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Authors: Sophia Nash

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A trickle of hushed, questioning sounds emanated about the room.

Luc spoke louder. “I’ve always said gossip and dissipation were food for the soul, but truly I think you’ve all overimbibed.”

The sounds were interrupted by a few hoots of laughter.

“But then none of you have been following my advice very well. If you had but adopted my rules and drunk more brandy, I assure you that you would have guessed by now the name of the true author of
Lucifer’s Lexicon
. And by the by, Mr. Quigley, a waltz is one hundred forty-
four
steps closer to hell, not one hundred forty-five steps, you imbecile. You, sir, might not be able to count, but I assure you the Devil of Helston can.”

The crowd erupted in a frenzy, each of them vying
for attention. Luc spied the two Scotsmen, his publisher, John Murray, and Brownie, in the corner dancing their own version of a celebratory waltz, which looked remarkably like a Scottish jig. Luc held out his hands for silence.

“And so can the future Duchess of Helston. Lady Rosamunde?”

Luc watched Rosamunde’s family and Ata weave a path to the front of the crowd, still roiling with the answer to the number-one question in the betting books of London, the burning topic which had occupied the hearts and minds of the
ton
for the last two seasons. Nary a one of them was looking at Grace Sheffey, who was smiling at him.

Rosamunde’s father handed her up to him and he gazed into the depths of her ethereal eyes and well-kissed lips. “I give you Lady Rosamunde, who has consented to become my bride.”

“Heaven help you now, Lady Rosamunde,” called out Mr. Quigley, and the ballroom exploded with mirth.

Luc bowed to her. “Care for a dance with the devil?”

“Surely you can be more original,” she chided. “I fear you’re slipping.”

He glanced at the rapt audience out of the corner of his eye. “Well, now that the courtship is over, surely I won’t have to try so hard.”

“Really?” She arched a brow. “I don’t see a ring on my finger yet, do you?”

He growled something suitably devilish. The first
notes of a waltz sounded and he grasped her scandalously close.

The crowd roared their approval.

“Bully,” she whispered.

“Witch.”

She stared into his sparkling, hooded eyes and laughed. “My darling.”

“My love,” he whispered back.

And then he kissed her in an outrageously possessive manner that left all the ladies in the crowd sighing and thoroughly put out that Lord Fire and Ice was obviously hanging up his forked tail.

All the gentlemen breathed a sigh of relief for the same reason.

Epilogue

Baby,
n.
A misshapen creature of no particular age, sex or condition, chiefly remarkable for the violence of the sympathies and antipathies it excites in others, itself without sentiment or emotion.

—The Devil’s Dictionary, A. Bierce

Dear Mr. Brown,

I am condescending to write to you solely at the request of my grandson. I am to inform that the duchess was safely delivered of not one but two infants last evening. Luc tasked me to relate that Henry Horatio Philip Brown Rawleigh St. Aubyn, and Caroline Merceditas Sylvia Edwina St. Aubyn are both raven-haired and bonny like their mother. Rosamunde insists they take after Luc. Lady Sylvia, who we have just learned is increasing herself, in
sists the son takes after Rosamunde and the daughter after Luc.

But, well, if any of them had eyes in their head they would know that both babies look exactly like me. I know what you are thinking, sir. But if you have the temerity to suggest it is because they are wrinkled and toothless, I shall be forced to rescind the invitation Luc feels compelled to extend to you for the coming season. You are to come in a fortnight.

The current members of the Widows Club—Georgiana Wilde, Elizabeth Ashburton, and Sarah Winters—are still in residence here; however, Georgiana Wilde has been spending a lot more time at her deceased husband’s estate in anticipation of the heir’s eminent arrival. If you ask me, which I know you won’t, there is something she’s been hiding from all of us. Why anyone would choose to hide something from me when I am sure to find it out is beyond me. I’m determined to sort it out next season. By that time the Countess of Sheffield should be returned from her tour of Italy. I hope to entice her down here too.

And by the by, there will be no more talk of who was right last fall. If you were a gentleman you would know that a lady is always right, sir, even when she is wrong.

Pax,

Merceditas St. Aubyn

Dowager Duchess of Helston

Each chapter of
A Dangerous Beauty
begins with an epigraph from
The Devil’s Dictionary
, a wickedly jaundiced tome by Ambrose Bierce (1842–1914), whose work inspired me. Though some Regency purists might question the use of quotations from a gentleman who neither lived during the (1811–1820) Regency period nor resided anywhere remotely near England (San Francisco, California), I hope readers will overlook these liberties and take pleasure in Bierce’s great wit.

While the epigraphs are direct quotations from Bierce’s
The Devil’s Dictionary
, the definitions created for the fictitious
Lucifer’s Lexicon
in
A Dangerous Beauty
are products of my own imagination. In addition, this novel is a work of fiction. The story of the hero, Luc St. Aubyn, is not in any way based on the life of Ambrose Bierce.

Finally, readers who are curious about the mysterious illness in the story might be interested to know that it is grounded in reality. Known as
ciguatera
today, it is food poisoning caused by the consumption of warm-
water marine finfish such as groupers, jacks, snapper and mackerel, some of which have accumulated naturally occurring toxins through their diet. Manifestations of ciguatera in humans involve sometimes serious combinations of gastrointestinal, neurological, and cardiovascular disorders.

Booklovers and wordsmiths who would like to learn more about the story behind the story may visit http://www.sophianash.com.

M
y greatest thanks go to agent extraordinaire Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary for her belief in this book and her professional guidance, and to Avon Executive Editor Lyssa Keusch for her enthusiasm and unerring critical eye. I owe you. Oh, how I owe you both.

My appreciation also goes to the following people for their advice and friendship: Kathryn Caskie, Alicia Rasley, Cybil Solyn, Judi McCoy, Tim Bentler-Jungr, Mary Jo Putney, Kathleen Gilles Seidel, Jean Gordon, Kim Pawell, Annie Abaziou, Lanette Scherr, Lurdes Abruscato, Karen Anders, Deborah Barnhardt, Louise Bergin, Jeanne Adams, Leah Grant, Meredith Bond, Sherry Buerkle, Diane Perkins, Pam Poulsen, Denise McInerney, Lisa Gosselin, Christina and Philippe Gérard, Laurie and Eddie Garrick, Peter and Alexandra Nash, and Bunny and Kim Nash.

And finally, as always, endless gratitude to my family for their steadfast support and encouragement.

About the Author

Sophia Nash was born in Switzerland, raised in France and the United States, but says her heart resides in Regency England. Her ancestor, an infamous French admiral who traded epic cannon fire with the British Royal Navy, is surely turning in his grave.

Before pursuing her long-held dream of writing Historicals, Sophia was an award-winning television producer, a congressional speechwriter, and a CEO for The Washington International Horse Show. She lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., with her husband and two children.

Sophia’s first three novels won eight national awards, including the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA® Award, Romantic Times’ Best Regency Award, and a spot on Booklist’s “Top Ten Romances of the Year.” Readers may contact her via www.sophianash.com.

Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY
. Copyright © 2007 by Sophia Nash. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

Microsoft Reader May 2007 ISBN 978-0-06144390-9

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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United Kingdom

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http://www.uk.harpercollinsebooks.com

 

United States

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http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com

BOOK: A Dangerous Beauty
10.83Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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