Free A Deal with Lord Devlin by Jennifer Ann Coffeen Page B

secretive about his mistress, even setting the woman up in her own townhouse in Bath. A gesture James found utterly distasteful. His mother had turned a blind eye to it all, preferring to focus her attention on spending her husband’s money on gold candelabras and gilded armchairs for her lavish homes.
    But Lady Mallen was different; she had publicly denounced her husband for his rakish ways and left him. James had heard she even took his dog. The thought made him smile.
    “The Marquis of Mallen is a real bastard and, if I recall, about three times her age.” He found himself unable to resist defending the woman everyone seemed determined to shun. Independence certainly seemed to agree with her. Her long honey-colored curls shone gold beneath the candlelight, and even from across the room he was entranced by the soft smile on her lips. Charlotte, he recalled suddenly. Her first name is Charlotte.
    “It matters not, darling! The woman is considered damaged goods. Now,” his mother surveyed the room, “how on earth can we get her out of here without causing a scene?”
    Adjusting his monocle, James watched as Lady Mallen drifted through the crowd like a long-lost queen. She certainly knew how to make an entrance; there wasn’t a single head that didn’t turn in her direction. Despite all the whispers and stares, Charlotte’s slightly bored, haughty expression didn’t crack. She stared straight ahead, making her way toward the back of the ballroom where James stood with his mother.
    “Outrageous.” Lady Devlin made a clucking noise with her tongue. “And after all the trouble the family went through to end her little dalliance with Andrew.”
    “Andrew was courting Charlotte?” The very idea of this bold, beautiful creature with his dandy of a cousin annoyed the hell out of him.
    “I didn’t realize you were on such intimate terms with Lady Mallen .” His mother’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Do you know her?”
    James shrugged. They’d shared a dance several years ago at a small supper party, but he scarcely knew her. Still, he took offense at his mother’s outright dislike.
    “I hope you aren’t planning to fall for her bewitching ways. Andrew actually claimed to be in love with her!” His mother clutched at her heart. “Can you imagine? Luckily, our Andrew came to his senses and tossed her aside.” She shuddered. “A divorcée has quite the nerve to show herself here tonight.”
    Lady Mallen passed by them at the exact moment his mother loudly made this statement. The damage was done. Every eye in the room turned to her, their glances ranging from curious to downright hostile.
    The beautiful woman came to a sudden stop and very slowly turned toward his mother.
    “I beg your pardon, Lady Devlin,” she said, her voice as sweet as sugared fruit. “Were you speaking to me?”
    Quite the nerve, indeed.
    Not known for his sunny disposition, James broke into a wide smile as his mother tittered about in a panic.
    “Oh, Lady Mallen! I didn’t see you arrive, so busy tonight, you see. How lovely you look this evening. Have you noticed our gorgeous fruit sculpture?”
    The whole room seemed to freeze while Lady Mallen gazed at the dripping swan.
    “A fitting tribute for Sir Greenshaw’s marriage.”
    She ended her statement with a deep curtsey just as the orange adorning the swan’s eye fell from the top of the melting sculpture and rolled beneath the sweets table.
    “Lucy!” James’s mother yelled for his eldest sister. “Tell Cook we need more goose lard!”
    James’s gaze followed the beautiful Charlotte as she swept through the whispering crowd. She didn’t look the least bit damaged to him. In fact, she looked like a goddess, strong and proud, as she turned to give his mother one last smile before disappearing from the room.
    He could easily see what drew his cousin to her, divorced or not. Lady Mallen might be the perfect one to help him get his fortune back.
    ****
    Charlotte despised the