The Wallflower Ruse
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Lord Restive wonders why Lucinda Belair grew up to be a grumpy wallflower—and now, because of a message in code, he is forced to suspect her of treason.
Lucinda wishes her childhood friend Restive hadn’t grown up to be a horrid libertine—and now, because of the coded message, she has to suspect him right back. Soon, they are compelled to work together to save England from an unnamed disaster. But Restive is intolerably rude to Lucinda, and she longs for revenge – to show him she’s intelligent and capable and can handle whatever a patriotic Englishwoman must do. Is this the opportunity for Lucinda the wallflower to bloom at last? Will Restive’s bad reputation forever stand in his way – or might Lucinda’s desire for revenge be replaced by love? |
Here is an excerpt from The Wallflower Ruse!
Lucinda is asked to go with Lord Restive and his aunt, Lady Alice, to a gathering of bluestockings which may be attended by people plotting treason.
"What would be my role at Mrs. Haraldson’s salon?” Lucinda asked.
“Just smile and be yourself,” her friend Dorothea said.
“Rant a bit about the rights of women, and they’ll welcome you with open arms,” Lord Restive added.
“He means speak fervently and intelligently about the subject,” Dorothea said.
“You needn’t even acknowledge my existence,” Restive said. “No one will imagine that Stallion Restive wants to seduce a woman with brains.”
“How horrid you are,” Lucinda said. He smirked, and she wanted to slap him.
“Meanwhile, you will keep your ears open in the hope of gleaning some information,” he said. “It’s a well-known fact that women can’t keep secrets.”
Perhaps, thought Lucinda, the best way to stop his nonsense was to ignore it.
“Even if they can keep their cackling mouths shut, they can’t conceal their suppressed excitement,” Restive said.
Lucinda realized she was clenching her fists. So much for ignoring him.
“For heaven’s sake, Restive,” Dorothea said, “or at least for England’s sake, stop it. How can you expect Lucy to help if you bait her constantly? Even if one knows you’re talking nonsense, it’s distracting.”
“Sorry,” Restive said. “Bad habit. No, seriously, I am sorry. I do know better.” That rare, rueful expression flitted across his features. “What I meant was that if any of the women know of a secret uprising or planned attack of some sort, it is likely to show somehow.”
“There will probably be some men there too, poets and whatnot, or less savory sorts, seeking to take advantage,” Dorothea said.
“That sounds like any society gathering,” Lucinda said, “without the matchmaking mamas, I suppose.”
“Ladies can be quite predatory even without their mamas,” Restive drawled. “That’s why we need you, love. My presence tends to extinguish the fire of intelligence and ignite that of lust.”
Lucinda had control of herself now and chose to ignore the improper term of endearment. “In that case, why don’t you stay home and send me with Lady Alice? I daresay we’ll do much better without you.”
“You’d be surprised what secrets are revealed under the influence of lust,” he said.
Lucinda turned to Dorothea. “Must I work with him? It’s incredibly wearisome.”
“Not if you don’t wish to, darling. It’s up to you.”
It occurred to Lucinda, just before she opened her mouth to refuse, that perhaps Restive didn’t really want her to go with him to Mrs. Haraldson’s. That his increasingly annoying behavior was a deliberate attempt to make her stay away.
How dare he! Revenge had never really appealed to her before, but now she saw why it could be considered sweet. She would do exactly as she pleased, and if he suffered for it, good. “In the interest of attending a meeting of bluestockings—which I have always longed to do—I’ll put up with Lord Restive just this once.”
Lucinda is asked to go with Lord Restive and his aunt, Lady Alice, to a gathering of bluestockings which may be attended by people plotting treason.
"What would be my role at Mrs. Haraldson’s salon?” Lucinda asked.
“Just smile and be yourself,” her friend Dorothea said.
“Rant a bit about the rights of women, and they’ll welcome you with open arms,” Lord Restive added.
“He means speak fervently and intelligently about the subject,” Dorothea said.
“You needn’t even acknowledge my existence,” Restive said. “No one will imagine that Stallion Restive wants to seduce a woman with brains.”
“How horrid you are,” Lucinda said. He smirked, and she wanted to slap him.
“Meanwhile, you will keep your ears open in the hope of gleaning some information,” he said. “It’s a well-known fact that women can’t keep secrets.”
Perhaps, thought Lucinda, the best way to stop his nonsense was to ignore it.
“Even if they can keep their cackling mouths shut, they can’t conceal their suppressed excitement,” Restive said.
Lucinda realized she was clenching her fists. So much for ignoring him.
“For heaven’s sake, Restive,” Dorothea said, “or at least for England’s sake, stop it. How can you expect Lucy to help if you bait her constantly? Even if one knows you’re talking nonsense, it’s distracting.”
“Sorry,” Restive said. “Bad habit. No, seriously, I am sorry. I do know better.” That rare, rueful expression flitted across his features. “What I meant was that if any of the women know of a secret uprising or planned attack of some sort, it is likely to show somehow.”
“There will probably be some men there too, poets and whatnot, or less savory sorts, seeking to take advantage,” Dorothea said.
“That sounds like any society gathering,” Lucinda said, “without the matchmaking mamas, I suppose.”
“Ladies can be quite predatory even without their mamas,” Restive drawled. “That’s why we need you, love. My presence tends to extinguish the fire of intelligence and ignite that of lust.”
Lucinda had control of herself now and chose to ignore the improper term of endearment. “In that case, why don’t you stay home and send me with Lady Alice? I daresay we’ll do much better without you.”
“You’d be surprised what secrets are revealed under the influence of lust,” he said.
Lucinda turned to Dorothea. “Must I work with him? It’s incredibly wearisome.”
“Not if you don’t wish to, darling. It’s up to you.”
It occurred to Lucinda, just before she opened her mouth to refuse, that perhaps Restive didn’t really want her to go with him to Mrs. Haraldson’s. That his increasingly annoying behavior was a deliberate attempt to make her stay away.
How dare he! Revenge had never really appealed to her before, but now she saw why it could be considered sweet. She would do exactly as she pleased, and if he suffered for it, good. “In the interest of attending a meeting of bluestockings—which I have always longed to do—I’ll put up with Lord Restive just this once.”
