if I were invited?”
“I never spoke a word on the matter. If hostesses are hopeful it might work that way, it is not my doing.”
Except it
had
been his doing. That ride in the park, so rare for him, had announced his pursuit to the world. He had encouraged hostesses to calculate that if they invited the object of his interest, the elusive Easterbrook might come too. The implications had been reinforced by his presence tonight.
“It would never have happened otherwise, Leona.”
It irritated her even more that he had all but read her thoughts. “If I have traded my reputation for a chance to meet the best of the best, I should make good use of the opportunity. I trust that you will not be a constant escort. I will never learn anything of interest if you are.”
She excused herself and plunged into the crowd. She quickly found Lady Wallingford and exchanged a few pleasantries. Lady Wallingford in turn introduced her to some other ladies. Within an hour Leona was surrounded by a little clutch of people, regaling them with stories about Asia.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Denningham advanced on Christian, looking like a man in shock. “Are you unwell?”
“Perhaps I am finally well, not unwell.” Denningham puzzled that, then gave up and smiled. “I am glad you are here no matter what your health. Youcan help me decide which young ladies I should petition for a dance.”
“I recommend that you dance with them all, and twice with the ones who are not too impressed by your title.”
“Easy for you to say. My title is all that is impressive.”
“That is not true.” Although it probably was, for the ladies in question. Young girls did not favor simplicity and decency, which were Denningham's notable features.
Denningham surveyed the girls in question. Christian struggled not to look at the knot of people twenty feet away. Leona stood in their midst and all attention was on her, in particular that of a young naval officer.
Suddenly laughter erupted in that group, loud enough to draw many eyes, including Denningham's. He noticed the raven-haired woman with dark eyes who clearly had told the good joke.
“Is that her? It is, isn't it?” he asked. “That is why you are here. A handsome woman, Easterbrook. Not typical, is she?”
No, not typical. Right now the handsome, atypical Leona was favoring the naval officer with too many smiles.
“Here comes the King of Spades, to scout out the fun,” Denningham said. “He probably cannot bear that he is not in the thick of it.”
The Duke of Ashford's attention was on Leona's group while he approached them. He would probablyask for an introduction to her, so he could indeed be in the thick of things.
If so, he could rot first. Christian did not think that young officer could be true competition, but Ashford was another story and not only because he was a duke.
For a man of at least forty-five years and with hair shot through with silver, the duke wore his age with an-noyingly youthful grace. But then much about Ashford was annoying. His social skills were unsurpassed, his elegance legendary, his mind brilliant, and his political shrewdness the stuff of legends. Tall, broad, and fit, he accepted it as his right to be noticed and admired wherever he went. He fit the role of the ultimate peer, and was held up to the world as an example of the aristocracy at its best.
They greeted each other and Ashford only noted Christian's uncharacteristic presence with one raised eyebrow. Arch still in place, he looked meaningfully at Leona.
“I heard that you had a new interest, Easterbrook. I had no idea it was serious enough to get you to a ball.”
“I decided to enjoy the season before it was over.”
“You should stick close to her or she may be distracted. Young Crawford there is flirting hard. I could warn him off if you like. I still have friends in the Admiralty and he knows it. I got him his commission, after all.”
Ashford tended to drop mention
“I never spoke a word on the matter. If hostesses are hopeful it might work that way, it is not my doing.”
Except it
had
been his doing. That ride in the park, so rare for him, had announced his pursuit to the world. He had encouraged hostesses to calculate that if they invited the object of his interest, the elusive Easterbrook might come too. The implications had been reinforced by his presence tonight.
“It would never have happened otherwise, Leona.”
It irritated her even more that he had all but read her thoughts. “If I have traded my reputation for a chance to meet the best of the best, I should make good use of the opportunity. I trust that you will not be a constant escort. I will never learn anything of interest if you are.”
She excused herself and plunged into the crowd. She quickly found Lady Wallingford and exchanged a few pleasantries. Lady Wallingford in turn introduced her to some other ladies. Within an hour Leona was surrounded by a little clutch of people, regaling them with stories about Asia.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Denningham advanced on Christian, looking like a man in shock. “Are you unwell?”
“Perhaps I am finally well, not unwell.” Denningham puzzled that, then gave up and smiled. “I am glad you are here no matter what your health. Youcan help me decide which young ladies I should petition for a dance.”
“I recommend that you dance with them all, and twice with the ones who are not too impressed by your title.”
“Easy for you to say. My title is all that is impressive.”
“That is not true.” Although it probably was, for the ladies in question. Young girls did not favor simplicity and decency, which were Denningham's notable features.
Denningham surveyed the girls in question. Christian struggled not to look at the knot of people twenty feet away. Leona stood in their midst and all attention was on her, in particular that of a young naval officer.
Suddenly laughter erupted in that group, loud enough to draw many eyes, including Denningham's. He noticed the raven-haired woman with dark eyes who clearly had told the good joke.
“Is that her? It is, isn't it?” he asked. “That is why you are here. A handsome woman, Easterbrook. Not typical, is she?”
No, not typical. Right now the handsome, atypical Leona was favoring the naval officer with too many smiles.
“Here comes the King of Spades, to scout out the fun,” Denningham said. “He probably cannot bear that he is not in the thick of it.”
The Duke of Ashford's attention was on Leona's group while he approached them. He would probablyask for an introduction to her, so he could indeed be in the thick of things.
If so, he could rot first. Christian did not think that young officer could be true competition, but Ashford was another story and not only because he was a duke.
For a man of at least forty-five years and with hair shot through with silver, the duke wore his age with an-noyingly youthful grace. But then much about Ashford was annoying. His social skills were unsurpassed, his elegance legendary, his mind brilliant, and his political shrewdness the stuff of legends. Tall, broad, and fit, he accepted it as his right to be noticed and admired wherever he went. He fit the role of the ultimate peer, and was held up to the world as an example of the aristocracy at its best.
They greeted each other and Ashford only noted Christian's uncharacteristic presence with one raised eyebrow. Arch still in place, he looked meaningfully at Leona.
“I heard that you had a new interest, Easterbrook. I had no idea it was serious enough to get you to a ball.”
“I decided to enjoy the season before it was over.”
“You should stick close to her or she may be distracted. Young Crawford there is flirting hard. I could warn him off if you like. I still have friends in the Admiralty and he knows it. I got him his commission, after all.”
Ashford tended to drop mention
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