Who Will Take This Man? - Softcover

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Growing up on Long Island, New York, Jacquie D'Alessandro fell in love with romance at an early age. She dreamed of being swept away by a dashing rogue riding a spirited stallion. When her hero finally showed up, he was dressed in jeans and drove a Volkswagen, but she recognized him anyway. They married after both graduating from Hofstra University and are now living their happily-ever-afters in Atlanta, Georgia. They have one grown son, who is a dashing rogue in the making. The author of more than thirty historical and contemporary romances, Jacquie loves to hear from readers and can be contacted through her website.

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Philip Whitmore, Viscount Greybourne, has been deserted at the altar, and Meredith Chilton-Grizedale, the Matchmaker of Mayfair, is ruined. This was the most anticipated wedding of the Season and would have secured her position. But now the word is out that the groom-to-be is cursed, making him the Most Unmarriageable Man in England. If Meredith is to have any hope of a future, she'll need to help him break this curse and marry him off. Unfortunately, the only woman he now wants is Meredith—the Most Unmarriageable Woman in England!

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Excerpt

Chapter One

Meredith Chilton-Grizedale pursedher lips and stroked her chin as she slowly circled LadySarah Markham, who stood upon the dressmaker's platform.Meredith's gaze critiqued the slender form garbedin the elegant, pale blue wedding gown, noting every detail, from the demure square neckline to the elaborate ruffledflounce. A satisfied smile threatened to curl her lipsupward, but she staunchly subdued it. One could not affordto be too effusive when dealing with Madame Renée,Oxford Street's most exclusive milliner. For every complimentMadame received, she clearly felt compelled toincrease her already exorbitant prices.

"You look lovely, Lady Sarah," Meredith said. "LordGreybourne will be besotted the moment he sees you." Atiny flutter of something that felt suspiciously like envyrippled through Meredith, surprising and irritating her.She slapped the feeling aside like a bothersome insect andgazed at the beautiful young woman standing before her.Pride instantly supplanted her errant twinge of envy.

Oh, she had indeed arranged a brilliant match on LordGreybourne's behalf. Lady Sarah was a diamond of thefirst water. Sweet, innocent, amenable, possessed of a gentletemperament, lively conversation, a singing voice thatcould rival the angels, and a formidable talent for the pianoforte.The negotiations, which Meredith had handled between Lady Sarah's father, the Duke of Hedington, andLord Greybourne's father, the Earl of Ravensly, hadproven quite delicate and tricky, even for a matchmaker ofher considerable experience. What with the scandal thathad ensued three years ago when Lord Greybourne had notreturned to England from roaming the wilds of foreign localesto honor the marriage agreement his father had enteredinto on his behalf, coupled with the fact that he'dincomprehensibly walked away from the comforts of Societyto live in uncivilized conditions where heathen traitsabounded in order to study artifacts, only Lord Greybourne'stitle and family connections kept him from beinghopelessly unmarriageable. Indeed, it had taken an enormousamount of time, flattery, and diplomacy on Meredith'spart to convince the duke that Lord Greybourne wasthe perfect match for Lady Sarah - a task made all themore difficult considering the hordes of eligible titled, andunmarked-by-scandal, young men buzzing around her.

But convince Lord Hedington she did. A sigh of immensesatisfaction eased past Meredith's lips, and she washard-pressed not to twist about and physically pat herselfon the back. Thanks to her - if she might say so herself - inspired efforts, the most anticipated wedding of the Seasonwould take place in two days at St. Paul's Cathedral.A wedding so grand, a marriage so brilliant, so talked-about,that Meredith's reputation as the foremost match-makerin England was assured.

Ever since the betrothal announcement two monthspast, anxious mamas were courting her attention, invitingher to tea and their musicales and soirees, asking her towhom their darling daughters would most be suited. Andwhich eligible bachelors were serious about choosing abride this Season.

As she had so many times over the past few months,Meredith again found herself wondering why a man borninto the upper echelons of Society, the heir to an earldom, a man who would never have to spend his life doing anythingsave seek pleasure, would spend a decade living inrustic conditions, digging up artifacts belonging to deadpeople. Everything practical in Meredith revolted at thevery thought. Clearly Lord Greybourne harbored somevery unusual beliefs and tendencies, and, she feared, hismanners would most certainly need some dusting off.Even his father had hinted that his son might require a bitof "polishing."

Even so, she did not doubt that she could shine him upenough to make a grand showing at the wedding. Afterall, her reputation, her livelihood depended upon the success of this wedding. She could only hope that after theceremony he would prove to be an affable and kind husband.Because, based on the enormous gilt-framed paintingof him hanging in his father's drawing room, LordGreybourne had not been blessed with a bounty of physicalattractions.

An image of that painting flashed through her mind.Poor Lord Greybourne. Where his father, the earl, wasquite handsome, Lord Greybourne was ... not. His paintingdepicted a pale, pudgy-faced, unsmiling countenancedecorated with thick spectacles magnifying unremarkablebrown eyes. Definitely not the most attractive of fellows.Of course, the painting had been commissioned fourteenyears earlier, when he was but a youth of fifteen. Meredithhoped his years abroad had improved him somewhat, althoughit did not really matter. In addition to being aParagon, Lady Sarah did not, like many young women herage, harbor unrealistic romantic notions regarding marriage.Thank goodness. Because the dear girl is taking onmore the frog than the prince, I'm afraid.

Yes, Lady Sarah knew it was her duty to marry, andmarry well, according to her father's dictates. Meredithblessed the fact that Lady Sarah was not difficult like agrowing number of modern young ladies who professed to want their marriages to be love matches. Meredithfought the urge to snicker at such nonsense. Lovematches indeed. Love had nothing to do with a successfulmarriage.

Meredith looked up at Lady Sarah, who, based on herexpression, was not as happy as she should be. "Now,don't frown, Lady Sarah," Meredith scolded gently."You'll wrinkle your forehead. Is something amiss? Thedress -"

"The dress is fine," Lady Sarah said. Her huge pansy-blueeyes, reflecting unmistakable distress, met Meredith'sin the mirror. "I was just thinking about what yousaid ... about Lord Greybourne being besotted the momenthe sees me. Do you truly think he will be?"

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Who Will Take This Man?by Jacquie D'Alessandro Copyright © 2003 by Jacquie D'Alessandro. Excerpted by permission.
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