put it a little more honestly, I know it isn’t.”
“How can you be so sure?” she asked, although she knew the only way he could know was if Devlin himself had told him about it.
But Rake was not interested in retelling his conversation with Devlin, as his head was filled with the delicate problem of the incomparable Charmaine.
“What I would like to know is why Charmaine tells such a lie? She can have anyone she wants, so why go for Devlin? And why entrap herself with a snare of lies? It is quite a big thing to tell your friends you are courted by someone, especially as she has no reason at all to believe it will actually happen.”
“Doesn’t she?” Fanny frowned toward the conversing couple. “I disagree with you there. She has all the reasons in the world, starting with the obvious one. She is the most beautiful young woman of the ton . Men with lesser titles than Devlin’s have married a pretty face to make the family heirlooms look good when she carries them.”
“So young, and yet so full of knowledge of the crudity of the real world.” Rake grinned at her. “I just wish you would use this rare wisdom more randomly and not save it only for Charmaine.”
Fanny ignored the remark about her random intelligence, as her head was filled with the delicate problem of Charmaine and her maybe-suitor Devlin.
“All those proposals she has received from most of the unmarried men of the ton must have gone to her head. Otherwise I can’t think of anything to make her so confident about Devlin wanting her.”
“He can’t have met her much, as he came to London at the end of the last season and didn’t attend any of the official social functions,” Rake said as he pondered Fanny’s words. “And as far as I know, they haven’t met during the off season, as Devlin has not been anywhere near London or Berkshire. I guess I have to agree with you. She must be relying on the fact there is no one who can match her beauty. She must think a proposal is only a couple of days away if she plays it right. I mean, just look at them. She’s practically showering him with attention, and any other man would have been down on his knees already, begging her for mercy.”
“But not Devlin?”
Rake smiled. “No, not Devlin. You see, I know from a really good source that his interest is captured by another woman, one who knocked him off his feet yesterday.”
Fanny blushed, feeling very pleased with her uncle’s answer. So Devlin had told Rake he was interested in her? How nice.
She looked at the gorgeous couple again, and this time she met Devlin’s gaze. He gave her a wink and a smile, and all her doubts disappeared. Rake told the truth, she was certain of it, because Devlin would not be so openly flirtatious with her if he were courting the woman at his arm.
Fanny blushed, and she could tell Devlin found her reaction funny, as she could see his shoulders move as he chuckled.
Charmaine, catching the direction of his glance, apparently didn’t like her beau looking at another woman. As she walked farther from Fanny, Devlin, being a gentleman, had no choice but to follow.
However, this time Fanny didn’t mind.
She had her answer. Devlin was not courting Charmaine. For the moment, he was all hers, although she was realistic enough to take it for what it was, an attraction. The season had just begun, and there was too much going on during the next three months to guarantee the attraction would last.
But for now, she and Devlin had started something, and she could hardly wait to find out what would become of it.
With a last glance at Charmaine, who hung on Devlin’s arm flaunting her most flirtatious smile, Fanny said, “I never thought I would say this, but somehow I feel sorry for her.” She frowned. “She is the most beautiful person ever to set foot in an English ballroom, and yet she has to lie about being courted. Penny says Charmaine has had over a hundred eligible bachelors asking for her hand, but she
“How can you be so sure?” she asked, although she knew the only way he could know was if Devlin himself had told him about it.
But Rake was not interested in retelling his conversation with Devlin, as his head was filled with the delicate problem of the incomparable Charmaine.
“What I would like to know is why Charmaine tells such a lie? She can have anyone she wants, so why go for Devlin? And why entrap herself with a snare of lies? It is quite a big thing to tell your friends you are courted by someone, especially as she has no reason at all to believe it will actually happen.”
“Doesn’t she?” Fanny frowned toward the conversing couple. “I disagree with you there. She has all the reasons in the world, starting with the obvious one. She is the most beautiful young woman of the ton . Men with lesser titles than Devlin’s have married a pretty face to make the family heirlooms look good when she carries them.”
“So young, and yet so full of knowledge of the crudity of the real world.” Rake grinned at her. “I just wish you would use this rare wisdom more randomly and not save it only for Charmaine.”
Fanny ignored the remark about her random intelligence, as her head was filled with the delicate problem of Charmaine and her maybe-suitor Devlin.
“All those proposals she has received from most of the unmarried men of the ton must have gone to her head. Otherwise I can’t think of anything to make her so confident about Devlin wanting her.”
“He can’t have met her much, as he came to London at the end of the last season and didn’t attend any of the official social functions,” Rake said as he pondered Fanny’s words. “And as far as I know, they haven’t met during the off season, as Devlin has not been anywhere near London or Berkshire. I guess I have to agree with you. She must be relying on the fact there is no one who can match her beauty. She must think a proposal is only a couple of days away if she plays it right. I mean, just look at them. She’s practically showering him with attention, and any other man would have been down on his knees already, begging her for mercy.”
“But not Devlin?”
Rake smiled. “No, not Devlin. You see, I know from a really good source that his interest is captured by another woman, one who knocked him off his feet yesterday.”
Fanny blushed, feeling very pleased with her uncle’s answer. So Devlin had told Rake he was interested in her? How nice.
She looked at the gorgeous couple again, and this time she met Devlin’s gaze. He gave her a wink and a smile, and all her doubts disappeared. Rake told the truth, she was certain of it, because Devlin would not be so openly flirtatious with her if he were courting the woman at his arm.
Fanny blushed, and she could tell Devlin found her reaction funny, as she could see his shoulders move as he chuckled.
Charmaine, catching the direction of his glance, apparently didn’t like her beau looking at another woman. As she walked farther from Fanny, Devlin, being a gentleman, had no choice but to follow.
However, this time Fanny didn’t mind.
She had her answer. Devlin was not courting Charmaine. For the moment, he was all hers, although she was realistic enough to take it for what it was, an attraction. The season had just begun, and there was too much going on during the next three months to guarantee the attraction would last.
But for now, she and Devlin had started something, and she could hardly wait to find out what would become of it.
With a last glance at Charmaine, who hung on Devlin’s arm flaunting her most flirtatious smile, Fanny said, “I never thought I would say this, but somehow I feel sorry for her.” She frowned. “She is the most beautiful person ever to set foot in an English ballroom, and yet she has to lie about being courted. Penny says Charmaine has had over a hundred eligible bachelors asking for her hand, but she
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