“No. We have a tradition of marrying for love. Something I had long cherished hopes of doing. Unfortunately, I have never met a lady of suitable birth in my ten years on the marriage mart who has inspired more than mere liking or a fleeting physical attraction.” He flushed faintly to be so blunt, but since the gloves were off, he felt it best to be brutally honest.
“I see. Well, if the widow was your first choice, I make a pretty poor consolation prize,” she said, her color heightened. The lady was clearly still annoyed with him.
“You do yourself a disservice to make such an unflattering comparison, Miss Watson. You are not a consolation prize.”
“It is kind of you to say so, Your Grace, but I doubt that you are sincere.”
“Damn it all to hell, Miss Watson!” he said, losing his temper. “You know me not at all if you think that I am in the habit of offering ladies Spanish coin!” Her eyes widened in shock, and he flushed with embarrassment. “I apologize for my intemperate speech, but you’re the most exasperating female I’ve ever met!”
“In that case, Your Grace, it is fortunate that if you were able to bring yourself to offer for me, as distasteful as the notion is to you, you can be assured that I would not accept!” On which, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing alone under the trees.
“Damn and blast!” he muttered.This is not going according to plan at all!
He returned to the ballroom to find to his horror that the lady was dancing with Lannister.Bloody hell, is there no one to protect her from the likes of him?Lannister was not only a gazetted fortune hunter, he was a loose screw to boot. Not the sort of unsavory character that ought to be let anywhere nearyoung ladies of virtue. He was banned from Almack’s for that very reason.
Aware, with a twinge of conscience, that he was as guilty as Lannister of chasing a fortune, he still maintained that at least he was aboveboard about it. He had no intention of trying to make the girl fall in love with him.Well, not unless she felt the same.He would never stoop to a pretense of feelings he didn’t have.
The girl’s father wasn’t here, and she had no adult brother to watch out for her, or even an uncle. Was her chaperone unaware of Lannister’s reputation or just lax? She might be unaware, of course. Lannister was charming, the ladies loved him. His more extreme behaviors were probably only known to the gentlemen.
Damn it, what could he do?If he attempted to speak to her again tonight, she would likely react badly, and he could hardly warn her against Lannister without sounding like a hypocrite. She wouldn’t know of Lannister’s reputation, and he wasn’t about to tell her.
Then he spotted Ashford, Caro, and Greathouse returning to the ballroom from the refreshments area. He headed in their direction and intercepted his friend. “Can I have a word with you quietly?” he said in the other man’s ear.
“Of course, old chap,” said Ashford. “Caro’s going to dance with Fabian. I’m all yours.”
They retired to an alcove out of the main flow of traffic, and Robert said, “Would you do me a favor?”
“Anything you like. What is it?”
“I just spotted Lannister dancing with Miss Watson.”
“Good God!”
“Yes, precisely! She has no one to protect her from his sort. Her father isn’t in London, and she has no male guardian here, only her chaperone, Lady Holbrook, to advise her. Would you keep an eye on her? She and I”—he flushed—“had a littlemisunderstanding earlier on, and she is a trifle annoyed with me at the moment. I don’t think she would take kindly to me offering her unsolicited advice at this juncture.”
“Pot calling the kettle black?”
“She would perceive it as such, I fear. There is a clear difference, but she wouldn’t know that and nor should she.”
“You can rely on me, old chap!” Ashford clapped him on the shoulder.
“You’re the best of good fellows, Emrys. Thank you!” Robert shook his hand fervently, a sudden weight lifting. “I shan’t be staying. I only came to speak with her, and it all went rather horribly wrong. I won’t do myself any favors attempting to approach her again tonight. I mean to leave it until tomorrow.”
“In hot pursuit?”
“I am.”
“Best of luck, Robert,” said Ashford in all sincerity.
“Thank you. I’m going to need it. I never thought myself lacking in address, but there is something about the lady that seems to get me wrong footed. Dashed if I know what it is. She’s a vicar’s daughter, for God’s sake!”
Ashford gave him an odd look and shook his head.
“What?” asked Robert.
“Nothing, old man,” Ashford smiled but wouldn’t be drawn.
Robert glanced back at Miss Watson. She seemed highly amused by Lannister, and it made him uneasy. He would call upon her tomorrow. Paradoxically, now that she had thrown down the gauntlet, he was quite determined to pursue her.For in truth, what other choice do I have?
