Will couldn't keep himself from grinning like mad as he heard Lady Emilia call after him. By the time her slippered feet sounded behind him, he was able to tame his smile into something mild enough for a London ballroom.

"Wait!" Lady Emilia repeated breathlessly.

He turned slowly. It was done in a way that conveyed his characteristic nonchalance. People did not get to see Will Graham as anything other than casually confident. He made sure of that and was not going to let his eagerness to dance with Lady Emilia affect it.

"Change your mind, my lady?"

She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted. The orchestra struck up a number, sitting just to their left behind the greenery branches used to conceal it. It was a waltz with a lilting tempo and luscious chords; Will took the opportunity. He grabbed Lady Emilia's gloved hand and unceremoniously whirled her onto the dance floor.

"My lord!" she exclaimed. "Honestly, must you drag me so?"

Will decided to consider that question rhetorical and instead clutched her indecently close. She was soft and willowy in his arms. He glanced down at her wide, amber eyes and chuckled. Lady Emilia appeared speechless, and he did not reckon that happened often.

"So you think me a lord?" he asked, his voice gravelly.

"I—"

She cleared her voice. "I suppose I do not know. You could be any number of things! Perhaps you are a lord, or perhaps you are not a gentleman at all. Perhaps you are a disreputable type!" Lady Emilia's voice grew softer then, almost conspiratorially, but Will reckoned it was still audible to the next couple over.

"I heard once that a man by the name of Matthews threatened a group of gentlemen at White's after losing a game of whist. Among other things, he said he would steal their ladies as revenge—wives, sisters, etc. I found that awfully dramatic, not to mention implausible, for simply losing a game. But what do I know."

Will raised his brows. "Because you do not play cards?"

"No, because I do not lose at cards."

He couldn't help it. Will's mad smile broke free again from his lips.

"I do not suppose you would tell me if you were going to ladynap me?" Lady Emilia asked, and Will couldn't control a snort from coming out.

"Ladynap you?"

"Why yes, such as kidnapping but with a lady. You should know, I am not a child."

Oh, Will knew she was not a child. Her womanly curves moved beneath his hand as she waltzed.

"I would not judge other men on the words of this Matthews man," he said. "I trust this hasn't occurred to you before, my lady. This ladynapping?"

"Oh, of course not," she said, matter-of-factly. "Although, Lady Worthington says I should never be too careful being that my brother is a duke." She glanced up at him beneath her eyelashes and added, "You knew that, I assume, being that you were already aware of my name."

Will's brows shot up. He did not, in fact, know that. Shepard, he thought.

Lady Emilia Shepard.

Oh.

"Your brother is the Duke of Kingfield."

It came out as a statement, likely making it appear that he had already known before asking her to dance. Lady Emilia nodded vigorously.

"I simply call him Theo." A slight pause. Then, "What should I call you?"

"You can simply call me Will."

She gave him a reproving glance, but the corners of her mouth were upturned in a smile. "No, I cannot. You are not my brother."

"Believe me, I know I am not your brother." Will was grateful that she did not appear to catch his meaning. She was decidedly innocent in a lovely, open way.

"Then tell me your surname," she demanded.

"Graham," he supplied honestly.

It was at that moment that the orchestra struck its last chord, and Will was obligated to release his grip on Lady Emilia. He felt empty in the absence of her weight in his arms.

"Will Graham," she said in a wondering sort of way. "I'm afraid I have not heard the name."

"I am not surprised," Will murmured. No one used his surname when speaking to him or of him. "Would you like some lemonade, Lady Emilia?"

"I would be delighted to have some lemonade. You are the first to offer such this evening," she replied, and Will steered her across the vast, sparkling room. They passed Leo, who gave Will an eye roll so grand that his friend must have seen smatterings of his brain. Will did not acknowledge the gesture. Instead, he peered down at his companion, who was looking up at him through those thick, sweeping lashes.

