How to Court a Covert Lady

How to Court a Covert Lady A Ladies Covert Academy novelBook One by Jenny Hartwell © Copyright 2023 by Jenny Hartwell Text by Jenny Hartwell Cover by Kim Killion Dragonblade Publishing, Inc. is an imprint of Kathryn Le Veque Novels, Inc. P.O. Box 23 Moreno Valley, CA 92556 [email protected] Produced in the United States of America First Edition January 2023 Kindle Edition Reproduction of any kind except where it pertains to short quotes in relation to advertising or promotion is strictly prohibited. All Rights Reserved. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. License Notes: This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook, once purchased, may not be re-sold. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. 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CEO, Dragonblade Publishing Dedication To Molly & Paul who were with me on day 1 of this series Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Publisher’s Note Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Epilogue Acknowledgements About the Author Chapter One London, 1818 As Miss Philippa Chester surveyed the wooly carnage scattered across her writing desk, she consoled herself with the knowledge that although she was wretched with knitting needles, at least she was skilled with a more useful tool—a blade. With a sigh, Pippa pulled the bits of completed knitting away from the tangled balls of yarn, noncompliant needles, and scraps of abandoned wool, and plopped them into a wicker basket. Her finished knitting perfectly concealed the dagger lying at the bottom. The ormolu clock on her bedroom mantle chimed. “Drat.” Pippa peeked at her reflection in the mirror—dark hair mostly tidy, green muslin dress only slightly wrinkled—before dashing out of her bedroom. Her footsteps echoed through the marble foyer. Despite the time, she needed to make an appearance with her mother before heading to her appointment. Pippa burst into the sitting room where the afternoon sun filtered through gauzy curtains to illuminate her mother and her mother’s friend seated before a hearty afternoon tea. “Good afternoon, Mother.” Pippa placed a kiss upon the upturned cheek of Josephine Chester, Lady Everleigh. “And Eugenia, how nice to see you as well.” “Are you joining us for tea?” her mother asked with a warm smile. Pippa surveyed the pastries laid out on a silver tray before choosing a plum tart. “Unfortunately, I can’t today. I’m off to the Ladies Charitable Association.” She took a bite, and the sweet tartness was heaven in her mouth. “Oh, I was hoping you could catch up on the news with us.” Eugenia, Lady Everleigh’s bosom friend and frequent visitor, set her newspaper aside. “You two will have more fun reviewing the latest on dits without me, I’m sure.” Pippa’s mother and Eugenia loved nothing more than an afternoon of pastries and gossip. “And I really am needed at the LCA.” “You young ladies today, always on the go.” A smile appeared on Eugenia’s round, rosy face. “I must say, I admire you, Pippa, the way you and those other ladies spend so much time helping the poor, the orphans, the sick, those poor war widows—” “You are too kind,” Pippa interjected, uncomfortable at this litany of praise. “Yes, she is very committed to the LCA,” Pippa’s mother said. “But it does mean she’s rarely available to accompany me to social events.” Lady Everleigh gave Pippa a pointed stare. Pippa shuffled her feet. “I’m sorry, Mother. Perhaps…perhaps some evening soon we could attend a musicale.” Her mother stared. “Or a dinner party?” Lady Everleigh swirled her teacup in silence. Pippa sighed. “Or perhaps a ball?” Her mother beamed. “What a wonderful idea. Yes, a ball will be just the thing.” Pippa took a bite of tart, hiding her frown. “Pippa dear,” Eugenia said, leaning forward, “before you go, have you happened to hear the latest scandal involving a certain Lord S?” She tapped the newspaper. “I’m assuming it’s that notorious Lord Somerset. Why, it says that he was found in a most compromising position—” “Eugenia,” Pippa’s mother warned. “Oh, pish, the girl is twenty,” Eugenia protested. “If she’s been reading the latest political essay by that firebrand Democratiam Liberum fellow, then surely she can discuss a bit of ballroom debauch—” “Eugenia!” Lady Everleigh’s eyebrows were almost at her hairline. Pippa stifled a snicker. Apparently looking for a change of topic, her mother leaned forward to peer into Pippa’s basket. “Have you been up in your