“Hmm.” She continued her assessment. “At least you have proper manners. That’s more than could be said for him.” Her gaze shifted to Diana. “And I see you’ve already met our dear Diana. Excellent judge of character, that one. If she can tolerate your conversation, you can’t be entirely hopeless.”
She looked him up and down and then continued on her way, waving her hand toward them as she passed. “Enjoy your evening.”
“Did I just pass some sort of test?” he asked, leaning closer than he should have to Diana. The scent of lavender radiating from her did little to ease his desire to move even closer.
“She never stops testing any of us,” Diana said with obvious amusement.
Before Graham could respond, a new voice interrupted them. “Lady Diana?”
They turned to see a tall, raven-haired gentleman standing before them, extending his arm to Diana. He was impeccably dressed and carried himself with the easy assurance of someone who had never questioned his place in the world.
“Lord Ockham,” Diana said, taking his arm.
Her blue eyes didn’t seem to sparkle the same way that they had when she was speaking with him. But she didn’t appear unhappy to see the man either, which grated on his nerves. A realization that he refused to explore any further.
“I believe this is our dance,” Ockham said to her.
“Indeed it is. I’ve been looking forward to a chance to speak with you.”
Did she have some kind of understanding with the man? Was she already spoken for? Not that it should affect Graham in any way. He couldn’t consider the notion of courtship with the debts he faced. They’d call him a fortune hunter and only after a woman for her dowry. And he had promised himself long ago that he’d marry for love. But regardless of his situation, he still didn’t enjoy the idea of her being courted by another man.
Ockham’s gaze shifted briefly to Graham, assessing. “Powis, isn’t it? I heard you’d arrived in town.”
“Good to meet you, Lord Ockham.” Graham inclined his head, using all of his control to fight the irrational surge of irritation coursing through him.
“I hope to see you at our club soon,” Ockham replied. His tone was almost friendly, which only irritated Graham more. The man nodded toward the floor. “I believe the dance is about to begin.”
Diana glanced back at Graham, and he caught what might have been reluctance in her expression. Or perhaps that was just what he wanted to see.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Lord Powis. I do hope we’ll have occasion to speak again.”
“The pleasure was entirely mine, Lady Diana.”
As Ockham led her toward the dance floor, Graham watched them for a moment, noting how easily Diana moved with the other man, how right they appeared together. More so than she would with a horse breeder turned earl who faced the wrong end of a pistol if he didn’t pay off the lowlife his cousin owed money to.
He tried to force himself to look away, but then her eyes found his. And in that reckless moment he forgot the debt, the danger, the noose tightening around his neck. A man could lose everything to a look likethat from a woman who was unlike any that he’d ever met.
And he suspected he was about to.
