The Lady in Question: A Regency Romance Where a Disguised Spy and a Scandalous Lady Defy Society (Effington Family & Friends, 7) - Softcover

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander was an award-winning television reporter until she discovered fiction was more fun than real life. She is the author of thirty-one novels, and her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Victoria lives in Omaha, Nebraska, with her long-suffering husband and two dogs, in a house under endless renovation and never-ending chaos.

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Identical twins, sensible Delia and mischievous Cassandra Effington were the most delicious debutantes to ever waltz across a London ballroom. They looked alike in every way . . . but no one ever expected Delia to be the one to get into trouble . . .

How did this young lady's reputation become so questionable?

Once she was lovely, respectable Miss Delia Effington, but an impulsive decision—and subsequent disaster—forces Delia to retire from society. Until one night, desperate for diversion, she attends a ball as her twin sister and finds herself dancing in the strong arms of the dashing Viscount St. Stephens.

Delia believes she has never met this man who arouses her passions, yet he seems somehow familiar. For Delia doesn't know that St. Stephens, an agent for the Crown, has been in her home, protecting her under the disguise of her butler. What will happen when this lady discovers the truth about the man she has come to love?

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Excerpt

Chapter One

June 1820

Dearest Cassie,

I have at last returned to London to take up residencein my husband's house. I am all too awarethat Mother has yet to forgive me for my transgressionsand continues to forbid you to so much asspeak to me, but if it is at all possible could youpay me a call this afternoon? I have missed you terribly,dear sister. I arrived three days ago and thereis no one here to talk to save the servants, and theyare an odd lot indeed ...

"Given the circumstances, that is, all things considered,and the time that has passed ... " Lady Wilmont,Philadelphia - Delia to her dearest friends, and, up untila scant six months ago, Miss Effington - picked at anodd thread on the arm of the far-too-masculine sofa inthe parlor of her late husband's town house and forced a casual note to her voice. "Do you think Mother will everspeak to me again?"

"I certainly wouldn't wager on it at the moment. She's alreadygone on far longer than I would have expected." CassandraEffington, Delia's younger sister by no more thantwo minutes, drew her brows together thoughtfully. "Youknow how Mother is. She has taken all of this as an affrontto the stars, a defiance of destiny, that sort of thing."

"Yes, she would, wouldn't she?" Delia heaved a resignedsigh.

"Mother will come around eventually." Cassie leanedcloser and patted her twin's hand. "In truth, I think nowthat you have returned from exile - "

"It wasn't exile, Cassie, it was the Lake District."

Cassie scoffed. "The Lake District in winter soundsvery much like exile to me."

"Not at all. Besides, each of our brothers visited andFather sent letters."

"Even so, for the most part you were ensconced with arelative so distant we have scarcely heard of her."

"Great-Aunt Cecily. She was quite nice - if ratherprivate - which was well and good, because what Ineeded was time and distance," Delia said firmly. "Awayfrom London and gossip and scandal."

"Perhaps we should send Mother to the Lake District.It's taking her rather a long time to get over her - "

"Anger? Outrage? Embarrassment?"

"Yes, of course, all of that." Cassie waved away hersister's words as if they were of no importance. "I believeMother could manage anger, outrage, embarrassment,humiliation, disgrace, dishonor - "

"I don't think I actually used the words humiliation,disgrace or dishonor," Delia murmured.

"Use them or not, they are present nonetheless,"Cassie said firmly. "However, my point is that Mother could cope with all that and more. She is, even if merelyby marriage, an Effington. And Effingtons are well usedto dealing with the petty problems brought on by the occasionalminor scandal."

"You think this was minor, then?" Delia sat up a bitstraighter.

"Oh, dear Lord, no. Not at the time anyway." Cassieshook her head with far more enthusiasm than was necessary."No, an Effington running off with a scoundrelof Lord Wilmont's reputation was quite the biggest scandalof the year."

"I suppose so." Delia sank back in her seat, an odd rationalportion of her mind chastising her for such posture.Miss Philadelphia Effington never slouched.Apparently, however, Lady Wilmont did.

"This may well be the biggest scandal of the last fewyears," Cassie added. "In fact, I am hard-pressed to recalla bigger scandal ever. Although I do suppose - ""That's quite enough, thank you." Delia sighed againand slumped deeper into the sofa. The perfect carriageexpected of a properly bred young woman of two-and-twentyscarcely seemed of significance when one was thecenter of the biggest scandal of the last few years. Or ever.

"Oh, dear, I haven't been any help at all, have I? Verywell. Perhaps I have exaggerated somewhat. It probablyonly seemed so huge because it occurred in Decemberand there was little else for everyone to talk about."Cassie cast her sister a sympathetic look. "I do apologize,dearest, it's simply odd for me to be in this position.And frankly, that's why I think Mother has had such adifficult time with it all."

Delia raised a brow. "Because it isn't you?"

"Exactly." Cassie nodded firmly. "She and everyoneelse have always thought if one of us were ever to be embroiledin a scandal of this magnitude - "

"It could have been far worse. I did marry him, afterall," Delia pointed out.

"In this particular case, I daresay that does make itworse," Cassie said. "I still do not understand why youdid it."

"Nor do I," Delia said under her breath.

She had no idea how to explain what she could onlycall the madness that had inflicted her in weeks surroundingChristmas and ultimately led to scandal andher current odd position of barely wed widow.

Six months. It scarcely seemed long enough for a lifeto change so completely. Six months ago she hadn't acare in the world save for the usual questions aboutwhether or not she or her sister would find a suitablematch in the coming year.

"Your letters were not at all informative, at least notabout anything of significance. We have had no chanceto talk since it all happened." Cassie shrugged casually."You fled so quickly - "

"I didn't flee. I" - Delia wrinkled her nose - "escaped.It was cowardly of me, I know, but I was hard-pressed atthe time to accept that I lost my mind, ran off and ruinedmy life."

"It's not entirely ruined. You did marry him."

"You just said in this case that might well have made itworse."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Lady in Questionby Victoria Alexander Copyright © 2003 by Victoria Alexander. Excerpted by permission.
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