It was not the first time Lavinia Somers found herself in a place where women of her station were distinctly unwelcome. Nor was it the first time she’d questioned her sanity for allowing Lord Percy Aldridge to dictate the terms of their arrangement.

“I still don’t understand why this was necessary,” Lavinia whispered as Percy guided her up the marble steps of White’s, London’s most exclusive gentlemen’s club.

“You’ll see,” Percy replied, his voice maddeningly calm. “My associates require... convincing. They’ve taken it upon themselves to wager against me, assuming your matchmaking skills are as fictional as a ghost’s integrity.”

“How charming.” Lavinia tightened her shawl around her shoulders, her nerves bristling. “And what precisely do you expect me to do? Charm them into submission?”

Percy grinned. “Precisely. Think of it as a rehearsal. If you can convince this lot that I’m capable of becoming an eligible suitor, you can convince anyone.”

Lavinia was spared the effort of a retort as they entered the club’s grand hall. The air was thick with cigar smoke and the scent of brandy, and the sound of male laughter reverberated off the oak-paneled walls. Every eye turned to her as she stepped inside, and the sudden silence was deafening.

“Well, this is unexpected,” drawled a voice from the far corner. Lavinia recognized Lord Edward Montague, Percy’s closest companion and, by all accounts, his equal in mischief.

Percy smirked. “Gentlemen, may I present Miss Lavinia Somers—the woman tasked with transforming me into the most sought-after bachelor in London.”

The response was a mixture of laughter and incredulous muttering.

Montague rose from his chair, his gaze sweeping over Lavinia with theatrical curiosity. “She’s quite bold to show her face here, Percy. You must have promised her an enormous sum to endure such an indignity.”

“I promised her nothing,” Percy replied smoothly, “save the privilege of my company.”

“Ha!” Lavinia scoffed, stepping forward. “I accepted this task not because of Lord Percy’s charm—which is, at best, questionable—but because I take my work seriously. Unlike some of you, apparently.”

The room erupted into laughter, and Montague clapped his hands. “I like her already! Tell us, Miss Somers, how do you plan to achieve the impossible? Turning Percy into a respectable gentleman is akin to teaching a pig to waltz.”

Lavinia smiled sweetly. “It begins with the company he keeps. If one surrounds oneself with barnyard animals, one is bound to pick up certain habits.”

The laughter grew louder, and Percy’s lips twitched with amusement. He leaned against the mantelpiece, watching as Lavinia continued to spar with his friends.

---

A Test of Wits

For the next hour, Lavinia held her ground, parrying jibes and challenges with a wit that left even the most boorish of Percy’s companions speechless. By the time the conversation turned to wagers, she had earned a grudging respect from most of the room.

“So,” Montague said, leaning forward with a grin. “What’s your strategy, Miss Somers? How do you intend to tame this beast?”

Lavinia tilted her head, her smile sharp. “Lord Percy does not require taming. He requires discipline, focus, and a willingness to engage in the world outside his own reflection.”

The room burst into laughter, and Percy raised his glass in mock salute. “Touché, Miss Somers. But I must ask—what happens if you fail? What becomes of your reputation then?”

Lavinia hesitated, the weight of his words settling heavily on her shoulders. “Failure is not an option, my lord,” she said quietly. “For either of us.”

The room fell silent, the levity replaced by a tension that crackled in the air. Percy’s expression shifted, his usual smirk replaced by something more thoughtful.

Montague cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “Well, Percy, it seems you’ve met your match. Perhaps there’s hope for you yet.”

---

A Misstep in the Corridor

As the evening drew to a close, Lavinia excused herself to retrieve her shawl from the hallway. She was just turning to leave when a voice stopped her.

“You handled them well,” Percy said, stepping out of the shadows.

Lavinia turned, startled to find him so close. “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“I wasn’t sure,” he admitted, his tone unusually earnest. “They’re not an easy lot to impress.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And you? Were you impressed?”

Percy’s gaze held hers, the playful glint in his eyes replaced by something warmer, almost unguarded. “More than you know,” he said softly.

The moment stretched between them, charged with an unfamiliar tension. Lavinia’s breath caught, but she quickly stepped back, breaking the spell.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Lord Percy,” she said, her voice cool. “This is strictly business.”

He smiled faintly. “Of course. Strictly business.”

---

A Step Too Close to Scandal

As Percy escorted her to her waiting carriage, Lavinia couldn’t shake the feeling that tonight had been more dangerous than she’d anticipated. Not because of the men at White’s, but because of Percy himself.

He was infuriating, arrogant, and entirely too charming for his own good. And, worst of all, he seemed to be enjoying this arrangement far more than he should.

As the carriage pulled away, Lavinia leaned back against the seat, her mind racing. Percy Aldridge was a problem she hadn’t anticipated. And if she wasn’t careful, he might prove to be her most unfortunate challenge yet.