by Dawn Brower
Never Disregard a Wallflower
Never Disregard a Wallflower
Neverhartts Book Two
Dawn Brower
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 locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Never Disregard a Wallflower © 2021 Dawn Brower
Cover art by Midnight Muse
Edits by Victoria Miller
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.
The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love.
Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Afterword
Excerpt: Never Dare a Hellion
Prologue
Chapter 1
Excerpt: When an Earl Turns Wicked
Dawn Brower
Prologue
Chapter 1
About The Author
Also by Dawn Brower
Acknowledgments
In life many people come and go, but some leave an impression you never forget. This book is for Aunt Rose Green. She is adored by her family and will be missed by us all.
* * *
I am certain my dad, and her other siblings are already making her welcome in heaven. Thank you for being you, Aunt Rose I hope you are at peace now, give my dad a big hug from me.
Prologue
A loud noise reverberated through Lady Theodora Neverhartt’s bedchamber. She inhaled a deep, sharp breath as she sat upright. A storm. Thunder and lightning always left an uneasy feeling in her stomach, and this time was no different. She hated them, and had for as long as she could recall. At five and ten that seemed like a lot of years, and in some ways, it seemed like none at all.
She slid her legs over the side of the bed and pulled on her wrapper. As long as there was a storm raging outside she would not get any further sleep that night. To help her pass the time she would retrieve a book from the library. Teddy didn’t bother with a candle. She’d become accustomed to traveling the halls of her family home in darkness. Her father, the Earl of Seville, was often short of funds. That meant they didn’t always have the income necessary to run a earl’s estate properly. It was best to preserve the candles for when they truly needed them. Besides she had grown up there and knew the layout well. A candle wasn’t necessary.
A roll of thunder echoed around her and she jumped again. Teddy swallowed hard. She could do this, she could…and perhaps, if she told herself that enough, she’d believe it too. Teddy took a deep breath and continued down the hall and slowly made her way down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, then turned down the hall leading to the library.
Light spilled out of her father’s study. Was he awake or had he left a candle burning? Either way, it made her stomach turn. That light was not a good omen. She hoped he had not drowned his difficulties in a bottle of brandy. She hated being around her father when he was inebriated. His drunkenness was hard to bear and made her uncomfortable.
Could she slip by his study without him noticing?
Maybe. But she wasn’t certain if she could. If her father noticed her she’d have to extricate herself somehow, but it would not be easy. She would have to try her best to pass by unnoticed. Teddy didn’t want to return to her chambers without something to distract her from the storm. It would be a tension-filled night without the diversion. She’d like to prevent that if she could.
She started down the hall again, this time on her tiptoes. Teddy stayed close to the wall, on the opposite side of her father’s study, hoping he wouldn’t notice her as she scurried past it. She kept her breathing as even as possible. Her heart raced faster and faster with each careful step she took. The study was only a couple footsteps away. She held her breath and placed a tentative step, then another, until she was on the other side. She let out the breath once she reached the other side.
“Who’s there?” her father called out, slurring his words as he spoke.
Drat. She hadn’t gone as unnoticed as she had hoped she would. Instead of answering she kept going. The library was close and she could slip inside. When she reached the library she rushed inside and across the room. Lightning struck, illuminating the many shelves lining the back wall. She went over and plucked a book off, not looking at it. Teddy didn’t care what she read, as long as it kept her mind occupied.
She turned to leave but stopped suddenly. A large man filled the doorway. It didn’t look like her father, but it was dark. Perhaps she was mistaken and imagining things.
“Well, well,” the man said. “What do we have here. Looks like Seville was right. One of his brats is wandering around the house. What did you hear?”
“Noth..ing,” she stumbled over the word as she spoke. “I came for a book.” Who was this man? Why was he so concerned about what she may have heard? “I promise I heard nothing.”
He sighed. “What am I going to do with you.” He stalked forward and grabbed her arm.
“You’re hurting me.”
He shook her and laughed maniacally. “I haven’t begun to hurt you.”
The book she’d been holding slipped to the floor. He reached over and cupped her breast. “You’re a ripe young thing, aren’t you? So innocent.”
A tear slipped down her cheek. He squeezed her breast. Teddy tried to pull away, but he had a tight grip on her arm. “Let me go,” she demanded. Why was he hurting her? She hoped and prayed he didn’t force her to do something she didn’t want to do. She understood that men often took what they wanted from a woman. She’d overheard a maid talking once about a man taking advantage of her. It had scared Teddy and she’d learned far more than she’d ever wanted to that day. At least until now…
“When I’m done with you I’ll have to make sure you keep your mouth shut tight, won’t I?”
