Free A Little Mischief by Amelia Grey

eyebrows shot upward. “You don’t say? When?”
    “Earlier.”
    “Did you find her charming?”
    “Not in the least.”
    Chilton grinned. “You lie.”
    Daniel turned to his friend and smiled. “Not by much.”
    “By enough.”
    Chilton and Daniel both laughed heartily at their mimic of their earlier conversation. “It’s good to have you back in Town.”
    Daniel nodded. He was glad to be back in London, but he didn’t look forward to the two tasks ahead of him. He needed to find a husband for Gretchen and a wife for himself before the Season ended. That didn’t give him much time.
    “How has she escaped marriage?” Daniel asked, searching the room for Miss Winslowe again.
    “Who?”
    “Are we going there again?”
    Chilton chuckled. “No. I guess not. It’s your first party, and already you’ve set your sights on the one lady you’re not likely to get.”
    Daniel knew Chilton was issuing him a challenge that he fully expected Daniel would take him up on, but he wasn’t falling for that.
    “Believe me, Chilton, I do not have any designs on her, but if I did, what makes you think I couldn’t entice her to marry me?”
    “Miss Winslowe has made it clear to everyone she doesn’t want to make a match.”
    It didn’t surprise Daniel that the lady would rather play her games than get serious about finding a husband to take her off the mart.
    Thinking back to how she’d tried to trick him about Throckmorten, Daniel said, “My guess is that she’s not married because she hasn’t had any offers.”
    “Think again, my friend. She’s had plenty of offers. At least three last year, maybe more.”
    “Maybe less?” Daniel questioned.
    “No. I’m sure of the three.”
    “Suitable matches?”
    “Yes. She even declined Viscount Traywick. She dances, smiles, and occasionally accepts calls but has shown no interest in making a match.”
    “Have you called on her?”
    “Me? No.” Chilton shook his head.
    “Why?”
    That same faraway expression that Daniel had noticed earlier eased across Chilton’s face. “For now, I’m satisfied with the mistress I’m seeing. As I told you earlier, I have no need to marry.”
    That was Chilton’s second reference to being content, yet his friend didn’t have the look of a contented man. He didn’t seem restless as he had in their youth, it was more a sad resignation. Daniel sensed something was wrong, but tonight wasn’t the time to ask him about it. But Daniel would if Chilton didn’t speak up soon.
    “Perhaps there’s a reason she hasn’t married,” Daniel said, thinking she must be up to all different kinds of trickery.
    “There was a bit of a story about her father abandoning her for his new wife, but I have no idea how much of it is true.”
    “That could be part of the problem. She has no father or older brother or uncle to keep her in line? Who’s her sponsor?”
    “An aunt. Miss Pithany Winslowe.”
    “Yes, I’ve met her in the past. She’s a well-respected lady.”
    “Lord Colebrooke, may I be so forward as to intrude for a moment?”
    Daniel turned and looked into the long lean face of Thomas Wright. A tall, thin, brown-haired young lady stood beside him looking down at the floor.
    “Of course, Tom, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. How are you?”
    “Good, my lord, and you?”
    “Quite well.”
    “If it’s convenient, I’d like to present my sister, Miss Amanda Wright.”
    Daniel assured him it was, and introductions, bows, and greetings were exchanged by all, including Chilton, who promptly excused himself shortly after Amanda Wright was introduced. Daniel couldn’t help but notice that Amanda was comely enough with small brown eyes and shapely lips, but she barely opened her mouth when she talked and she wouldn’t look at him.
    He kept thinking she’d be so much prettier if she looked him in the eyes and smiled when she talked to him. He wondered why she acted so shy. She would do well to learn a few things from