Page 57 of The Devil to Pay

“I am Miss Davenport,” she replied, watching him curiously.

His expression became grim, his thin lips compressing until they were almost invisible. “I confess, you are not what I was expecting.”

Selina stiffened. The man’s manner was insolent, and she did not believe that she had been offered a compliment.

“As I did not expect you at all, Lord Haversham, the feeling is mutual,” she replied coolly. “Are you a friend of my brother’s, or my father perhaps? Neither are here, you know. Hubert may be back this evening, but my father is in town.”

“No, I am not a friend,” the fellow replied, his tone suggesting he wouldn’t be caught dead in such company. Whilst Selina had some sympathy with this outlook, she did not appreciate the fellow’s obvious desire to be hostile and insulting.

“Then may I enquire as to what I owe the pleasure?” she demanded, making no bones about her own displeasure.

“Pleasure,” he said, his lip curling. “I suppose you think that’s enough to risk your reputation for?” The words were shocking enough, but the spite behind them quite took Selina’s breath away.

Who was this man and why was he speaking to her so?

“I think it best you leave now, before I have you thrown out,” she said, beginning to feel alarmed by his antagonistic manner. He obviously had a bone to pick with someone and she was in his line of fire through no fault of her own. “My maid told me there was a gentleman to see me, but I see she was mistaken.”

“Well, you’ve got spirit, at least, I’ll give you that,” he said, something that might have been admiration gleaming in his eyes.

“I am so very pleased to have met with your approval. Nonetheless, I should like you to leave. Now.”

“Not until I’ve had my say,” he replied.

Selina regarded him with mistrust. He was a tall, thin man and might have been attractive if not for the lines of dissipation that hardened his mouth and eyes. His hair was dark and slicked into place, and the scent of macassar oil was only overpowered by his cologne, which was flowery and spicy at once. Selina felt a headache tug behind her eyes and wondered if Owen, her footman, was in hailing distance. If she shouted, would he come?

“Then please do, so I may be rid of you and this tiresome interview.”

He sneered, moving to the mantelpiece and leaning an arm along it. “I suppose you think you’ve done very well for yourself. A woman like you, on the shelf and with no likelihood of ever securing a match. How did you do it? Did you trap him into it? Have you got something on him?”

Selina felt the colour drain from her face. This was about Blackstone. He had warned her he was in some kind of trouble, and now the fool man had managed to drag her into it too.

“I do not know to what you refer. If that is all—”

She moved to the door but before she could open it, he moved, grabbing hold of her wrist. Selina gasped, truly alarmed now.

“That son of a bitch made me a laughingstock,” he said with such savagery, Selina could only stare at him.

Before she could think of what to do or say, a commotion out by the front door caught their attention. A moment later, a woman flew into the room, took one look at Selina and gave a shriek.

“Ronald!” she shouted. “You take your hands off her at once.”

“Oh, Maisie, what’s it to you? I thought you might be pleased if I broke up Blackstone’s little romance. Then you can have him all to yourself again.”

“Oh, Ronald, you great oaf, you are the biggest fool on earth,” the lady cried, a sentiment which Selina had no qualms about agreeing with, but she held her tongue, torn between fascination and horror. That this was the scandal Blackstone had feared was beyond doubt, and the irate husband’s words left little uncertainty what the trouble was.

“No doubt,” he said in a scathing tone, releasing Selina and going to stand by the fireplace once more.

The lady wrung her hands, nervous eyes darting between Selina and her spouse, her cheeks flushed with mortification.

“Miss Davenport, please forgive my husband. I can only imagine what you must think of us. I swear to you, I would have stopped him if I could, but the stubborn idiot would never listen to reason. Not from the beginning. Even in the weeks after our honeymoon, he’d rather spend his nights with his petticoats and opera dancers than come home to his poor little wife!”

Ronald folded his arms and looked mutinous, and the lady turned a pair of melting blue eyes upon Selina, who sighed. This, then, was the kind of lady Blackstone usually favoured. It was hardly a surprise. Petite and lovely and blonde, she was the delicate sort of female that brought out a male's protective instincts and generally saw them make complete twits of themselves. However, this domestic argument had been brought into Selina’s private parlour, and she was not having it.

“It seems that I have been embroiled in your personal affairs though no fault of my own,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster. “Whilst I am sorry for your troubles and give you my word not a breath of this little scene will ever pass my lips, I believe you ought to go elsewhere for the final act.”

“Ah, but you are embroiled too now, my dear,” Lord Haversham said, his expression grim. “For if Blackstone intends to wed you—”

Selina blinked. “I beg your pardon?” she said faintly.