Page 109 of The Seduction of an English Scoundrel

“I’m surprised the other despot who is my father allowed the omission.”

“I believe he was in shock,” he said, and stole a kiss a few seconds before the father under discussion appeared in the doorway with his wife.

“Are you two going to stand here all night or accompany us to the opera?” Lord Belshire demanded, his gruff tone hiding his pleasure that his Jane had found a man like Sedgecroft to take care of her. “Nothing worse than arriving right in the middle of a damned aria.”

“We shall cause a scene no matter when we arrive,” Athena said behind him, slim and elegant in a white satin shawl and an ice blue moire taffeta gown. “People are dying to know what sort of arrangement Grayson has made with Jane. I shall be delivering snubs all night long.”

The social uproar Athena had predicted came true only seconds after they took their box in the opera house.

Even those in the audience in the know could not quite decide what to make of this. Lord Belshire, his family, and his vibrant eldest daughter poised on the arm of a handsome scamp, the notorious lady looking radiant for someone who was allegedly ruined. Hadn’t the papers reported only two weeks or so ago that a certain marquess was shopping for a wardrobe with his mistress? And an indiscreet shopgirl had reported the naughtiest conversation in the upstairs chamber of a well-known Bond Street establishment. . . .

Wives and daughters borrowed quizzing glasses to take a look at Jane’s ivory satin gown, recognizing the work of the demimonde’s darling modiste Madame Devine. No one remembered that particular dress on Jane before and then . . . oh, the ever-delicious Sedgecroft had just kissed her ear! Trust him to please the crowd. Yes, he had kissed his love in public. At the very moment the scandalous couple bent heads simultaneously to pick up the program Jane had dropped.

“Everyone saw that,” she whispered with a hot blush as he glanced up, grinning into her face.

“Your father didn’t,” he whispered back. “That’s all I have to worry about.”

“The scandalmongers will say they were right all along, and the papers will keep printing horrible things about us.”

“Gossip will not kill us, Jane, or I would have been dead long ago.”

She pretended to scan her program, tempted to throw her arms around his strong neck and kiss him back. “You’re probably right.”

He settled his large frame back in his seat. “The truth, my darling, is that anybody who is anybody will hope to be invited to all the social affairs hosted by the new Lady Sedgecroft. That would be you.”

“Would it?” she whispered, smiling as she pictured the pair of them presiding over the ton in the ballroom of his Park Lane house.

“I am the head of the family,” he added. “As such, it will be my privilege to enjoy watching the other eligible Boscastles be cornered at the supper parties my wife will give.” He leaned down to whisper, “That would be you again.”

She glanced up at his handsome face and felt her heart overflow with an almost fearful happiness. Yes, this Boscastle was hers. His wonderful, wicked brood would become her children’s heritage. The prospect should have sent her straight to the sofa with a vinaigrette, but Jane had always been the type to challenge fate.

She said, “Which of your siblings do you think will marry next? Drake?”

His blue eyes darkened. “At the moment, I am focused on achieving that status for myself. Perhaps I shall have to make you want me more.”

“How?” she whispered, unable to imagine how such a thing could be possible.

“I shall not touch you again, Jane, after tonight. Not so much as a kiss until our wedding day.”

“You, Sedgecroft, showing self-control?”

“We shall see who weakens first,” he said smugly.

“Did you just issue me a challenge?” she whispered.

“I believe I did.”

“What shall we bet?”

“What do you have to offer?”

“Excuse me.” Jane’s father, seated behind them, stretched forward to tap them on the shoulder. “Is the opera interrupting your conversation? Shall I ask Signora Nicola to take her solo into the alley?”

“My apologies, sir,” Grayson replied with a straight face. “Pay attention to the performance, Jane, dear,” he added in a voice loud enough to carry.

“Oh, I am,” she replied, giving him a scowl that might have had more effect if behind her Caroline and Miranda had not suddenly burst into giggles.

Grayson glanced around to flash them a charming grin. “All right, you two. You’re going on the list along with the other family members who need to be married off for the benefit of Society.”