favour of the greater one: a spray of pink roses delivered personally by her brother Rodger.
Overcome by some fit of fraternal obligation, he had for the night abandoned his horses and horsy friends to support poor Cecily in her hour of trial. This he did, when the ball commenced, by being rather a trial himself. He announced loudly and repeatedly that he didn't know her without the odour of the stables about her. Then he proceeded to disconcert her eager beaux with malevolent stares when they dared venture near his little sister.
Luckily, Lord Robert soon took the younger man in hand, introduced him to several sporting acquaintances, and left the rustic fellow contentedly debating the merits of Tattersall's versus Aldridge's in the art of equine auctioneering.
"You are exceedingly considerate," Cecily told Lord Robert when he returned to claim his dance. "I know Rodger only means to be protective, but he does choose awkward moments, doesn't he? The way he glared when Lord Mad-dock asked me to dance — I'm sure his lordship was convinced he'd be murdered. But you weren't a bit afraid of Rodger, were you? Not that I can wonder at that," she said with an admiring look at his broad shoulders. "I imagine you could knock him down with one blow, if you had even half a mind to. Naturally, you must be confident when you're so fit."
"A great many of us appear fit — thanks to our tailors," her partner answered modestly, though his chest expanded and his shoulders grew even broader and straighter. "We London fellows are an idle lot, I'm afraid."
"All the same, your shoulders are not padded, nor your — " She quickly withdrew her glance from his muscular calves and went on smoothly, "At any rate, you sit your horse exceedingly well. One would think you'd been born in the saddle."
That compliment I must return, Miss Glenwood. Though I must say — " It was his turn to change direction abruptly. "I should very much like to ride with you one day. Not at dawn," he added hastily, "but in the morning."
"I should like that, my lord."
Then I shall persuade your aunt to accompany us. Otherwise, I'm afraid, it wouldn't be the thing, you know."
Persuasion of the aunt, Lord Robert soon decided, could wait until the morrow. At the moment, Mrs. Davenant's demeanour had all the welcoming attributes of an iceberg.
The widow was dancing with her fiance, who gave the lie to Mary's earlier mutterings by taking note of the flowers. He told Lilith they suited her new coiffure, the effect was altogether elegant, and she was undoubtedly the handsomest woman in the room, the guest of honour notwithstanding.
"I'm not a foreign power," she answered. "There is no need to turn me up sweet, Thomas."
"I never flatter you, my dear, because I know you don't like it. But to say you are handsome is a simple statement of fact," he said judiciously. "Nor can you convince me any other lady in this room can match your elegance of manner. I know I'm a lucky man. I never wanted Alvanley's pointing it out, I promise you."
She stiffened. "What had Alvanley to say to you? I am sure he scarcely speaks two words to me."
"He is a lazy, ramshackle fellow. But he tells me to keep a sharp eye, for there are some gentlemen excessively envious of my good fortune. "While you are courting the goodwill of the Grand Duchess,' he warned me, 'others may be wooing your bride-to-be.'"
"What nonsense."
"Not at all. I have seen Brandon cast more than one glance in your direction this evening, and now I dare not leave your side. They say he has a devilish way with the ladies, not to mention most of us would give a right arm to have one half his good looks."
"Minus an arm, you should not have all your own, Thomas."
He smiled. "Well, he might keep his handsome face, I suppose — so long as I keep my handsome lady."
Lilith did not cast any glances of her own at die marquess. Numerous other ladies had undertaken that duty for her. Besides, she had no need to study him. She had
Overcome by some fit of fraternal obligation, he had for the night abandoned his horses and horsy friends to support poor Cecily in her hour of trial. This he did, when the ball commenced, by being rather a trial himself. He announced loudly and repeatedly that he didn't know her without the odour of the stables about her. Then he proceeded to disconcert her eager beaux with malevolent stares when they dared venture near his little sister.
Luckily, Lord Robert soon took the younger man in hand, introduced him to several sporting acquaintances, and left the rustic fellow contentedly debating the merits of Tattersall's versus Aldridge's in the art of equine auctioneering.
"You are exceedingly considerate," Cecily told Lord Robert when he returned to claim his dance. "I know Rodger only means to be protective, but he does choose awkward moments, doesn't he? The way he glared when Lord Mad-dock asked me to dance — I'm sure his lordship was convinced he'd be murdered. But you weren't a bit afraid of Rodger, were you? Not that I can wonder at that," she said with an admiring look at his broad shoulders. "I imagine you could knock him down with one blow, if you had even half a mind to. Naturally, you must be confident when you're so fit."
"A great many of us appear fit — thanks to our tailors," her partner answered modestly, though his chest expanded and his shoulders grew even broader and straighter. "We London fellows are an idle lot, I'm afraid."
"All the same, your shoulders are not padded, nor your — " She quickly withdrew her glance from his muscular calves and went on smoothly, "At any rate, you sit your horse exceedingly well. One would think you'd been born in the saddle."
That compliment I must return, Miss Glenwood. Though I must say — " It was his turn to change direction abruptly. "I should very much like to ride with you one day. Not at dawn," he added hastily, "but in the morning."
"I should like that, my lord."
Then I shall persuade your aunt to accompany us. Otherwise, I'm afraid, it wouldn't be the thing, you know."
Persuasion of the aunt, Lord Robert soon decided, could wait until the morrow. At the moment, Mrs. Davenant's demeanour had all the welcoming attributes of an iceberg.
The widow was dancing with her fiance, who gave the lie to Mary's earlier mutterings by taking note of the flowers. He told Lilith they suited her new coiffure, the effect was altogether elegant, and she was undoubtedly the handsomest woman in the room, the guest of honour notwithstanding.
"I'm not a foreign power," she answered. "There is no need to turn me up sweet, Thomas."
"I never flatter you, my dear, because I know you don't like it. But to say you are handsome is a simple statement of fact," he said judiciously. "Nor can you convince me any other lady in this room can match your elegance of manner. I know I'm a lucky man. I never wanted Alvanley's pointing it out, I promise you."
She stiffened. "What had Alvanley to say to you? I am sure he scarcely speaks two words to me."
"He is a lazy, ramshackle fellow. But he tells me to keep a sharp eye, for there are some gentlemen excessively envious of my good fortune. "While you are courting the goodwill of the Grand Duchess,' he warned me, 'others may be wooing your bride-to-be.'"
"What nonsense."
"Not at all. I have seen Brandon cast more than one glance in your direction this evening, and now I dare not leave your side. They say he has a devilish way with the ladies, not to mention most of us would give a right arm to have one half his good looks."
"Minus an arm, you should not have all your own, Thomas."
He smiled. "Well, he might keep his handsome face, I suppose — so long as I keep my handsome lady."
Lilith did not cast any glances of her own at die marquess. Numerous other ladies had undertaken that duty for her. Besides, she had no need to study him. She had
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