Page 7 of Sin and Serendipity

They moved apart, and she took his arm and let him lead her from the dance floor, neither of them speaking a word. As they approached her mother, Ellie inhaled a steadying breath of air, eager to bid the viscount farewell. She’d had more than enough of his scintillating conversation for one evening.

“Here we are, Mrs. Wrencroft,” Lord Darrington said with a warm smile. “Your daughter is returned to you safe and sound.” He bowed to Ellie. “Thank you for the dance, Miss Wrencroft. I hope you will grant me another in the future.”

She flashed him a tight-lipped smile. “Do enjoy the rest of your evening, my lord.”

Her evasive reply was not lost on him, if the amused glint in his eyes was any indication, but he did not comment on it, simply bid them both a good night before turning and slipping into the crowd.

“Well done, my dear,” Mrs. Wrencroft whispered, nudging Ellie in the arm with her elbow as they watched Lord Darrington walk away. “The viscount is an excellent catch. And I think he’s smitten with you.”

Ellie sighed. “He is not smitten with me, Mama.”

Her mother harrumphed. “Well, I say he is,” she said, “and I am never wrong.”

Mrs. Wrencroft prattled on for the next several minutes, doling out advice on what she thought Ellie should do to encourage the viscount’s attentions, but Ellie only listened with half an ear, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Lord Darrington’s words.

With a few well-aimed smiles, you could have your pick of half the men in this room.

Her cheeks warmed. Had he said those words in earnest? Had he meant them? Or was it a false compliment, a consolation prize, intended to soothe the sting from the other things he’d said?

She didn’t know. But even though she tried to tell herself not to care, to forget about it—about him—she thought of little else for the rest of the evening.

Chapter Three

The following morning, bleary-eyed and leaden-legged, Robert yawned his way to the breakfast room with only one thing on his mind. Coffee.

He’d slept poorly last night, his mind too full to permit much rest, and it seemed his day would be much the same as his night had been.

Freddy had completely disappeared from the ball. Robert had looked everywhere for him to no avail, and he could only conclude his brother had left the premises entirely. Where he’d gone, he didn’t know, but he had every intention of demanding an answer as soon he saw him again.

Of course, he couldn’t lay all of the blame for his sleepless night at Freddy’s feet. Indeed, it was thoughts of his own behavior that had kept him up into the wee hours. Thoughts of his behavior, and of Ellie Wrencroft.

He walked into the breakfast room and made for the sideboard, going over his last conversation with her for the hundredth time as he spooned potatoes onto his plate, a dark frown marring his brow. What in blazes had gotten into him last night? What had made him speak to her like that?

So she thought she was in love with Freddy—what of it? Why should he care so much?

He knew his brother wouldn’t marry her, and Ellie would come to the same realization soon enough. He should have let it be, but instead he’d teased her and challenged her, even going so far as to imply she only wanted Freddy because he was handsome.

Even if it were true—and he suspected it was—he’d still had no business speaking to her that way. It wasn’t like him at all, and he didn’t care to repeat the experience.

There was only one thing left to do now, he thought, as he carried his plate to the table. Stay far away from Miss Ellie Wrencroft.

Claiming his usual seat overlooking the gardens, Robert set his plate down and poured himself a steaming cup of coffee, the rich scent a welcome jolt to his senses. He sat back in his chair and sipped at the black brew, staring out the window at the gray and gloomy sky.

It shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid the girl, he reasoned. He was a busy man, after all. Far too busy to spend his days—or nights—worrying over the welfare of a young woman he barely knew, especially one who was too mule-headed to heed his advice.

There, then. It’s decided. He would leave Ellie Wrencroft to her own devices and let the chips fall where they may.

“Bloody hell, Robert, you look as though you’ve swallowed a rotten egg,” Freddy said, his stride obnoxiously cheerful as he sauntered into the room and made for the sideboard. “You’re not still fretting over that new tax bill, are you?”

Robert took a sip of coffee, checking his temper, as Freddy studied the offerings laid out on the sideboard. “I’m not fretting over anything,“ he said, keeping his voice even. “But I would like to know where you disappeared to last night. I looked everywhere for you.”

Freddy shrugged, loading his plate with kippers. “I had pressing business to attend to,” he said, before carrying the miniature feast to the table and claiming the seat across from Robert.

“Pressing business?” Robert arched a dubious brow. “With Lord Saxton’s widow?”

His brother merely grinned and bent over his plate, shoveling an enormous bite of egg into his mouth as one of the midnight curls Ellie liked so much fell across his forehead.

Suppressing the urge to scowl, Robert leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “You should have stayed last night, Freddy. For Mother’s sake, at least. She wanted you there.”