To Kiss a Highland Rose (Kiss the Wallflower #6) - Tamara Gill Page 0,6

at every turn. They would not see her wronged and she would not be a wallflower this year, nor ever again.

Chapter 3

"If you stare at the doors any longer, people will start to think you are a simpleton."

Sebastian tore his gaze away from Sir Fisher's entrance and concentrated instead on the gathered throng of guests. To his surprise, there were many from London. Even a few ladies who had debuted last Season but would seem to not have found a match were present.

"I do not know why Lady Elizabeth is so late this evening. I cannot make her fall in love with me if she is not here." Sebastian said, his tone gruffer than it ought to be, considering Rawden was trying to stop him from looking like a besotted fool, which he was not. Far from it, no matter how tempting Lady Elizabeth was to the eye, she was a means to an end. His way of gaining back a family estate that should never have been lost.

"Your fascination with the doors was gathering interest, and we can't have that." Rawden chuckled, and Sebastian ground his teeth. "But never fear, my friend, the woman who shall be yours has arrived. How fortunate for you both."

Sebastian glared at Rawden, not missing the sarcasm in his tone before. As casually as he could muster, he cast his attention toward the doors. The breath in his lungs seized, his skin prickled. Never had he ever seen someone as beautiful as the woman London had dubbed Lucky Lizzie.

How had the men of his acquaintance not seen her beauty? He swallowed hard, tempering the desire that rose within him at the sight of her.

"What are your plans with Lady Elizabeth? How will you go about courting her without her hearing that your family once owned Halligale? If she hears such a thing, she will be suspicious of you. The chit does not come across as a simpleton that one can fool."

She was not. Even from the short time they had spent together at the last ball, Sebastian gathered such a truth. "I can only hope she does not. I will tell her, of course, one day, but not until we're wed."

Rawden threw him a disbelieving look. "You are very sure of your charms. What if she is not interested? What shall you do then?"

"There is nothing I can do." He shrugged, hoping that was not the case. He'd always been popular with the opposite sex, never went without when it came to pleasures of the flesh. He cast his eye back to where Lady Elizabeth and her friends made their way through the gathered guests, speaking to those they knew. No, she would be no different, and from the rosy blush that had crossed her features upon their introduction, she would be an easy conquest. "I'm certain she will not be troublesome."

Rawden chuckled, sipping his wine. "I disagree. I think she shall be harder to crack than you think. These Scottish lasses have sturdier backbones than our English flowers. You do know that their national flower is a Thistle. That should give you a little indication of their prickliness."

Sebastian choked on his wine, laughing at his friend’s words. "I consider myself duly warned." He cleared his throat, watching Lady Elizabeth as they came to stand across from them in the room. Her gown was deep purple, almost black, and shimmered under the candlelight as if it had a fine, sheer fabric over the top of the silky material. The color set off her green eyes and pink, kissable lips. His body hummed with the thought of her in his arms. He loved the chase, and she was a worthy and desirable woman to catch.

"Before Lady Elizabeth catches you ogling her like the besotted fool, all but drooling down your chin, care for a game of cards? I have a desire to procure some good, Scottish blunt. The night is young, and you have time to court your lady later in the evening."

"Lead the way," Sebastian said, distracted somewhat by the popinjay leading Elizabeth out onto the dance floor. The fop was a short man, and barely came up to Elizabeth's chin. He would never do for such a striking woman. He narrowed his eyes. Surely that wasn't the type of gentleman Elizabeth wished to be coupled with for the remainder of her life.

Rawden clapped him on the shoulder and laughed. "Stop, Sebastian. You'll scare her away before you have a chance to win her."

Sebastian