suit next week at my house party. And it will be good to repair to Rosemont where Wrexham cannot follow you.”
Eleanor had to agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment.
“I do so want it to go well,” Beatrix added with an odd note of wistfulness.
“I am certain it will. Your house parties are always splendid.”
“Signor Vecchi says he is anticipating the event with great relish.”
When Eleanor smiled at her aunt, Beatrix's cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink. She looked years younger when she spoke of the Italian gentleman, Eleanor thought fondly.
“Do you think I am wrong to encourage his advances?” Beatrix asked uncertainly.
“No, dearest aunt,” Eleanor said softly. “I think you are very right to do so.”
“He has quite a gentle way about him. Unlike Bel-don, who was an insufferable bear when crossed…” Beatrix suddenly stiffened. “But enough of my late husband. Ring for my maid, Eleanor, if you please. I vow I am fagged half to death after all that drama of the prince's accident.”
Realizing that Aunt Beatrix was suffering a touch of embarrassment at having shared her innermost thoughts, Eleanor obeyed and bid good night, then made her way to her own bedchamber in the east wing.
Her aunt was lonely, although she rarely let herself show it, Eleanor suspected. It would be heartwarming to see the aloof, unemotional viscountess fall in love for the first time, or at the very least, find a gentleman whose friendship and companionship she could enjoy
Whatever happened, Eleanor added to herself as she shut her chamber door behind her, she hoped her aunt could find happiness, regardless of her own relationship with the prince.
Deciding against summoning Jenny since the hour was so late, Eleanor changed out of her gown and put away her undergarments. Yet as she performed her ablutions and prepared for bed, her thoughts returned to the evening at the theater and her ire started to rise again. It dismayed her that Damon seemed determined to spoil her opportunity for love.
But she would
She had settled in bed to review another chapter of Fanny's advice book when she heard a slight noise from across the room.
Her heart gave a jolt when she looked up to find Damon's face at her open bedroom window.
Her jaw dropping, Eleanor watched in disbelief as he eased his broad shoulders through the window and hauled himself inside, then lowered his feet to the carpet.
He was still dressed in formal evening wear, she noted distractedly, but that wasn't what held her speechless. It was the fact that he had climbed up two stories to a lady's bedchamber, after midnight, bold as you please.
“Damon!” she exclaimed, her voice a high, breathless rasp. “What the devil are you doing here?”
“I believe we left our conversation unfinished,” he said coolly, crossing the room toward her bed.
Throwing off the covers, Eleanor sprang out of bed so quickly, she felt lightheaded. Or perhaps her weakness was simply the result of having her tall, handsome, former betrothed stalking her when she was so scantily clad.
“You know very well you shouldn't be in my bedchamber!” she declared as she backed away toward the door.
A hard smile touched Damon's mouth. “At the theater you refused my offer to continue our discussion elsewhere.”
“Because there is nothing to discuss!” When Damon kept advancing, Eleanor held up her hands as if to ward him off. “Damon-stop right there!”
Thankfully, he obeyed her command, coming to halt a half dozen steps from her. But there he stood, looking as immovable as granite, his dark eyes piercing in the glow of the bedside lamp.
“You need to leave this minute,” she insisted.
“Not until we set a few matters straight.”
He was still angry at her, obviously, but then, so was she. “I mean it, Damon! Get out, or I will call for Peters to throw you out.”
“No, you won't. You don't want your servants to find me here.”
Eleanor clenched her teeth in frustration, knowing full well she couldn't make good on her threat. Summoning the servants to her rescue might very well result in scandal. At the very least her Aunt Beatrix would be appalled and dismayed to learn that she had gotten herself in such a fix.
Eleanor wanted badly to send Damon to the devil, but it was clear he intended to have it out with her, despite the fact that he was flouting propriety with a vengeance.
Realizing she had no choice but to listen to him, she gave a huff of resignation and crossed her arms under her bosom-which had the unwanted effect of attracting Damon's gaze to her breasts.
When his dark eyes raked her, taking in her delicate nightdress of white lawn, she quickly dropped her arms to her sides and retreated another step. “Very well, what do you want to discuss?”
“The situation with Lazzara. I want you to listen to me, Eleanor.”
“Will you please keep your voice down then? Someone might hear you.”
Damon obliged, but his tone still held a hard note when he continued. “I can't fathom why you think me guilty of some sinister purpose toward your prince, but you not only accused me of trying to injure him, but of lying.”
Eleanor lifted her chin. “You cannot claim that you have never lied to me before. After we became engaged, you said you had given up your mistress, but you most certainly had not.”
He returned an enigmatic look as he slowly moved around the foot of the bed. “I won't argue with you on that score, but you are far off the mark if you think I had anything to do with Lazzara's mishaps. That makes as much sense as you causing his accidents yourself.”
Eleanor gave him a measuring stare. “Whyever would I cause his accidents?”
“Perhaps to maneuver him into a position where your reputation would be compromised… to compel him to wed you.”
Her mouth dropped open. “That is a perfectly revolting accusation.”
“So is your accusing me of deliberately attempting to harm him. I don't take kindly to having my honor questioned.”
“I would imagine not,” Eleanor retorted. “But you must admit it looks highly suspicious when you were present for all three incidents. And you were directly behind us this evening.”
Pinning her with his gaze, Damon took a step closer. “There is one major factor you are forgetting, sweetheart. I would never put your safety at risk. Since you were clinging to his arm, you could easily have fallen tonight and been injured yourself. Even had I wanted to shove him down a flight of stairs, I would have waited until you were clear of him.”
She had to admit that Damon had acted swiftly to save her from the prince's fate. Eleanor nodded slowly. “I remember that you caught my arm to prevent me from being dragged down by him.”
“I did indeed.”
“So you think he merely tripped?”
“Perhaps, but to my mind he has suffered too many recent mishaps for it to be mere coincidence. It's possible that someone actually may want to harm him.”
“Who, then?”
“I haven't the foggiest idea.” Looking thoughtful, Damon moved over to her bed and settled one hip on the mattress. Before Eleanor could protest, he went on as if musing aloud. “I did note that the pickpocket looked as if he could have been a countryman of Laz-zara's. They shared the same olive complexion. At the theater this evening, however, there was no one of that appearance near him other than Signor Vecchi.”
“But Signor Vecchi would not push his own relative down the stairs,” Eleanor said, frowning in
