Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed Read Online Free

a bear-leader herself! Ten years married and four in the nursery, she should have some decorum but she barely keeps on the right side of scandal.”
    “Sophie can look out for herself,” said Lord Wraybourne unconcernedly. “She’s been unofficially out for years. But I was expecting to be busy keeping an eye on her, receiving a multitude of offers for her hand as well as preparing for my marriage. It is fixed for June.”
    Mr. Moulton-Scrope set himself out to persuade. “I’m not asking a lot, David. You like to go to readings and soirées and such. Just keep your ears open. Take Sophie. It would do her good.”
    Lord Wraybourne laughed. “She would likely run away from home first.”
    Mr. Moulton-Scrope shook his head. “She needs a tight rein, David. Selina has neglected her the last little while. I’ve heard of her on the town in Bath while still a schoolgirl. Don’t you start indulging her. Find her a strong older man for a husband. One who’ll keep her in hand or she’ll bring disgrace on us all.”
    Lord Wraybourne’s face had set in hard lines. “Sophie will never disgrace her name.”
    Mr. Moulton-Scrope met hard blue eyes and was surprised to find himself blustering. “Well, I didn’t mean . . . Lovely girl . . . I only mean . . . Damn you, David, stop doing that. You look just like your father and he always scared me to death!”
    Lord Wraybourne relaxed and laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m just feeling the weight of sudden responsibilities. I don’t need your problems too. You really have nothing to go on, you know.”
    “Of course, I know! It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. I’m just thrashing around in the hope of finding something, anything to go on. If you keep your eyes and ears open you may hit on something . . .”
    “. . . or end up with a needle in the rear,” interrupted Lord Wraybourne dryly.
    “Or that. At least I can trust you. You could never be responsible for these kinds of acts and you’d never use perfume, thank God.” He suddenly looked very tired. “David, I don’t know what to do or what to look for but I need you to help me do it.”
    Lord Wraybourne’s fine features lit with genuine amusement. “How can I resist such an appeal? I’ll be your eyes and ears, Uncle. And if I see anything that could be a needle I’ll report back to you.”
    “Needle, pin, bodkin—anything with a point to it, boy . . . anything with a point.”
     
    Mr. Moulton-Scrope hummed a light tune as he strolled on his way to his office. He hadn’t been at all sure he could get his nephew to assist him. He always felt a little ill at ease with him, never knew what to make of him. Some people made the mistake of thinking Lord Wraybourne idle because he made life appear effortless. As if anyone could manage such vast estates profitably in idleness, even with the best of staff.
    A few had even made the error of thinking him an easy mark when he had been a young man. There had been two duels that he knew about. Both swords, of course. They had ended with a neat, healable pinking and another man taught new respect for Lord Wraybourne.
    Trust David to snap up the richest heiress in the country. Mr. Moulton-Scrope would give a deal to know how he’d managed it. It might be amusing to see what the little bride would make of the enigma that would be her husband. Unless she was a total fool she would have a pleasant, ever-courteous partner in life, but there was another man behind the surface. It would be a shame if she was never to discover him, a shame for her and for David both.
    It was all his father’s doing. The old Lord Wraybourne had been something of a grand seigneur, a favorite of the king and great on dignity and duty. He had left his four other children to his wife to rear and concentrated on his heir. Couldn’t say he’d done a bad job. David was popular, pleasant, and an excellent landholder, but there was something . . . It was exactly like him to pick a bride by the