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Merry sighed heavily, as though Titania was being quite ridiculous. “Do not be idiotic, Titania. I do not wish to be introduced to that particular gentleman.”
Lord Huckleby, who had been listening to this exchange with interest, now glanced behind him. “Ho!” he exclaimed, turning back to Merry and Titania. “Are you speaking of the fellow who is standing as though attempting to hide himself from everyone whilst remaining in sight?”
Titania, who thought this a very expressive way of putting it, nodded fervently. “He must be rather tall, given that I can see him quite clearly through the crowd,” she said slowly, nudging Merry. “But he is not engaging with anyone in any way. I confess I am quite intrigued!”
Lord Huckleby chuckled. “Then I must hope that I am not to be wiped from your dance card, Miss Wells!” he replied, as she smiled at him. “But I fear that once I tell you of him, you will not think him so intriguing any longer.”
“Oh?” Titania murmured, attempting to appear not as interested as she now was. “Is there something wrong?”
Lord Huckleby leaned a little closer, as if he wanted to speak in quieter tones, and even Merry was caught by his words.
“That is Viscount Carroway,” he said softly. “No one knows how he came by his title, estate, nor his fortune, for the rumor is that he was taken from an orphanage and sent to Eton by a mysterious benefactor.”
Titania blinked in surprise. “Is that so?” she murmured, astonished to hear that a gentleman such as this would have any standing in society whatsoever. “But he is titled, as you say?”
Lord Huckleby nodded. “Oh, the papers are quite correct. Most people believe that someone purchased that particular title for him and ensured that he received the correct training and education suitable for a gentleman.”
“But why would someone do such a thing?” Titania asked, knowing that her sister would remain utterly silent and would not ask a single question. “Out of some sort of loyalty?”
A grin spread across Lord Huckleby’s handsome face, his eyes glinting. “You have a quick wit indeed, Miss Wells!” he exclaimed. “That is precisely the belief. Some say that he is the illegitimate son of a duke, who—in his guilt—could not allow the child to remain in the orphanage. Therefore, he did all of this so that his son would grow up to have something of a title, although nothing close to a dukedom!” He chuckled and shook his head. “It may all be rumor, of course, but there must be a truth hidden within it somewhere, I think.”
Next to her, Merry let out a short sigh, as though everything Lord Huckleby had said was to be easily and quickly dismissed. Titania did not feel her interest die away however, clinging to each part of the story and finding herself filling with more and more questions.
“He is known to be something of a rascal when he chooses it,” Lord Huckleby finished, stepping back. “But he will not do anything such as converse with ladies of the ton, nor dance with them as he ought. In fact, he stays away from society a good deal, which is why it is rather astonishing to see him present here today.” He shrugged. “Mayhap he has decided to seek out another rich young widow for his own purposes.”
Titania’s stomach dropped to her toes at this, suddenly finding herself quite disgusted with this Lord Carroway. To be a rake was one thing, but to attempt to prey on young widows was quite another. Some of them, she was aware, would be more than a little eager to accept his attentions, whilst others would wish to remain as far from him as possible. “Surely he would not make himself so obvious and apparent as to do so here,” she commented quietly, glancing at Merry who had turned her face away in disgust. “That cannot be the case.”
Lord Huckleby lifted one eyebrow and Titania felt herself blush all over again.
“Not that I disbelieve you, of course,” she said quickly, as though she knew that he could be trusted—even after such a short acquaintance. “It just seems particularly brazen.”
“Mayhap that is the sort of gentleman he is,” Lord Huckleby suggested, with another glance in the direction of Lord Carroway. “I will say, in order to clarify my remarks, that such comments and suggestions about the fellow are nothing more than rumor. They may very well be wrong, but as I see him standing there, as I see him plotting and considering – and with the knowledge that I have about how he keeps himself from the ton, I must believe that there is something to the rumors that surround him.”
Titania nodded, finding that, even though she was a little disgusted that a gentleman should so eagerly be pursuing a widow for his own pleasures, she was somewhat intrigued by the gentleman. Her mind was whirling with questions, making her wonder which of the rumors and the whispers being spoken about Lord Carroway might be true and which might be entirely false.
“I look forward to our waltz later this evening, Miss Wells,” Lord Huckleby said with a short bow. “But now I am called to Miss Stone’s side for the cotillion. Do excuse me.”
“But of course,” Titania murmured, bobbing a quick curtsy and letting her eyes continue to follow Lord Huckleby as he walked away from them in search of his dance partner. She sighed contentedly, thinking that Lord Huckleby was both handsome, rich, and titled and should she be able to secure his courtship, then she would be indeed the luckiest young lady in all of London!
“You are being studied, Titania.”
Pulled from her thoughts, she glanced up at her sister to see her looking back at the gentleman they now knew to be Lord Carroway. Titania looked over also, only to catch Lord Carroway’s gaze and see him studying her with a deep intensity that, as the moments went on, continued to make her a little unsettled. For whatever reason, she could not look away from him.
And then, much to her surprise, Lord Carroway smiled, dropped his hands to his sides and, with a small inclination of his head towards her, turned away. Titania felt a ripple run down her spine as she watched him move away, surprised at his strange behavior. She did not know him and certainly had never been introduced to him, so why had he done such a thing?
“You have not managed to capture him then.”
Merry’s voice held a slight mocking tone.
“He has not come towards you and sought a dance,” she continued, as Titania glanced up at her sharply. “That must be very difficult for you when you are so eager to garner as much attention as possible.”
Titania lifted her chin, a spike of anger coursing through her. “I must try and help my sisters in any way I can,” she told Merry, seeing her sister frown. “For how else are you to be introduced to anyone?” And, so saying, she turned on her heel and moved away from Merry, suddenly finding the atmosphere to be a little cloying. Yes, she was looking forward to her dance with Lord Huckleby, but the strange exchange with Lord Carroway had unsettled her somewhat.
Determined that she would not allow him to spoil what was left of the evening, Titania soon found herself caught up in another gentleman’s arms as they took to the floor for the quadrille. It did not matter to her whether or not Lord Carroway paid her any attention, she told herself, smiling up into the face of one Lord Brinkley. She had Lord Huckleby’s attention and that, indeed, would be more than enough to satisfy her.
Chapter Three
“I did not expect you to attend this evening.”
