Rake, and his friend mouthed “White’s,” and Devlin nodded. He would have to wait a couple of hours, but then he would meet with Rake in peace and quiet, and they could talk about the situation.
His thoughts were interrupted by Lady Charmaine de Vere, who all too obviously was trying to charm him into courting her, and he sighed quietly before he put on an interested face.
No one ever won anything by being uncivil.
Chapter 10
“Don’t you think they make a striking couple?”
Fanny ripped her eyes from Devlin and Charmaine to glare at Emma Archer, who had joined her where she stood at the food table, pretending to ponder what to eat while watching the too-gorgeous couple.
Of course she thought they were a perfect match, as she was one of Charmaine’s worshippers. She was supposed to think well of her friend. It wasn’t Emma’s fault Charmaine was an ogre.
“They are really quite handsome, both of them,” Fanny replied diplomatically, trying hard not to reveal how envious she was of her archenemy.
But in vain, as Emma’s small knowing smile told without words. Fanny guessed it wasn’t too hard to figure out, as she had been staring at them with fire in her eyes for several minutes.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there will be an announcement not too far in the future,” Emma said superciliously. “Charmaine is too beautiful to remain unengaged for too long, now that Hereford has finally returned to England.”
Fanny faced a temptation to blurt out something stupid, like telling Emma how she’d overheard the conversation in the restroom, or saying that Devlin certainly didn’t act like a more-or-less-engaged man when he was with her. Instead, she changed the subject.
“So you are Sebastian’s guest today? I must admit I found it a bit strange when I heard about you two, as I didn’t even think you knew each other.”
Emma blushed, not at all happy with Fanny’s choice of subject. “When your brother heard I was going to miss today’s picnic, he nicely enough asked me to join your family. It was courteous of him, because I like picnics and would have been sad not to attend.”
“Oh, really?” Fanny snorted. “And here I thought it was just because Mother felt sympathy for you and forced him to accompany you without regard for his feelings about it.”
She regretted her harsh words as soon as they left her lips, but it was too late. Emma turned pale with shock, obviously without a clue that Sebastian had been coerced into inviting her.
Fanny started to apologize, but Emma murmured an almost inaudible, “Please, don’t,” before she turned abruptly and left.
“Emma?” Fanny groaned with embarrassment, feeling lower than low. It wasn’t Emma’s fault Charmaine and Devlin could be courting. And it certainly wasn’t Emma’s fault Fanny felt upset over Devlin gazing a bit too admiringly at Charmaine. She had done nothing but be a true friend. It was Fanny who was behaving like a fool. She surprised herself by her own behavior. She had reacted like a woman madly in love, one who wanted to mark her territory, not the well-behaved debutante of good family she was supposed to be. Was this how you knew you were in love?
“What’s the problem, my dear?”
Rake put his arm around her waist as he joined her at the food table, and she welcomed his loving embrace. He kissed the top of her head, and she sighed again, but this time it was a contented sigh. He had always been her favorite uncle and her best friend, ever since she was a little girl.
“I heard Charmaine tell her friends she was being courted by Devlin.”
“What?”
It was amazing how much better she felt, just because of Rake’s obvious surprise.
“Do you think it could be true?” she asked him and almost held her breath, waiting for his answer.
He didn’t answer her at first, his eyes darting from Devlin to Charmaine, as if just looking at them would give him his answer.
“No, I don’t think it’s true. Or, to
His thoughts were interrupted by Lady Charmaine de Vere, who all too obviously was trying to charm him into courting her, and he sighed quietly before he put on an interested face.
No one ever won anything by being uncivil.
Chapter 10
“Don’t you think they make a striking couple?”
Fanny ripped her eyes from Devlin and Charmaine to glare at Emma Archer, who had joined her where she stood at the food table, pretending to ponder what to eat while watching the too-gorgeous couple.
Of course she thought they were a perfect match, as she was one of Charmaine’s worshippers. She was supposed to think well of her friend. It wasn’t Emma’s fault Charmaine was an ogre.
“They are really quite handsome, both of them,” Fanny replied diplomatically, trying hard not to reveal how envious she was of her archenemy.
But in vain, as Emma’s small knowing smile told without words. Fanny guessed it wasn’t too hard to figure out, as she had been staring at them with fire in her eyes for several minutes.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if there will be an announcement not too far in the future,” Emma said superciliously. “Charmaine is too beautiful to remain unengaged for too long, now that Hereford has finally returned to England.”
Fanny faced a temptation to blurt out something stupid, like telling Emma how she’d overheard the conversation in the restroom, or saying that Devlin certainly didn’t act like a more-or-less-engaged man when he was with her. Instead, she changed the subject.
“So you are Sebastian’s guest today? I must admit I found it a bit strange when I heard about you two, as I didn’t even think you knew each other.”
Emma blushed, not at all happy with Fanny’s choice of subject. “When your brother heard I was going to miss today’s picnic, he nicely enough asked me to join your family. It was courteous of him, because I like picnics and would have been sad not to attend.”
“Oh, really?” Fanny snorted. “And here I thought it was just because Mother felt sympathy for you and forced him to accompany you without regard for his feelings about it.”
She regretted her harsh words as soon as they left her lips, but it was too late. Emma turned pale with shock, obviously without a clue that Sebastian had been coerced into inviting her.
Fanny started to apologize, but Emma murmured an almost inaudible, “Please, don’t,” before she turned abruptly and left.
“Emma?” Fanny groaned with embarrassment, feeling lower than low. It wasn’t Emma’s fault Charmaine and Devlin could be courting. And it certainly wasn’t Emma’s fault Fanny felt upset over Devlin gazing a bit too admiringly at Charmaine. She had done nothing but be a true friend. It was Fanny who was behaving like a fool. She surprised herself by her own behavior. She had reacted like a woman madly in love, one who wanted to mark her territory, not the well-behaved debutante of good family she was supposed to be. Was this how you knew you were in love?
“What’s the problem, my dear?”
Rake put his arm around her waist as he joined her at the food table, and she welcomed his loving embrace. He kissed the top of her head, and she sighed again, but this time it was a contented sigh. He had always been her favorite uncle and her best friend, ever since she was a little girl.
“I heard Charmaine tell her friends she was being courted by Devlin.”
“What?”
It was amazing how much better she felt, just because of Rake’s obvious surprise.
“Do you think it could be true?” she asked him and almost held her breath, waiting for his answer.
He didn’t answer her at first, his eyes darting from Devlin to Charmaine, as if just looking at them would give him his answer.
“No, I don’t think it’s true. Or, to
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