How to Seduce an Earl

Chapter 1

Lady Annabeth was extremely bored at Princess Thalia's and General Luke's engagement party. Sure, she was happy for her good friend and former childhood crush for getting together. But the engagement party only reminded of her looming future. And the future of being a female noble was severely limited to that of political marriage.

It took all of Annabeth's efforts to place a bland, polite smile on her face as she tried to dodge her incessant male suitors. Her stepmother had set her up with many single bachelors, all counts, barons, and young marquises with fame and fortune to their names. All of these men could ensure more alliances with her family, the Ducal lineage descending from Duchess Athena.

Annabeth's birth mother, Duchess Athena, had been a favored daughter Princess of the previous Emperor in her youth. But now that the Duchess had passed away, Annabeth's paternal family had no connection with the royal family, as they were from the lower social class of Barons. Annabeth was the only direct connection and the only daughter of a Duchess. But her stepmother's sons were set to inherit the remaining Ducal lands after the betrothal gifts were given to whoever her future husband was.

How Annabeth detested that the law decreed the man should inherit the title before the woman. She was poor as a pauper unless she married someone with wealth, status and power. Even then the power would truly belong to her future husband.

As Annabeth walked through the party, she ignored the jealous and harassing looks of some of the other noblewomen. Oh, they would never do that in front of her face as she was the granddaughter of the previous Emperor and cousin of the current Crown Prince. High society was just a pit of poisonous vipers that she couldn't wait to escape from.

"Lady Annabeth, your beauty overwhelms me. You are like the floating sunshine that has transcended into corporeal form. Your gray eyes are just like those of your mother's, like icy steel." A man had approached her before she could effectively dodge him.

"Thank you. Your kind words are undeserved," she returned, almost gagging at the amount of false flattery this old fart spewed.

Who was this old toad again? Annabeth smiled politely but with disinterest. She had already forgotten this man's name. Count or Baron Rodrick or something like that?

Words of flattery did not work on her, especially when so many other beautiful ladies were here, far more striking than she was. Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth saw her friend Piper, the widowed Duchess of Columbidae, surrounded by suitors after her earthy beauty and her humongous fortune. Like Annabeth, Piper had mastered the art of surviving in the land of vicious high society.

Annabeth was pretty sure the Baron Rodrick had tried to pick up Piper earlier but had failed and had now decided to go after the easier prey of Annabeth. She'd even heard rumors that Baron Rodrick once tried to marry her mother twenty five years ago.

How revolting. Annabeth hid her displeased expression behind her silk fan.

Besides, Baron Rodrick was sixty-four years old and had three daughters all older than Annabeth from three different wives and concubines. Annabeth bit back feelings of nausea as the baron not so stealthily stole looks down her exposed bosom.

She was really going to kill her stepmother's stylist. Usually, Annabeth preferred plainer dresses so she could stay inconspicuous at these stupid balls and tea parties. But tonight, both the hairdresser and stylist had conspired to make Annabeth stand out much more than she was comfortable with. The male attention she used to dodge with far more ease were now turned on her, or more specifically how her breasts were pushed up and out with the tight corset and daring neckline, giving her the illusion of having more than what she actually did.