La Bella Isabella by Raven McAllan

 

     
    La Bella Isabella
     
    Ladies of London
    Book 1
     
    Raven McAllan
     
    Breathless Press
    Calgary, Alberta
    www.breathlesspress.com
     
    This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or
    persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
    La Bella Isabella
    Copyright© 2012 Raven McAllan
    ISBN: 978-1-77101-848-7
    Cover Artist: Victoria Miller
    Editor: Deadra Krieger
    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in reviews.
    Breathless Press
    www.breathlesspress.com
     

     
     
     
    Dedication
     
     
     
    To my lovely DH and my family, my amazing crit group, UCW, especially Doris, who help me through many a crisis, all at Breathless Press for their faith in me, especially Tara, Victoria, and Justyn.
    Thank you all.
     

     
     
     
    Chapter One
     

     
    “Why are we doing this?” Charlie, Lord Lampson, asked his colleague plaintively as they strode along the street arm in arm. “I’m so cold and shriveled, La Bella Isabella and her whole troupe of dancing girls could be standing in front of us, and I wouldn’t be able to show my appreciation. In any way!”
    Harry, the Duke of Fairmont, just laughed. “Don’t be such a goose,” he advised. “We’re doing it for you. You want to go to see The Fair Isabella, before you agree to the parson’s noose, and I, as a true friend, am accompanying you.”
    Charlie snorted. “Just because your Mama can’t control you and make you wed, you don’t need to be so damn cheerful about my impending doom.”
    Harry didn’t answer.
    “You’re a lucky dog,” Charlie said. “A doting Mama, a considerable fortune, a very accommodating mistress; what more does a man need?”
    “What more, indeed,” Harry, who usually spent his days—to his friend’s amazement—managing his estates, amassing even more money via various schemes and businesses, and bedding his current mistress, agreed with him amiably. “At some point, an heir, perhaps? But for the moment, I have all I need. I have no interest in all the young girls paraded under my nose every year by despairing and pushy parents. I have better things to do with my time. Including accompanying you on this outing.”
    “And visiting your clubs, race meetings, Jackson’s Saloon, and anything else that might take your fancy,” Charlie retorted, his lips twitching.
    “As you say,” Harry acknowledged. “And tonight’s entertainment to see La Bella Isabella and her Dancing Girls does take my fancy.”
    He was silent, thinking of the probable delights of the evening ahead. Beside him, Charlie sighed. Harry would bet his new hunter they thought alike.
    New to London, the troupe had taken the males of the Ton by storm. No one knew where they came from or who they were. Only that they danced, in a most interesting manner. The rumors abounded. French, Italian, demimonde, ladies of the Ton. But no one knew for sure. And, as no girl ever made contact with any of the audience, all wore elaborate masks whilst they performed, and no one standing outside the stage door ever caught a glimpse of anyone leaving, the mystery and interest increased daily. Even more annoying was the fact they only performed occasionally, and it was never disclosed more than a few hours in advance when and where their performance would be. To pique interest even more, admittance was by invitation only.
    A commotion ahead made Charlie stop grumbling and pull on Harry’s arm. Harry had already seen the carriage skewed across the road, its wheels embedded in the snow, and the horses slipping and skidding on the ice. The young lady trying to calm the horses was definitely not dressed for the arctic conditions. Indeed, as he made his way to her side