Page 56 of A Daring Desire

“Oh, no,” Rose murmured despairingly, as she caught sight of the man approaching them. “Can’t you make him go away?” she demanded of Cat.

“I know just how you feel,” Perry said with a smirk. “Yes, Cat, do make him go away.”

Rose blushed as she remembered Lord Marlowe was Perry’s brother and stammered an incoherent apology, getting herself in a dreadful tangle as she could not think how to retract what she’d said.

Perry only gave a hearty laugh. “No, no. Don’t take it back, I beg you. I’m all for getting rid of him.”

By the time Lord Marlowe was upon them, Rose was flushed, quite out of countenance, and trying to make herself invisible. He gave everyone a curt nod before addressing his brother.

“For heaven’s sake, Perry, take yourself off elsewhere, will you? Speculation is rife that you’re involved in a menage a trois and, if that gets back to our mother, you can deal with the fallout, for I’ll be moving to the country.”

Perry’s complexion segued from alabaster white to scarlet in a remarkably short amount of time that might have been amusing if he’d not looked so horrified. “Not really, Pagan?”

“Yes, really. It’s hardly to be wondered at, as it’s not as if it’s the first time you’ve been involved in such affairs, is it, my lord?” Marlowe said candidly, apparently oblivious to the simmering rage burning in Kilbane’s eyes. “Wasn’t the last time with Lord and Lady—”

“Hold your tongue,” Kilbane snapped, his eyes flashing.

Marlowe looked at him in mild surprise but didn’t appear the least bit offended. “Oh. As you wish. Didn’t think such talk bothered you.”

“It may bother my wife,” Kilbane bit out furiously.

Lord Marlowe turned his head slightly, only then noticing that she and Rose were standing to the side of Lord Kilbane and were attending to his conversation.

“Apologies. I’ll not say another word,” he said, looking quite unabashed.

“Ever,” her husband said, his tone caustic.

Marlowe shrugged. “With pleasure, but I’m not the one who set the tongues wagging about my brother. If you can make them stop, I wish you will do it at once.”

“If you think I have the power to stop their vile chatter, you greatly overestimate my influence,” Kilbane said, his tone cutting. He glanced down at Cat and reached for her hand. “Come along,” he said tersely and guided her away.

Rose glanced wildly between Lord Marlowe and his brother.

“Forgive me,” Perry whispered, looking mortified, and took himself off, leaving her stranded.

Horrified, she glanced up to see him watching her with undisguised amusement.

“How gratifying,” he said, his hard mouth curving into a provocative smile. “I thought I would have to work far harder to get you alone this evening.”

“We are hardly alone,” she retorted, as they were surrounded on all sides.

“You are quite right. This is hardly an intimate spot. Let me find us somewhere quieter.”

He offered her his arm and Rose glared at him, astounded by his temerity. “I do not wish to go anywhere with you, my lord.”

“Not even for a breath of air, or… er, perhaps to avail yourself of my escort to the retiring room?” He gave her a look of such understanding she blushed to the roots of her hair. She had been trying to get Cat’s attention for the past half hour so she would come to the private rooms with her. It was understandable that Cat was so consumed by the presence of her husband, but difficult for Rose, who really, really needed to pay a visit. Having Lord Marlowe understand her difficulty with such ease, however, was beyond mortifying.

“You are, without a doubt, the most odious—”

“Yes, yes, we’ve done this dance before,” he said, waving her insults away. “Come along before you burst.”

Rose stared at him with mute loathing, but she considered her chances of making it through the crush without getting herself jostled or stepped on and knew they were poor.

“You are detestable,” she muttered, placing her hand reluctantly on his proffered arm.

“I’ll grow on you,” he said, with such confidence that she longed to strike him.

As she had assumed, he guided her safely and effortlessly to the ladies' retiring room and she hurried inside, grateful to escape him. Once she had taken care of her most urgent needs, Rose took her time, staying to repair a loose curl of hair that had escaped, and to exchange a few words with some other ladies of her acquaintance. On exiting the room, she was appalled to discover that Lord Marlowe, far from having abandoned her as she’d dared to hope, had not even retreated to a discreet distance, and was quite obviously waiting for her.