The Debutante’s Brooding Protector (The Duchess’s Darling Debutantes #1)

The promenade was most definitely not going well. But it couldn’t be said it was for lack of trying.

If good intentions mattered one whit, Sebastian could have earned some sort of medal. He had prepared for this outing. Most thoroughly. He'd selected his route through Hyde Park with care, visible enough to be noticed, but not so crowded as to require excessive social interaction.

He'd even timed their arrival for maximum exposure to the ton's afternoon promenaders. Embarrassingly enough, he’d even rehearsed, for heaven’s sake. Somewhere in his study there lay a list of acceptable topics of conversation suitable for a brotherly guardian escorting his late friend's sister.

The list was hardly lengthy, but it was thorough. He’d listed topics ranging from the weather to the architectural design of the neighboring estates, assuming that would be sufficient.