Free A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan Page A

Sally.”
    â€œI’m sure all the gentlemen were tripping over themselves for you.”
    Rosalie winced and ran a hand down the brocade of her bodice. “Indeed. With my dowry how could they not?”
    Sally cast her gaze down and fell silent at this and Rosalie regretted her words, regretted making the poor girl feel uncomfortable. Of course she knew of her outrageous dowry. All of Britain knew by now. That didn’t give her cause to make the poor girl uneasy. She wasn’t any of the countless gentlemen attempting to woo her.
    Lord Strickland’s chinless face floated before her mind. It was bad enough that he mildly repulsed her, but to know that he didn’t even really want her, that he wouldn’t be giving her the barest notice if not for the obscene dowry Dec had placed upon her . . .
    It was galling. And yet a fact she would have to accept, dismal as it was. Any man she married would be marrying her for that reason and that reason alone.
    In that moment, she understood Aurelia’s motives for wanting to break free and do something bold and reckless. Such an act would be purely selfish. It would be about pleasure and fun. It wouldn’t be about the wealth she brought to her husband. It wouldn’t be about marrying for position or title. It would be an adventure.
    Rosalie could understand the desire for that. She understood.
    But she could never risk it.
    â€œA h, Your Grace, good morning. I was just coming to call on you.”
    Dec froze on the bottom step of his town house. His gaze collided with Lord Strickland as he descended from his carriage and stopped before him. He nodded warily. “Strickland. What brings you here?
    â€œYour sister,” Lord Strickland began, removing his gloves and twisting them nervously.
    Bloody hell. What had the chit done now?
    He reluctantly waved in the general direction of his front door, not bothering to correct Strickland again. The man seemed determined to view Rosalie as his sister rather than stepsister. “Shall we discuss this inside?”
    The man nodded swiftly and followed Dec inside. He waved off the butler who stepped forward to take Strickland’s coat and offer refreshments. Hopefully, this would not take long and he could still keep his appointment at Jackson’s Saloon.
    He closed the door to his office and took position near the great hearth, waiting with a knot of dread in his chest, quite convinced he was about to hear some tirade regarding Rosalie. And what could he expect? Stuck in that school for so many years, she was not precisely trained in the nuances of Society.
    He nodded grimly at Strickland as the man flipped back the tails of his jacket and sat rather stiffly on the edge of the chaise. He tugged on his collar and began in his mumbling voice, “This is quite . . . awkward. I’ve never done anything like this before—­”
    â€œStrickland.” The earl’s eyes shot to Dec’s face. “Just spit it out.”
    â€œQuite. Quite so.” He nodded doggedly and cleared his throat. “I would like to request the honor of your daughter—­er, I mean sister’s hand in marriage.”
    Dec stared.
    Strickland flushed and continued, his words a nearly unintelligible ramble. “I realize I have only made her acquaintance, but I’ve found her to be very amenable. I think she is absolutely the sweetest creature on earth—­”
    â€œRosalie?” he bit out before he could consider his tone.
    â€œIndeed. She is the kindest—­”
    â€œRosalie?”
    The earl nodded, his chin lost somewhere in his neck. “I’m not the only one paying particular attention to her—­”
    â€œYou’re not?” Other than the night he’d danced with her at the Coltons’ ball, Dec had left her in his aunt’s hands, ignoring his aunt’s requests for him to join them again. He’d deemed it unnecessary,