Free A Scandalous Secret by Ava Stone Page B

girl who had to be fresh from the schoolroom. She had auburn hair and big hazel eyes that twinkled with intelligence.
    But it was the second woman who caught Chet’s eye, as he knew her rather well. In fact, he’d watched Caroline, Viscountess Staveley, grow from a child into the cunning lady she was today. And at the moment, the cunning lady in question was lounging across a brocade chaise, looking at him with obvious delight. Caroline smirked—actually smirked—at him then rose from her seat, her golden brown curls bobbing up and down. “Chet, darling, so wonderful to see you.”
    He caught a sparkle in Caroline’s hazel eyes, and Chet cringed. He knew that sparkle. He’d seen it time and again over the years, and it always meant trouble for someone. As she was grinning at him, Chet was fairly certain that his future was most assuredly grim. “Caro, you’re looking lovely,” he said cautiously.
    “Always so charming,” Caroline gushed as she kissed his cheek, then she playfully smacked his hand. “But I am put out with you at the moment, darling.”
    “Enough with this chitchat, Lady Staveley,” his mother barked from her throne of a chair and pounded her cane on the floor as though it was an exclamation point. “I haven’t got all day.”
    Caroline smiled at the old dragon. “Lady Astwick, it has been my experience that one gets more out of men when one is pleasant and not quite so direct.”
    “Bah!” The marchioness glared at Chet. “I only want what I’ve been promised.”
    Chet’s stomach dropped. There was only one thing he’d promised his mother—recently anyway. And if the marchioness had enlisted Caroline Staveley’s help in getting it from him, Chet was doomed. He’d find himself leg-shackled to some chit in the blink of an eye, and he wouldn’t even know how he ended up that way.
    Caroline’s soothing voice interrupted his thoughts. “Be that as it may, my lady, I think Astwick can be reasonable. After all, a promise is a promise. And Chet is an honorable man. I have no doubt that he’ll fulfill his end of the bargain.”
    Chet considered ducking out of the room and letting the women sort out the details without him, but the pretty young girl once again caught his attention, and Chet gulped. Certainly they were not interviewing prospective candidates for him to marry. And certainly they were not discussing the bargain he’d made with his mother in front said prospective candidate. He couldn’t think of anything more inappropriate, or embarrassing. So, he cleared his throat to recapture his guests’ attention. “Caroline, perhaps we can discuss this later.”
    She winked at him. “Tell me, darling, did you actually promise your mother that you’d marry within the year in exchange for her helping Robert last June?”
    Unfortunately, he had. Of course, at the time he hadn’t had much choice. The reputation of his oldest friend’s wife was hanging in the balance. And dragons were capable of certain things, like bending the will of the ton in one direction or another. His mother had upheld her end of the bargain, ensuring the respectability of Lady Masten; but as to date, Chet had not held up his end of the deal.
    Still, to bring Caroline Staveley into the matter was beyond the pale.
    “Two months overdue, I might add,” his mother barked.
    Be that as it may, what was wrong with Caroline? How could she speak of that situation so openly? And in front of a perfect stranger? Chet gestured to the young girl sitting in a chair opposite his mother. “I hardly think this is the time for that discussion.”
    Caroline giggled. “Oh, Chet, do you not recognize Cousin Olivia?”
    Olivia? Cousin Olivia? Neither the name nor the face was familiar, and he scowled his answer.
    Caroline took his arm in hers and led him to the young miss. “Chester Peyton, the Marquess of Astwick. My dear cousin Miss Olivia Danbury. Livvie is staying with Staveley and me for the foreseeable future. Her