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“Good. It shouldn’t be terribly hard, outside of dinner. You can avoid most of the amusements. Make an appearance on the lawn tomorrow and then disappear. I’ll tell everyone your head aches from the sun or something.” Theo turned her attention to Beatrice. “Just look at her. Do you think she practices before a mirror to confirm she looks smashing from every angle? She’s trying desperately to gain Granby’s attention, I’ll merit, just as she did in the dining room.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” Romy lied. She’d spent most of the meal keeping her eyes averted from the head of the table to avoid watching them interact. The entire house party knew of Granby’s interest in Beatrice. Cousin Winnie had even declared an announcement would be made here.
“Fluttering her lashes and giggling as if someone were tickling her feet with a feather. I nearly tossed a potato at her to make her stop but was afraid I’d hit Granby instead. That would assure us of an early departure.”
“How could you make out what Beatrice was doing without your spectacles? She was some distance away.” Theo usually wasn’t prone to embellishment, unlike Phaedra. But she had been behaving unlike herself since becoming infatuated with Blythe.
“It was quite blatant. Granby seemed not to notice, though, and ignored her. She finally gave up her antics after the main course was served.”
“I’m sure he noticed. What gentleman could not? Beatrice is stunning.” Romy’s eyes ran over the young lady spinning about and pouting prettily. She had to admit Beatrice and Granby made an attractive couple; her, all shimmering gold, and him, large and darkly savage. The entire room viewed Beatrice with rapt attention while she pantomimed the next clue.
Except one person.
Romy could almost feel the touch of his fingers against the base of her neck or trailing along the slope of her shoulders.
His rude perusal was unwelcome. She turned, glaring right back at him.
The scowl left Granby’s mouth, easing the hard slant of his lips. He didn’t look away from her, nor was he the least bothered to be caught staring. He deliberately took in her neck and bosom before returning to her mouth.
Romy’s fingers dug into the cushion of her chair. She’d never in her life been so blatantly assessed by a gentleman, especially one who also regarded her with so much disdain. But there was no hostility in Granby’s eyes now. Nothing lingered in the velvet depths but a sort of predatory hunger. An intensity which was unsettling and somewhat arousing.
“Romy? Are you well? You’re very flushed.”
“Just a bit of a headache, Theo. And I didn’t care for the soup. I fear it may have upset my stomach.” The bothersome attraction to Granby had resurfaced, filling her mind with all sorts of improper images.
“Because your constitution is so delicate?” Theo added sarcastically.
“Exactly. I think I’ll retire.” She needed to get away from Granby’s presence and the resulting confusion. Standing, Romy made her way quietly across the room to the door. Everyone’s attention was focused on Beatrice. It was likely no one would see her slip away.
Except for Granby.
* * *
Andromeda Barrington wasunsuitable in every single way that mattered to David.
Even if she hadn’t been sired by a duke who’d elevated tupping to a sport and a lady’s companion, Andromeda’s immediate family consisted of a bastard half-brother, another brother of dubious reputation who’d compromised his wife at a ball before marrying her, and a sister who, from what David could see, was intent on ruining herself over Blythe. There was also the family’s ownership of Elysium, a place David had visited often enough and to great pleasure, but it wasn’t the sort of establishment that should be associated with a titled family. Her legitimate brother, the duke, was the only Barrington with a somewhat respectable pedigree.
Yet David’s desire wasn’t dimmed by such a list of unacceptable qualities. Instead, his hunger for Andromeda continued to grow and evolve, immune to his dislike of everything she represented. The better part of his evening had been spent studying the graceful line of her back and the fascinating curve of one delicate ear.
While the game of charades went on in his drawing room, David watched her instead. To his great shame, he’d gone out of his way to find the location of her guest room. It was for the best David didn’t overindulge in spirits. Horace had endlessly preached control, especially if The Barrow was full of guests, as it was tonight. A duke should never become foxed in the company of wolves.
The slightest drunken misstep and you’ll be labeled a sot. Or worse, father a bastard.
David’s finger slipped between his skin and collar. Every bloody shirt he owned was too tight around the neck. He dragged his eyes from Andromeda to glance at the painting beside him. It was of a satyr chasing a young woman, the satyr’s hands grasping at her clothing, attempting to tear the wisp of material trailing off her back.
It matched his mood exactly.
David had thought of little else but relieving Andromeda of her clothing since nearly kissing her in the garden. He had observed her discreetly during dinner while Estwood tried to charm his way beneath Andromeda’s skirts by spouting nonsense about ancient tribes and fucking shards of pottery. The struggle not to leap from his chair and toss Estwood out of The Barrow had been so unlike David’s usual controlled manner, he was certain he’d gone mad.
He had forced his eyes away from Andromeda for the remainder of the meal.
When the gentlemen had joined the ladies in the drawing room, she had drawn his gaze immediately. No one else existed for him. The roof could have come tumbling down or the house caught on fire. Not even the strange gyrations of Lady Mildred merited his attention.
David told himself it was because Andromeda was beautiful, nothing more. He liked pretty things. But when she turned to face him, challenge and obstinance in her eyes, lust for Andromeda bled deep into his core. He wanted her. All of her.
The wisest course of action would be to send her and her sister back to London before the situation spiraled out of control. Had Haven’s very timely curse not interrupted them, David wasn’t certain his friend’s coat would have been the only thing ruined.
Andromeda stood with a nod to her sister and silently floated from the drawing room, lavender skirts teasing at her ankles.
