Englands Perfect Hero

Chapter 1
I never saw a man in so wretched a condition.

ýRobert Walton, Frankenstein

Fourteen months later

"No, I don't think you cheated, Evie, and I wish you'd stop saying it." Lucinda Barrett sent her friend an exasperated look as she settled deeper into the window seat.

"I know," Evie replied, "but I only intended on delivering lessons to a scoundrel. And now I've ended up married to him." With a scowl she rose, striding toward Lucinda's refuge and back again. "I mean, for heaven's sake, less than two months ago I was plain old dull Evie Ruddick, and now I'm the Marchioness of St. Aubyn. I can't even believeý"

"You were never plain or dull, Evie," Georgiana interrupted as she glided into the drawing room and signaled her butler to close the door behind her. "And as for apologizing, firstly I'm late for my own tea, and secondly I seem to have married the object of my lesson as well."

Lucinda grinned. "Neither of which is an offense for which you need to apologize, Georgie."

Smiling, Georgiana motioned Evie to a seat on the couch and sank carefully down beside her. "Perhaps, but a little over a year ago I would have shot anyone who even suggested I would marry Tristan Carroway. And now here I sit, Lady Dareýand two months away from bringing yet another Carroway into the world."

Evelyn chuckled. "Perhaps it'll be a girl."

"That would only begin to even the odds against me." Georgie shifted, plainly uncomfortable. "I'll never understand how Tristan's mother could be brave enough to produce four more boys after the example he set. If not for his aunts, I should be completely outnumberedýand they've abandoned me to take the waters at Bath."

"Speaking of the Carroway brothers," Lucinda said, knowing she was deliberately stalling, now that she'd finally decided to tell her friends about her own plans, "did I hear you say that Lieutenant Carroway is due back in London?"

"Yes. Bradshaw's ship should be in Brighton by the end of the week. He's hoping for a new assignment to the West Indies, of all places." Georgie narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want to know about Shaw? You've decided on him for your lesson, haven't you?"

"Good heavens, no." Lucinda's cheeks warmed. "Can you imagine my father's reaction if I began paying attention to a Navy man? Not that delivering a lesson means imminent marriage, of course."

Evie snorted. "The odds do seem fixed in that direction."