The Lady Gambles

The Lady Gambles
Carole Mortimer

GENTLEMEN, SINGING FOR YOUR PLEASURE TONIGHT – MISS CARO MORTON!Her heart pounding beneath the bright lights of London’s most fashionable gambling club, Lady Caroline Copeland nervously steps out from behind the curtain… Eyes scanning the crowd, she’s drawn to a devilish-looking gentleman glowering at her from the back of the room.The intensity of his gaze burns through her disguise, making her throat dry, her cheeks pink. Caro’s gambled her reputation to be here, and can’t risk letting anyone close enough to expose her secret – no matter how much her body craves to give in…The Copeland Sisters Flouting convention, flirting with danger…

He introduced himself. ‘I am Dominic Vaughn, Earl of Blackstone.’

Caro felt a tightness in her chest as she realised this man was a member of the ton—a man no doubt as arrogant as her recently acquired guardian. ‘If that is meant to impress me, my lord, then I am afraid it has failed utterly.’

He raised dark brows. ‘I believe it is the usual custom at this point for the introduction to be reciprocated.’

Her cheeks burned at the intended rebuke. ‘If you have spoken to Mr Butler, then you must already know that my name is Caro Morton.’

He looked at her shrewdly. ‘Is it?’

Her gaze sharpened. ‘I have just said as much, my lord.’

‘Ah, if only the saying of something made it true,’ he mused.

The tightness in Caro’s chest increased. ‘Do you doubt my word, sir?’

‘I am afraid I am of an age and experience, my dear Caro, when I doubt everything I am told until it is proven otherwise.’

AUTHOR NOTE

Welcome to the first in a trilogy featuring The Copeland Sisters! Caroline, Diana, and Elizabeth Copeland, eager to escape their new guardian’s unacceptable marriage plans, decide to leave the comfort and safety of their home in Hampshire for the first time, and embark on exciting and separate adventures in London.

They certainly find adventure—and danger—and, most importantly of all, the men destined for each of them. And by doing so they begin the biggest adventure of their lives—love. The sisters are totally different in temperament, of course, but all are feisty and brave. And I do believe I fell in love with each and every one of my heroes during the writing of this trilogy. I hope you do too.

Enjoy!

About the Author

CAROLE MORTIMER was born in England, the youngest of three children. She began writing in 1978, and has now written over one hundred and fifty books for Harlequin Mills & Boon

. Carole has six sons: Matthew, Joshua, Timothy, Michael, David and Peter. She says, ‘I’m happily married to Peter senior; we’re best friends as well as lovers, which is probably the best recipe for a successful relationship. We live in a lovely part of England.’

Previous novels by the same author:

In Mills & Boon

Historical Romance

THE DUKE’S CINDERELLA BRIDE*

THE RAKE’S INDECENT PROPOSAL*

THE ROGUE’S DISGRACED LADY*

LADY ARABELLA’S SCANDALOUS MARRIAGE*

*The Notorious St Claires mini-series

You’ve read about The Notorious St Claires in Regency times. Now you can read about the new generation in Mills & Boon

Modern

Romance:

The Scandalous St Claires

Three arrogant aristocrats—ready to be tamed!

JORDAN ST CLAIRE: DARK AND DANGEROUS

THE RELUCTANT DUKE

TAMING THE LAST ST CLAIRE

Also available in Modern

Romance:

SURRENDER TO THE PAST

And in Mills & Boon

Historical Undone! eBooks:

AT THE DUKE’S SERVICE

CONVENIENT WIFE, PLEASURED LADY

Did you know that these novels are also available as eBooks?Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

The Lady Gambles

Carole Mortimer

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

Prologue

April 1817—Palazzo Brizzi, Venice, Italy

‘Have I mentioned to either of you gentlemen that I had thought of offering for one of Westbourne’s daughters?’

Lord Dominic Vaughn, Earl of Blackstone, and one of the two gentlemen referred to by their host, Lord Gabriel Faulkner, found himself gaping inelegantly across the breakfast table at the other man in stunned disbelief. A glance at their friend Nathaniel Thorne, Earl of Osbourne, showed him to be no less surprised at the announcement as he sat with his tea cup arrested halfway between saucer and mouth.

Indeed, it was one of those momentous occasions when it seemed that time itself should cease. All movement. All sound. Indeed, when the very world itself should simply have stopped turning.