She slapped his face. “I told you I didn’t hear anything.”
“I don’t believe you,” he said as he rubbed his cheek. “You’re feisty. I like it when they fight me. Thank you for making it more of a challenge, not that it’ll do you any good. I will have you.” Some light illuminated the area from a flash of lightning. It gave her a terrifying glance at the nefarious gleam in his eye. He wouldn’t stop. Nothing would prevent him from hurting her.
Teddy shook uncontrollably. He was so large and strong. She had no real chance of fighting him. He would hurt her, and she feared she would never recover from it. How would she survive this?
“Let my daughter go,” her father said. She turned toward the sound of his voice. She was relieved to see him even if he was a little wobbly on his feet, but his words came out clear.
Teddy wanted to burst into tears but held them in. She’d wait until she was alone. Somehow, her wastrel of a father was there to save her.
“I don’t think so,” the man said. “She could’ve heard us.”
“Teddy is a good girl. She doesn’t eavesdrop on conversations, and even if she had, she’d hold her tongue. Let her go.”
“Fine,” the man said harshly. “But if she speaks…I’ll handle it, and I wil
l not ask for your permission.” He let Teddy go, and she fell to the floor. She crawled on her hands and knees and used the table to help herself to her feet.
“Go to your chambers,” her father ordered. He didn’t look at her as he barked the words at her. “And don’t come back down.”
Teddy didn’t need to be told twice. She didn’t look back, and she didn’t stop to retrieve the book. Nothing would be able to calm her after that. Her body would be, if it wasn’t already, covered in bruises come morning. When she reached her bedchamber, she clicked the lock in place, crawled into her bed, and gave into the tears burning at the back of her eyes. She sobbed the entire night, not once falling asleep.
It was a night she’d never forget even when she wanted to. It taught her men were not to be trusted. They could, and would, take advantage of her. As much as she wanted love, she would never give her heart to a man. They’d only abuse it, and Teddy would not give them the opportunity to crush her. It was far better to spend her life alone. She had her family, her sisters and brother would always be there for her, and save that, she could always depend on herself.
Chapter 1
Three years later…
A bead of sweat trailed down Teddy’s forehead. Why was it so darn hot? She still couldn’t believe she’d allowed herself to be convinced this was a good idea. Billie had married for the second time and was blissfully happy, and hoped Teddy would find that same level of bliss. Her sister hadn’t stopped to consider what Teddy wanted.
She didn’t want a season, or elaborate ballgown, or even suitors. Teddy had no desire to find love or give herself to any man. Being a wallflower saved her, in her mind, from a fate no woman should willingly sell herself to: marriage. It was an institution designed to subjugate women, and she refused to freely enter into the bonds of matrimony.
“Ouch,” she mumbled.
“My apologies, my lady,” one of the seamstresses pinning her hem said. “It is imperative you remain still so I do not intentionally stick you with the pins.”
“I’m trying.” Teddy glared at her. “How much longer will this take?”
She’d been in Madame Auclair’s modiste shop for a while, finishing the final fittings on her gowns.
“It won’t be much longer, my lady,” Madame Auclair said. “A few more pins and then we can remove this gown.” Her French accent was thick as she spoke. “Please endure our ministrations a few more moments.”
Teddy hated this. Hated being difficult. Hated that there was even a need for new gowns. Why couldn’t she stay in the country and settle in...to her spinster life? That was what she wanted. If only her sister would actually listen to her. “I’m being as patient as I can be.” She closed her eyes and counted to ten, hoping they’d be done by the time she reached the final number.
“That’s not entirely true,” Billie said as she strolled into the room. “You, dear sister, are capable of deep-seated patience. The issue is you don’t wish to have pretty new gowns or a season at all.” Billie turned to Madame Auclair and asked, “Are you truly almost finished?”
“I am,” Madame Auclair confirmed. “One more pin and…there. We can remove the gown now.”
Teddy breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank heavens…I feel as if I’m suffocating.”
“You are not,” Billie chastised. “You’re not usually this dramatic. Leave the histrionics for the twins.”
Chris and Carly were melodramatic on a good day. At least they were safely tucked away at finishing school, and hopefully learning much needed manners. They probably would never conform in any typical way, but they might at least learn some restraint. Carly was the worst though. She led poor Chris into more trouble than any young lady should. “Thankfully neither one will be around to watch me fall on my face. You know they would do their best to make me miserable.”
“True,” Billie replied, then waved her hand. “It matters not because, as you said, they’re not here. But I am, and I’ll be with you through everything.” Madame Auclair and her assistants helped Teddy out of the dress and carefully placed it on a hook for final stitching later. “A season won’t be as painful as you believe. It might even be…fun.”
