Bianca Dunsworthy does not expect an earl, suffering from a gunshot wound, to appear at the house she shares with her sister and aunt. As she nurses Lucian Wandersee back to health, she realizes he is the answer to two problems. Napoleon, whom she blames for her brother's death, is aboard a ship in Plymouth, and that is where Lucian is bound. And the earl would make a splendid match for her shy younger sister.

Lucian has no interest in a bride or escorting three women to Plymouth, but he owes Bianca a debt for saving his life. He would rather that she allow him to repay her with a few kisses. When he discovers her matchmaking plans, he decides to make a few of his own--for her! But how can he introduce her to his friends when he wants all her kisses for himself? And why is she so fascinated with Napoleon? Lucian needs answers to those questions before he can show Bianca that no match is perfect . . . without love.

CHAPTER ONE

"I will see you for grass before breakfast!"

Lucian, fourth earl of Wandersee, tossed his cards onto the table and stood. "I think not, Andover. Dueling will do neither of us any good."

"You have insulted me by-- "

"I have neither insulted you nor have I done anything to change Lady Rockington's affections toward you. If the lady has decided that her heart is going to lead her elsewhere, then that is her choice." He pulled on his dark coat and downed the last of the wine in his glass before glaring at Andover, who with his bright red hair and furious scowl resembled more than anything else a puffed-up rooster. "By all that's blue, Andover, I give you my word as a gentleman that I have not spoken more than a score of words to the lady."

"As a gentleman?" Andover drew himself up to his full height which left him still half a head shorter than Lucian. "That is a jest. No gentleman would-- "

Lucian drove his fist into the shorter man's nose and watched the baron collapse against a chair, knocking it and himself to the floor. Looking at the other men who had been listening with impatience and were eager to return to their cards and conversation, he arched a dark brow. "Mayhap no gentleman would, but I was quite happy to."

Another man stood. "Pay him no mind, Wandersee. You tolerated his prattle longer than I believe I would have. Come back to the table while good fortune is with us."

"Good fortune is with you, Carlson. Not me." He pocketed the handful of coins that were left in front of his place at the gaming table.

Stepping over Andover, whose hushed groans warned that he soon would be regaining his senses, Lucian walked out of the room. He looked in both directions along the upper gallery of the club that he had been mad to become a member of only five years ago. Obtaining membership had offered him a challenge, and he enjoyed a challenge -- both then and now.

But in the wake of his service on the Continent in the war against that blasted Corsican, playing cards and giving a bottle a black eye seemed less than challenging. To own the truth, doing that night after night was boring. He had never thought London could fill him with ennui, but it did.

"Wandersee!"

Lucian turned to see Franklin Bullock motioning to him from the other side of the gallery that ringed the stairs leading down to the ground floor. Knowing that Bullock would not believe that Lucian had not seen him, Lucian waited for the man, who was built like the beast that had inspired his family's name, to lumber around the gallery to where Lucian was standing.

"Glad I could catch you before you took your leave," Bullock said, huffing as if he had run from Hyde Park. "You may want to avoid Andover today."

"Too late. I just spoke with him." He rubbed his knuckles, which still stung from their impact against the baron's nose.

"If you need a second-- "

"I have no need for a second, because there will be no duel." He leaned one elbow on the cast iron railing between the thick pillars. "I refused Andover's challenge."

"Refused? But you cannot do that!"

"I did."

Bullock scratched his chin where dark whiskers indicated he had not been home to enjoy the attentions of his valet in more than a day. "Andover will be livid."

"Mayhap when he wakes." He tapped the reddened knuckles of his right hand.

 

"Ms. Ferguson has a splendid talent for putting it together and finishing it off with aplomb."

 

"Jo Ann Ferguson writes thoughtful, playful Regencies."

 

Jo Ann Ferguson has written another wonderful novel. She mixes just the right amounts of humor, sentiment, passion, and adventure to guarantee a story to enchant her audience from page one to the final word."

 

"Ms. Ferguson writes an exciting tale with noble, likable heroes and strong heroines."

 

"Jo Ann Ferguson's Regency romances are amusing and at the same time provocative."

 

Jo Ann Ferguson is the bestselling author of Regencies, historicals, and paranormals under her own name and as J. A. Ferguson, Rebecca North, and Joanna Hampton. Her work has been honored with numerous award nominations by Pearl, ROMY, Romantic Times, Rom/Con, and Affaire de Coeur, and has been showcased on Amazon.com. She served as president of Romance Writers of America (1998-2000). She was awarded a Massachusetts Art Grant to teach creative writing and established the romance writing course at Brown University. She lives in Massachusetts with her favorite hero--her husband Bill--three children, and two cats.

 

The Perfect Match by Jo Ann Ferguson
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