the crowd for Devlin’s familiar face, but could not find him.
Two large hands grabbed her shoulders and kissed her cheek from behind. She jumped at first then realized it must be Devlin. A happy glow enveloped her. Tilting her face up to him, she found a pair of blue eyes smiling at her, and her heart sank with disappointment.
Kenneth sat beside her and flicked his napkin onto his lap.
“It pleases me to see you in such fine form, Miss Molly.” Kenneth took a sip of coffee. “I trust my brother did not keep you up all night.”
A jealous hint of envy and anger flashed across his face.
Molly shifted in her seat. She was not going to answer a question asked with ill intent. Instead, she looked over her shoulder at the entranceway but found only another couple walking into the room, their arms entwined.
“Miss Molly?” Kenneth repeated her name.
“I am sorry, did you say something?” Smothering a sigh, she forced her attention to Devlin’s brother.
His gaze held hers, then he looked away. “Never mind.” He scowled.
A kitchen servant came with a platter of meats and eggs. Kenneth piled their plates with food. He waved the servant away. “It may come as a shock, but I am still very attracted to you. Even though my brother has…” Kenneth cleared his throat, “…broken you in. Perhaps now you will do me the honor of considering me as your benefactor.”
Molly’s jaw dropped. Did everyone know Devlin took her maidenhead last night?
“Think on it,” he said. “You will have many men to choose from, but none will give you as many jewels as I.” Kenneth reached into his brown jacket, pulled out a large velvet box and opened it.
Sparkling in the morning light, an exquisite necklace encased in diamonds and pearls shone upon black velvet. “This is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever given me,” she whispered, too afraid to touch such an expensive gift.
Kenneth pulled out the necklace and leaned close to place it around her neck. He breathed deeply, his lips lightly nuzzling her neck. It tickled, and she squirmed and giggled.
The room grew quiet.
Molly raised her gaze to find Devlin sitting at the head of the table. Her spirits soared at the handsome sight he made. She opened her mouth to excuse herself from Kenneth when something in Devlin’s eyes darkened.
Was he upset with her?
A hot ache grew in her throat.
“It appears my brother is in a foul disposition today.” Kenneth peered at Devlin then back at Molly. “Or maybe, he is jealous.”
“Jealous?”
Kenneth shrugged. “I don’t know why. He usually has no problem sharing his women. Besides, everyone knows he despises courtesans.”
“He hates courtesans?”
Devlin shifted his dark gaze away and ignored her, concentrating on making polite conversation with a portly gentleman.
“Yes, I am surprised he agreed to tutor you, but then again, he had a wager with my father.”
Molly stiffened. “What wager?”
Kenneth smirked. “I should not have said anything.”
“What wager?”
“Well, if you must know. My father let it slip that he made a wager with Devlin. If you are not the chosen one at the mistress auction, he could marry Lady Audrey by spring.”
“And if I am chosen?”
“Then the duke will break the contract, and my brother will miss out on marrying his true love.” Kenneth studied her reaction. “This is probably why he took your virginity. You are less likely to earn as much at the auction.”
She blinked and shifted her gaze. A dark pit weighed in her stomach, making her feel sick. He did not want her to be the chosen one at the auction or he would lose Audrey. It all made sense now. No wonder he was surly with her when they first met. She repulsed him as a courtesan.
He did not want her. He just wanted her to lose at the mistress auction.
Oh, what does it matter now? She stabbed at the egg on her plate and shoved a hefty piece in her mouth. This was what her aunt warned her about. A courtesan could
Two large hands grabbed her shoulders and kissed her cheek from behind. She jumped at first then realized it must be Devlin. A happy glow enveloped her. Tilting her face up to him, she found a pair of blue eyes smiling at her, and her heart sank with disappointment.
Kenneth sat beside her and flicked his napkin onto his lap.
“It pleases me to see you in such fine form, Miss Molly.” Kenneth took a sip of coffee. “I trust my brother did not keep you up all night.”
A jealous hint of envy and anger flashed across his face.
Molly shifted in her seat. She was not going to answer a question asked with ill intent. Instead, she looked over her shoulder at the entranceway but found only another couple walking into the room, their arms entwined.
“Miss Molly?” Kenneth repeated her name.
“I am sorry, did you say something?” Smothering a sigh, she forced her attention to Devlin’s brother.
His gaze held hers, then he looked away. “Never mind.” He scowled.
A kitchen servant came with a platter of meats and eggs. Kenneth piled their plates with food. He waved the servant away. “It may come as a shock, but I am still very attracted to you. Even though my brother has…” Kenneth cleared his throat, “…broken you in. Perhaps now you will do me the honor of considering me as your benefactor.”
Molly’s jaw dropped. Did everyone know Devlin took her maidenhead last night?
“Think on it,” he said. “You will have many men to choose from, but none will give you as many jewels as I.” Kenneth reached into his brown jacket, pulled out a large velvet box and opened it.
Sparkling in the morning light, an exquisite necklace encased in diamonds and pearls shone upon black velvet. “This is the most beautiful thing anyone has ever given me,” she whispered, too afraid to touch such an expensive gift.
Kenneth pulled out the necklace and leaned close to place it around her neck. He breathed deeply, his lips lightly nuzzling her neck. It tickled, and she squirmed and giggled.
The room grew quiet.
Molly raised her gaze to find Devlin sitting at the head of the table. Her spirits soared at the handsome sight he made. She opened her mouth to excuse herself from Kenneth when something in Devlin’s eyes darkened.
Was he upset with her?
A hot ache grew in her throat.
“It appears my brother is in a foul disposition today.” Kenneth peered at Devlin then back at Molly. “Or maybe, he is jealous.”
“Jealous?”
Kenneth shrugged. “I don’t know why. He usually has no problem sharing his women. Besides, everyone knows he despises courtesans.”
“He hates courtesans?”
Devlin shifted his dark gaze away and ignored her, concentrating on making polite conversation with a portly gentleman.
“Yes, I am surprised he agreed to tutor you, but then again, he had a wager with my father.”
Molly stiffened. “What wager?”
Kenneth smirked. “I should not have said anything.”
“What wager?”
“Well, if you must know. My father let it slip that he made a wager with Devlin. If you are not the chosen one at the mistress auction, he could marry Lady Audrey by spring.”
“And if I am chosen?”
“Then the duke will break the contract, and my brother will miss out on marrying his true love.” Kenneth studied her reaction. “This is probably why he took your virginity. You are less likely to earn as much at the auction.”
She blinked and shifted her gaze. A dark pit weighed in her stomach, making her feel sick. He did not want her to be the chosen one at the auction or he would lose Audrey. It all made sense now. No wonder he was surly with her when they first met. She repulsed him as a courtesan.
He did not want her. He just wanted her to lose at the mistress auction.
Oh, what does it matter now? She stabbed at the egg on her plate and shoved a hefty piece in her mouth. This was what her aunt warned her about. A courtesan could
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