“Fun?” Teddy quirked a brow upward. “You and I have very different ideas of what constitutes fun. Being snubbed and enduring and empty dance card is not anything remotely entertaining. Why must I do this again?”
“Zachary thinks…”
“Your husband has no idea what it is like for a woman on the marriage mart. He would’ve successfully avoided matrimony altogether if he had not been confined to a country estate with you.” She glanced at Billie and said wryly, “He fell in love despite his best efforts at avoiding it.”
“It helps that I’m irresistible,” Billie replied cheekily.
Teddy’s lips twitched. “I suppose there is that.”
“My lady, let me help you into your gown,” Madame Auclair said. She held Teddy’s blue and white muslin day dress before her. She slipped into it, and Madame Auclair started fastening her buttons. Soon she’d be able to leave this overheated dress shop. “There,” she said as the last button was slipped into its corresponding hole. “You’re all done.”
“Wonderful,” Teddy said. “Now we can go home.”
“The ball gown is ready for you to take with you now,” Madame Auclair told her. “The rest of the dresses will be delivered after we’re finished with the last of the alterations.”
“Thank you,” Billie said, then turned her attention to Teddy. “See, it wasn’t nearly as terrible as you thought it would be.” She grinned. “Now to go home and start preparations for the ball tonight.”
Teddy rolled her eyes and held her thoughts inside. Billie would only fuss even more if she explained how much, again, she hated balls, soirees, or society functions in general. “I understand why you’re excited,” Teddy began. “You never had a proper season. Father gambled away all of the family fortune. We had no dowries or funds to support a season. This is your launch as much as it is mine.”
“In some ways, I suppose that is true,” Billie conceded. “I’m an old matron now though. It won’t be the same.” She grew silent as they exited the modiste shop. “Zachary really does believe this will help. I do listen to you, and I understand it’ll be uncomfortable. If it truly becomes unbearable, you can end your season early. All I ask is that you at least try before you give in.”
Teddy frowned. Had she been that terrible? “I am acting like a brat.”
“Only a little bit,” Billie said. She held her hand up with her thumb and forefinger almost touching. “Zach will give you your dowry to do with as you please if you don’t want to use it to find a husband. Neither one of us wants to see you unhappy. We want you to explore all your options before you settle on one path.”
“All right,” Teddy said reluctantly. “I’ll stop complaining.” She wasn’t promising to try though. She had no desire to find a husband. Teddy was a wallflower, and a wallflower she’d remain.
Ezra Halsey, Viscount Carrolton, stared at the crush of people in the ballroom. Why had he agreed to attend this ball again? Oh, right, his sister, Amelia… It was her first season, and as the head of the family, he had to attend the bloody season with her. It wouldn’t look good if he didn’t at least make an appearance at some of the society functions.
He needed a drink, and none of the warm punch Lady Windley found acceptable to serve her guests. No that would not quench his thirst. It would only make him want something else. He needed something stronger, that would burn as it traveled down his throat. It would help him suffer through this evening’s entertainment. The mothers with marriageable daughters would expect him to dance with their insipid offspring. Perhaps he was being harsh with that description, but he couldn’t find any that deserved a better depiction.
“You look as if you’re itching to bolt at any moment,” a man said.
Ezra turned and grinned. His friend, the Duke of Graystone, stood beside him. His reddish gold hair
was brushed back, and his green eyes nearly sparkled with mischief. He was dressed in almost all black. His shirt and starched cravat were a bright white. “Why the blazes are you here?” A ball was the last place he expected the duke to be. He avoided marriage more than any of them did. “The mamas will pounce at the sight of a newly minted duke.”
He grinned. “They’ll be too late. As I already have a wife and cannot have more than one. It would be frowned upon.”
Graystone had married. The world was really about to end. “Surely, you jest.”
“Marriage is not something I would ever speak lightly about. I married a fortnight ago by special license. I am officially not in the market for a wife.”
Ezra lifted a brow. “I didn’t realize you were ever in the market for a wife.”
Graystone chuckled. “Because I wasn’t. It’s amazing how love will change your perspective.”
“Who did you marry?” The last Ezra was aware, Graystone had gone to his new country seat and… “Please tell me you didn’t marry your uncle’s widow.”
“All right I won’t,” he grinned.
Ezra stared at him baffled. Surely… No. He had to have misunderstood somehow. Graystone had been completely against marriage. What could have changed?
“Good lord, you did. Have you lost your mind?”
“Perhaps,” Graystone admitted. “But I have no regrets. Billie is the love of my life, and she is going to be the mother of my children. I’m happy. Be happy for me.”
