minutes.
She took much longer. She was coming down the stairs again when Colin sauntered in from the dining room. He was eating a green apple. He stopped when he saw her on the staircase. His gaze lingered on the bodice of her gown for a long minute, then he nodded his approval. He smiled with satisfaction. She thought he might very well be gloating over his victory. It was apparent he found the forest green gown suitable. It wasn't, though. The cut of the bodice was a deep V, but she'd cleverly stuffed a piece of lace down the middle to appease her guardian.
She didn't choose the gown to deliberately provoke Colin. The dress was the only other option left to her. The other gowns were too wrinkled to wear, and Valena had only just finished getting the creases out of this one.
Colin certainly looked dashing. Black suited him. He tugged on his starched white cravat and devoured his apple at the same time.
He still looked incredibly sexy. The fabric of his jacket was stretched tight across his broad shoulders. His pants were indecently snug, and Alesandra couldn't help but notice the bulge of muscle in his thighs.
Colin seemed preoccupied for most of the ride to their destination. Alesandra sat across from him in the small carriage with her hands folded together in her lap. His legs crowded her into one corner, and in the darkness his size was far more intimidating. So was his silence.
'I didn't realize you were friends with the prince regent,' he remarked.
'He isn't my friend. I only just met him today.'
'Flannaghan told me the prince was taken with you.'
She shook her head. 'He was taken with what I am, not who I am.'
'Meaning?'
She let out a little sigh before answering. 'It was an official call, Colin. The prince came because I'm a princess. He doesn't know me personally at all. Now do you understand?'
He nodded. 'Most of society will embrace you because of what you are, Alesandra. I'm pleased you understand the shallowness that may exist in the friendships offered to you. It shows you have maturity.'
'Maturity? No, it shows cynicism.'
He smiled. 'That too.'
Several minutes passed in silence. Then Colin spoke again. 'Did you like him?'
'Who?'
'The prince.'
'I don't know him well enough to form an opinion.'
'You're hedging, Alesandra. Tell me the truth.'
'I was being diplomatic,' she replied. 'But I'll give you an honest answer. No, I didn't particularly like him. There, are you happy now?'
'Yes. Your answer proves you're a good judge of character.'
'Perhaps the prince has a kind heart,' she remarked, feeling guilty because she'd admitted she hadn't liked him.
'He doesn't.'
'Why don't
'He broke his word-a promise made to my partner,' Colin explained. 'The prince regent held a large treasury belonging to Nathan's wife, Sara, and after a time he decided to keep it for himself. It was dishonorable.'
'That is shameful,' she agreed.
'Why didn't you like him?'
'He seemed… full of himself,' she admitted.
Colin snorted. 'He's full of…' He stopped himself from using the crude word he was thinking of and substituted another. 'Vinegar.'
The carriage came to a rocking stop in front of the Royal Opera House. Alesandra adjusted her white gloves, her attention fully on Colin. 'I never would have allowed him entrance into your home if I'd known what he'd done to your partner. I apologize to you, Colin. Your home is your castle, where only friends should be invited.'
'You would have refused him?'
She nodded. He winked at her. Her heart immediately started pounding a wild beat. Dear God, he was a charmer.
Raymond had ridden with the driver in front of the carriage. He jumped down from his perch and opened the door for them.
Colin got out first, then turned to assist Alesandra. Her cloak opened when she reached for his hand. The handkerchief she'd stuffed into the bodice shifted, and when she stepped to the pavement, the lace fell out.
He caught it. He took one look at her provocative neckline and started glaring at her.
He was furious with her. She tried to back away from his frown and almost fell over the curb. Colin grabbed her, then turned her around until she was facing the carriage door. He stuffed the bit of lace back into her dress.
She suffered through the humiliation, matching him frown for frown. Their gazes held for a long minute before she finally gave in and turned away.
Colin adjusted her cloak over her shoulders, hauled her into his side, and turned back to the steps. She guessed she should be thankful he hadn't made a scene, and she didn't think anyone had noticed their little confrontation. He had blocked her from the view of the crowd going inside the opera house. Yes, she should have been thankful. She wasn't, though. Colin was acting like an old man.
'You've spent too much time with your ledgers, sir. You really need to get out more often. Then you'd notice my gown isn't at all inappropriate. It's actually quite prim.'
She didn't appreciate his snort of disbelief. She felt like kicking him. 'You've taken this duty as guardian to heart, haven't you?'
He kept his arm anchored on her shoulders as they went up the steps. She kept trying to shrug him away from her. Colin was determined to be possessive, however, and she finally gave up.
'Alesandra, my father entrusted me with your care. It doesn't matter if I like this duty or not. I'm your guardian and you'll do as I order.'
'It's a pity you aren't more like your father. He's such a sweet, understanding man. You could learn a lesson or two from him.'
'When you quit dressing like a trollop, I'll be more understanding,' he promised.
Her gasp sounded like a hiccup. 'No one has ever dared to call me a trollop.'
Colin didn't remark on that outraged statement. He did smile, though.
Neither one said another word to the other for a long, long while. They were escorted to the prince regent's box and took their seats side by side.
The opera house was filled to capacity, but Colin was certain only Alesandra watched the performance. Everyone else watched her.
She pretended not to be aware of their stares. She impressed the hell out of Colin, too. She looked so beautifully composed. Her posture was ramrod straight, and she never once turned her attention from the stage. He could see her hands, however. They were clenched tight in her lap.
He moved a little closer to her. Then he reached over and covered her hands with one of his. She didn't turn her gaze to him, but she latched on to his hand and held tight. They stayed like that through the rest of the performance.
The white starched cravat around his neck was driving him crazy. He wanted to tear the thing off, prop his feet up on the railing overlooking the stage, and close his eyes. Alesandra would probably have heart palpitations if he dared to behave so shamefully. He wouldn't embarrass her, of course, but, God, how he hated all the pretense associated with the ton's affairs.
He hated having to sit in the prince regent's box, too. Nathan would bellow for a week if he found out. His partner disliked their ruler even more than Colin did, for it was his wife who had been cheated out of her inheritance by the not-so-noble prince.
The god-awful opera he was being subjected to didn't improve his cranky disposition. He did close his eyes then, and tried to block out the sounds of screeching coming from the stage.
Alesandra didn't realize until the performance was over that Colin had fallen asleep. She turned to ask him if he had enjoyed the opera as much as she had, but just as she was about to speak, he started to snore. She almost
