Autumn's Wild Heart (Seasons #4) - Laura Landon Page 0,1

experienced a world of sensation.

She’d never been so affected in her life, and it was in that moment of discovery that she fell in love. It was in that moment that she knew there would never be anyone in all of England who she could love as much as she loved the man who’d saved her father from humiliation. And herself from disaster.

It had all happened so fast she knew he would never remember her or the event of that evening. But she owed him for saving her from the most horrific embarrassment imaginable. And she relived that memory every time she saw him and imagined him noticing her. Just as every other female in London wanted to be noticed by the dashing earl.

Half the eligible females in London searched for a way to lure him into a marriage trap. Not only was the earl the most handsome man in all of England, he was also rumored to be wealthy beyond compare.

Nella snapped her fan shut, determined to chase the unbidden images from her wandering mind. For pity’s sake, wasn’t five years long enough to moon over an unattainable fellow?

“Look at the preening debutantes moving to the front of the room,” Rosamonde said, casting her glance in the direction of three of the Season’s most glittering debutantes. All three of them—Lady Penelope, Lady Blanche, and Miss Melanie Franks—had taken London by storm. “They’re making their way to the bottom of the stairs so Danvers will have to walk through them to enter the room.”

“Don’t they realize everyone knows what they’re doing?” Patricia scoffed, giving the trio of preening flirts a narrow glare.

Nella stepped back into the shadows to watch Lord Danvers descend the stairs. He was nothing but natural poise and masculine grace and her heart flipped in her breast.

“I don’t know why you’re hiding, Nella,” Patricia said on a laugh. “It’s not as if he’ll notice us.”

“I know that, silly,” Nella answered. “I just don’t want him to catch me staring at him.”

“Do you think that will bother him?” Rosamonde asked. “He’s quite used to being stared at.”

Nella knew that, too, yet she couldn’t take her eyes off him. The Season was nearly over and her father had already informed her that this would no doubt be her last Season. She wouldn’t put it past him to marry her off to a vicar in some remote provincial village. This could well be her last opportunity to lay eyes upon the object of her affection.

She had three younger sisters and her father had been blunt in saying that he couldn’t outfit all four of his daughters next year. Since this was Nella’s fifth Season without even one suitor showing any interest in her, they would just have to face the dismal truth—Nella’s too-generous figure and her lack of comeliness left her an unsuitable marriage prospect. For the London set, at any rate.

Nella peeked around one of the large columns that lined the ballroom and watched as female after female vied for the earl’s attention.

She knew how futile her feelings were, but what was left to her if she couldn’t dream? What remained of life if she couldn’t fantasize a future where she was loved? A future where one man thought she was the most special person on earth?

“Come along,” Rosamonde said, pulling her by the arm. “There are three chairs together where we can watch the dancing.”

Nella followed Rosamonde and Patricia to the other side of the room.

“Who do you think he’ll ask to partner first?” Rosamonde asked.

“I’d expect him to ask Lady Melanie first,” Nella said.

“Why her?” Patricia asked. “Obviously Lady Blanche has the most to recommend her. Her father’s a duke, after all, and he’s said to be worth as much as the Queen.”

Nella shook her head. “She’s making her quest too obvious. He intends to put her off as long as he can. He doesn’t want her to become too self-confident of his feelings for her.”

The three wallflowers watched as the object of their interest strode over to Lady Melanie and invited her to dance.

“It’s unsettling how well you know Danvers, Nella,” Patricia said. “So which one of them will he eventually ask to marry him?”

“Oh, that will be Lady Blanche. She has plans to be the next Countess of Danvers. And nothing will stop her from attaining her goal.”

Both her friends looked at her with their mouths gaping open.

“What makes you think it will be Lady Blanche?” Rosamonde asked.

“Because she’s the prettiest and she will not