"You are friends with Lord Farrington?" she asked. "I saw you speaking with him earlier."

Will tried not to frown, suddenly worried that she was simply another lady who was obsessed with his best friend. It wouldn't be the first time Will had been overlooked for Leo.

"He has been a good friend of mine since we went to university together," Will said, nodding.

Will wasn't sure what he had been expecting her to say in reply, but it surely wasn't the words that passed through her lips next.

"You are helping him to win his wager then, I suppose?"

Will had no idea what she was talking about.

"Pardon me?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

Lady Emilia looked annoyed. Or disappointed? He wondered what was happening.

"You do not wish to discuss it with me, I suppose," she replied with a sort of sigh. "You'll have to excuse me for asking. I merely find it all rather interesting."

Will stopped, grabbing her wrist lightly to keep her from walking further. She turned to face him, and Will's throat constricted for a moment. She was really just so lovely.

"I really do not know what you are referring to, Lady Emilia. I have been away for some time."

Her eyes grew wide in response.

"So you have not heard of the bet at White's on which gentleman is to bed Lady Humphries first? I believe Lord Farrington is at the forefront of the wager."

Will stared at her blankly for a moment and then erupted into laughter, throwing his head back. "He did not," Will protested, finding it hard to believe. Leo had always been a rake, but even this was a bit far for him.

Lady Emilia smiled, dazzling him. Her face relaxed. "Oh, I assure you, he did."

Will shook his head, still chuckling a bit. "So that's what he was on about tonight."

She nodded in reply, indicating that she had likely seen them all together.

"Thank you for informing me of that, Lady Emilia. I do not remember the last time I've laughed that hard."

"Happy to do so," she replied, sounding genuinely pleased with herself. They continued walking then, and she asked, "What it is that you do, Mr. Graham?"

Will considered that. He'd done very little in his life worth mentioning. For the last three years, he had been carousing around Europe, his days consisting of menial conversations, expensive bottles of port, and women of all caliber. It had been positively luxurious at first, but then he had begun to feel listless and indolent.

Considering his options, Will had thought it seemed apparent that it was time to follow in his father's footsteps. And so, he had promptly returned to England to find a wife and join the House of Lords.

"I intend to join Parliament," he said.

"Parliament?" Her eyes glittered. No woman's eyes glittered when talking of Parliament. "My father's best friend, the Duke of Weston, is in the House of Lords. Perhaps you shall meet him."

"I know Weston," Will commented. "My father also had an acquaintance with him."

Lady Emilia's face scrunched up adorably. "Who is your father? Was he also in Parliament?"

Will nodded. "He was. But he passed three years ago now. My father was a viscount. Lord Trotten."

A shadow crossed her face. "I am sorry to hear that. My father passed as well, many years ago now. My brother has been the duke since he was sixteen. Is your brother the viscount now?"

"No, unfortunately, I am an only child."

Will passed her a lemonade, and she took it with a look of bemusement on her face.

"You are Lord Trotten, then?"

Will nodded and was pleased to see that Lady Emilia did not seem thrilled at this news. Instead, she looked a combination of entertained and annoyed at the runaround. But most ladies would be happy to find out that the gentleman vying for their attention was a titled lord as opposed to a mere mister or honorable son.

Lady Emilia was not, apparently, most ladies.

Similarly, most gentlemen would be happy to learn that their dance partner was an eligible sister to a duke. Lord Kingfield was a wealthy, powerful man. But Will cared only to find a wife that would not bore him. He had enough money and prestige to last him a lifetime.

Will wasn't interested in a high-society miss or lady. His checklist for a wife was relatively simple. He did not need love, money, or power. Will wanted someone whose company he would enjoy, someone who was beddable, and someone who would be interested in providing him heirs.

Lady Emilia, he thought, would likely do quite nicely.

Will had extraordinary luck.

At least, he thought he did...until weeks later when he met the new King of England.

And then everything went to shit.