The Rake by Mary Jo Putney Page A

her correspondence, Alys had just enough time to return home, bathe, change for dinner, and stop by Meredith’s chamber for a serious discussion.
    Merry sat at her dressing table trying a new hairstyle. She swiveled on her stool and gave her guardian a mischievous smile. “That worked very well, didn’t it? The boys will be delighted to meet Mr. Davenport.”
    Alys sat down on the bed with an inward sigh. Clearly she had her work cut out for her. “Merry, I’m very upset about your forward behavior today. Not only did it pass the line of what is pleasing, it was potentially dangerous.”
    Merry laughed and pulled a handful of blond hair to the crown of her head. She turned back to the mirror and studied the effect. “How could it be dangerous?”
    â€œMeredith, stop fussing with your hair and look at me. This is serious.” When she used that tone, Alys was always obeyed. Her ward obligingly turned and faced her.
    â€œReginald Davenport is very different from your shy young local admirers,” Alys said warningly. “If you issue a blatant invitation, he may accept it.”
    â€œWe were only flirting,” Merry said, her wide blue eyes guileless. “He flirts very nicely, so it seemed a good chance to practice. He’s hardly likely to ravish me, is he?”
    Snapping with exasperation, Alys said, “Being ravished is not the only danger. Davenport’s dealings with women are notorious—even flirting with him could damage your reputation. Falling victim to his charm could damage you a good deal more. Falling in love with him would be a guarantee of breaking your heart. Can I spell it out any more plainly than that?”
    Merry gave a peal of laughter. “Good heavens, Alys, I’m hardly likely to fall in love with a man old enough to be my father. He’s not even good-looking.”
    Alys blinked with surprise. Surely Meredith could not be unaffected by Davenport’s mesmerizing aura of virility? She tried to remember what had attracted her when she was Merry’s age, and decided that even at nineteen she would not have been indifferent to a man like Reggie Davenport. Of course, she would have known better than to succumb to that kind of low animal appeal. Merry was just showing her common sense by refusing to find him attractive. Pray God she continued as wise.
    Fixing her charge with a no-nonsense gaze, Alys said, “Will you take my word that it is better to be careful where Davenport is concerned? I’ve seen a good deal more of the world than you, and I promise you, the man is trouble.”
    Merry stood and crossed to give her guardian a quick, affectionate hug. “Poor Lady Alys. We do lead you a miserable life, don’t we? If it isn’t William sneaking into the stables, it’s Peter trying to learn to drive to an inch, or hordes of my silly suitors underfoot. You must be sorry you ever took us on.”
    Her tone had the teasing confidence of someone who knew she was wanted, and Alys found her lips curving into a smile of response. “I’ll admit that with the three of you, life is sometimes too full. But without you, it would be very empty.”
    Meredith gave a wise, enchanting smile that made her seem more the parent than the child. “I promise I won’t do anything rash that will ruin me forever, but I don’t think I will be able to resist the temptation to flirt. Though Mr. Davenport is not at all the sort of man I could fall in love with, I did think he was rather sweet.”
    Fascinated, Alys tried to imagine how Davenport would react to the knowledge that a young diamond of the first water considered him “rather sweet.” Suppressing a smile, she asked, “What is the sort of man you could fall in love with? We’ve never really discussed that.”
    Merry frowned at her reflection. “I’m not absolutely sure because I haven’t met him yet, but I would want him to