Page 60 of The Mistletoe Dare

“Oh, do hush, Ash, and stop putting on airs,” Viv said tartly. “We all know you haven’t the faintest idea how to use a dictionary.”

Everyone laughed, amused as always by the twins’ banter.

“Well, I like that,” Ash said, tugging at one of his most eye-watering waistcoats. It was a vivid lime green with tiny oranges and lemons embroidered all over it. He grinned at Louis César, who was regarding it with a pained expression.

“Quite something, isn’t it?” Ash said, regarding it with pleasure.

The comte quirked a dark eyebrow. “Quite,” he agreed mildly.

“Quite revolting,” Jules murmured, sotto voce. “You’re giving the comte a headache, Ash. The French are sensitive to such displays of vulgarity, you know.”

Ash pulled a face at Jules. “It is not vulgar, it is original, like me, and you wouldn’t know style if it kicked you in the head.”

“It is certainly one of a kind,” Louis César replied, before adding with an anxious tone. “It is, isn’t it?”

Evie laughed and took his arm. “Poor Monsieur,” she said sympathetically. “Shall I seat you somewhere where you can’t see it?”

“It might be best,” the comte replied gravely. “I feel a megrim coming on.”

“Oh, I see how it is,” Ash said, giving Evie a reproachful glare. “It’s everyone pick on Ash day. Well, if you don’t want my company—”

“Oh, we do! Do stay!” cried the assembled company, which mollified him enough to sit and accept a cup of tea with a smug expression. Once everyone had been supplied with tea and a selection of delicious little cakes and biscuits, silence reigned for a few moments.

Georgie made herself comfortable next to Viv, who, she noticed, was covertly watching the Duke of Rochford. The duke was deep in conversation with Jules on the far side of the room.

“Shall I introduce you, Viv?” Georgie asked her.

Viv nodded, lowering her voice for privacy. “Yes, but not now. Tell me everything first. Everyone is talking about him and his interest in you. Ash tells me his appearance at two society events and his marked attention has the gossips all a-twitter. Is it true he’s courting you?”

“I’m not sure, I think… perhaps he means to, but he’s said nothing outright,” Georgie whispered. “What do you think of him?”

Viv pulled a face at Georgie. “Oh, now. That’s not fair. You know I’ll have heard the gossip like everyone else. He’s reclusive, ill-mannered, bad-tempered, and eats small children for breakfast. If one was to judge him by appearance alone, I could well believe it, but from that besotted look in your eyes I’d say there’s more to him than that.”

“What besotted look?” Georgie retorted indignantly. “I haven’t looked at him at all.”

“No. Rather my point,” Viv said dryly.

“Well, there’s no point arguing if that’s your logic,” Georgie protested.

“None whatsoever,” Viv agreed with a smirk.

“Mr August Lane-Fox,” announced the butler as a tall, elegant man in his late twenties entered the room.

“Oh my, Georgie. Do you know him?” Viv whispered, elbowing Georgie.

Georgie looked up and nodded. She had met Mr Lane-Fox several times over the years and thought him a charming fellow, good natured and easy-going. He was handsome, too, with bright gold hair and light blue eyes.

“Mr Lane-Fox? Yes, I do. Though I’ve not seen him in an age. Entangled in some drama of his mother and sisters’ making, as usual, no doubt.”

“Introduce me,” Viv demanded.

Georgie’s eyebrows went up, and she stared at Vivien in surprise. Viv was quite simply the most beautiful woman Georgie had ever seen, but to her knowledge, she had never shown an interest in any man before.

“What?” Viv said, her golden skin glowing with sudden colour. “He looks nice,” she said defensively.

“He is nice,” Georgie said, grinning, though privately she suspected Viv would eat August Lane-Fox for breakfast. She had rather a forceful personality. Not that August was a pushover by any means, but she had never understood how someone who appeared to be such a sensible and well-behaved chap could have been best friends with Viscount Roxborough, Raphe de Ligne, and the Marquess of Bainbridge. He seemed very much the odd one out, but he had got into all the same scrapes they had, and the scandal sheets often connected his name to some brawl or misdemeanour. Somehow, his reputation had not suffered like the others, though, perhaps because he was so impeccably well-behaved in polite society, unlike his friends.

“August, old man. Good to see you,” Jules said, waving him over. Georgie watched with interest as Jules introduced him to Rochford. The three men talked for a while, and then Jules guided August over to them. Georgie tried to suppress a surge of disappointment when Rochford didn’t follow, but accepted an invitation from Aunt Prue to sit with her instead.