her thoughts showed on her face, and Julianne did not want Hester to see her tumultuous emotions. “All I want is to complete the pamphlet so that I may help other single ladies.”

“You have given up on my nephew?”

She ought to have given up long ago. He didn’t love her, and she would not demean herself in pursuit of his heart. With a deep breath, she mustered her courage and faced Hester. “That door is closed.”

Hester gave her a knowing look.

She turned to the window again. Drops of rain pattered the wavy glass. Hester didn’t believe her, but Julianne had meant every word. She’d spent too many years wanting and waiting for him. “It will be some time before I’m ready to open my heart again,” she said.

Hester sighed. “Ah, the trials of young love. I remember it all so well.”

Julianne returned to the sofa. “Tell me about your first beau.”

“Well, he was not my beau, though I certainly admired him from afar.”

“Did he not return your feelings?” Julianne asked.

“We exchanged words occasionally and longing looks. But he dared not declare himself.” Hester regarded Julianne with a bittersweet smile. “You see, he was my father’s steward and completely unsuitable.”

“Oh, no,” Julianne said. “Your heart must have been broken.”

“I was to undergo a far greater heartache. Unbeknownst to me, my parents had arranged my marriage—to a man more than twice my age.”

Julianne gasped. “You must have been horrified.”

“I wept for days, but I had no choice. He wasn’t the most attentive of men, and he was displeased that I didn’t bear him an heir.”

Julianne covered her mouth, realizing Hester must have suffered greatly.

“But three years later, he died of a heart seizure.” She smiled at Julianne. “He left me a considerable fortune, and as a widow, I had far more freedom. Back then, I was young and attracted the attention of many a handsome gentleman.”

“But you remarried four more times,” Julianne said.

“Loneliness, I suppose,” Hester said. “Well, that’s quite enough of my history. You must work on your pamphlet if you are to finish it in a timely manner.”

Julianne hesitated a moment but decided to take a page from Hester and speak frankly. “Is Mr. Peckham the gentleman who will make arrangements for publication?”

Hester shook her finger. “The less you know the better.”

Julianne wondered if Mr. Peckham was Hester’s first love, but she would not pry about such a personal matter, one that had clearly caused such grief. If Hester wanted her to know, she would tell her.

“Once the pamphlet is published, I can observe the other single ladies for signs they are following
The Secrets of Seduction
,” Julianne said.

“Perhaps you should test some of the ideas in advance,” Hester said. “To ensure they work properly.”

Julianne regarded her clasped hands. She could not tell Hester about her vengeance plan, but her conscience bothered her. Hester had been so kind to her, and she was purposely deceiving her.

Hester patted her hand. “Go along now. You must complete the pamphlet quickly if we are to see it published well before the season ends.”

Julianne nodded and hurried upstairs to the desk, determined to scrub thoughts of Hawk from her head. An hour later, she set her pen aside and read her latest entry.

Confidence is the key to becoming irresistible. Sweep away feelings of inadequacy. A woman who is assured of herself exudes a mysterious quality, one that makes her alluring to gentlemen. You need not have excessive beauty. It is said that Anne Boleyn was only moderately attractive, but her vivacity and quick wit drew gentlemen to her side. Her elusiveness made her all the more desirable. It is that inexplicable quality you must convey if you are to attract the attention of gentlemen.

Excitement raced through her veins. She was certain the pamphlet would be a roaring success.

Predictably, the food was cold, and his dining partner, Wallingham’s daughter, was tongue-tied.

Hawk recalled the sizzling beefsteak at his club and sighed inwardly. Hopefully soon, the ladies would take their leave. It was a sad commentary on his life as a guardian that he actually looked forward to sipping port while the gents passed round a chamber pot at the bloody table.
A pissing good time,
he thought wryly.

Husky, feminine laughter drew his attention to Julianne. She sat beside the Earl of Wallingham’s brash young heir, Edmund, Viscount Beaufort. Hawk noted Beaufort’s gaze straying to Julianne’s low-cut bodice. The devil. Of course, all the ladies showed off their bosoms in a similar manner, though some, like the silent Lady Eugenia, had little to display.

“Well, Hawk,” Lord Wallingham said from the head of the table, “I heard all your family is in Bath with your ailing great-grandmother.”

Lady Eugenia finally found her squeaky voice. “I am sorry to hear of her illness, my lord.”

“Nothing to worry about,” he said. “Just the usual heart palpitations.”

Eugenia looked horrified. “My lord?”

“She feigns illness for attention,” Hawk said.

“B-but why?” Eugenia asked.

Was she deaf? “For attention.”

“Oh.” Eugenia once again lapsed into silence.

Hawk forked a bite of congealed potatoes into his mouth and instantly regretted it. He managed to hide his revulsion by washing the food down with a gulp of wine.

Wallingham eyed Hawk. “Now that Shelbourne has taken vows, I expect you’ll be on the lookout for a bride. Can’t be outdone by the duke.”

Hester, who sat farther down the table, smirked at Hawk.

He set his glass aside, suspecting Wallingham had hopes of foisting Eugenia off on him. “I daresay no one can top Shelbourne’s spectacular match.”

Julianne regarded Hawk with a smile. “Their engagement was truly the event of the decade.”

Hawk winked at her. Only he and her family had known ahead of time that Tristan meant to propose to the former Miss Mansfield at a ball last spring.

Lady Wallingham patted her lips with her napkin and spoke up from the other end of the table. “Lord Hawkfield, you must take a bride soon. It is your duty.”

“Madam, I assure you my immediate duty is to fulfill my role as guardian to Lady Julianne.” Weeks and weeks of guarding her from half the lust-crazed bachelors of the ton. He’d be lucky if he didn’t go mad in the process.

“Yes, but that does not preclude you from marrying,” Lady Wallingham persisted.

“Well, we have high hopes,” Hester said. “He showed some interest in matrimony when he got engaged last year. Unfortunately, it lasted only one hour.”

Eugenia dropped her fork onto the plate. “Oh, dear,” she murmured.

All the other guests stared at Hawk with astonishment.

Beaufort leaned forward. “The lady jilted you after only one hour?”

Hawk let out a melodramatic sigh. “I fear so. It seems I’m doomed to bachelorhood for life.”

Julianne shook her head. “His engagement was a jest.”

Noting Wallingham’s deep frown, Hawk figured he was safe from any further coercion and sipped his wine.

“Lady Julianne, you must have marital aspirations,” Lady Wallingham said.

“Her brother doesn’t want to rush her,” Hawk said. Julianne could wait another year—when he didn’t have to watch.

“But this is her fourth season,” Lady Wallingham said. “She is of age and must long to make an advantageous marriage.”

“I only long to dance and shop,” Julianne said.

Lady Wallingham tittered. “Such an amusing young lady. Do you not agree, Edmund?”

“Oh, yes, very,” Beaufort said. “Quite jolly.”

Lady Wallingham persisted. “I daresay there may be one young man who will capture her heart. Do you not agree, dear Edmund?”

Dear Edmund looked as if he’d eaten something rotten. “Of course.”

Hawk gave Julianne a conspiratorial wink. “Alas, my ward has left a trail of broken hearts in her path. She has stringent requirements for a husband. No man can please her.”

Beaufort’s shoulders slumped, presumably with relief. He might not mind ogling Julianne, but given his youth, he probably had no intention of giving up sowing wild oats anytime soon.