A Rogues Proposal

to Horatia and Helena, he turned away.

'Don't be late!' Horatia called after him. 'We'll be dining there.'

A wave showed he'd heard. Taking the reins, he leapt into his curricle, then gravel crunched, and he was gone.

Chapter 16

'Just look at them!' Amanda hissed disgustedly in Flick's ear, then gracefully twirled away,

Amelia took her place. 'Even if they're dancing, they still sneak looks.' She dipped and swayed, and continued sotto voce, 'And there's usually one standing on the sidelines, like Demon is now, so if we rip a flounce or tear a ribbon and try to slip away, they still catch us!'

Flick smiled at her partner and linked hands-she gave no sign of having heard the twins' grumblings. They were whirling and twirling their way through a country dance; about them, Louise Cynster's ballroom was filled with all the family presently in London, together with family friends. As the ball was informal, and most guests related to one another, an air of easy gaiety prevailed. There were many younger people present-girls like Heather and younger males, too-which underscored the feeling of a family celebration.

Flick dipped under her partner's hand and smiled at the innocuous young man; the twins did the same, no sign of their disgruntlement showing in their serene faces.

In the days since she'd first met them, they'd spoken at length on the watchful propensities of their male cousins, but Flick hadn't entirely believed them. Now she did. They did watch-she could see how the twins would find it irksome.

While Gabriel and Lucifer had both taken to the floor, they could occasionally be glimpsed through the press, checking on the twins. As for Demon, he stood at the side of the floor, not even bothering with the guise of chatting, his gaze fixed, distinctly intimidating, on their set.

At first glance, it was a wonder any male with an ounce of self-preservatory instinct would dare invite them onto the floor. However, the younger gentlemen-those not much older than the twins themselves-seemed impervious to any threat. As they were truly innocent of entertaining any impure designs on the twins, they seemed to take it for granted they were safe.

Of course, such innocent young men fell far short of the twins' requirements. Which was what was irritating them so. Flick understood; thus far, she'd danced only with the same sort of youthful gentleman-and was utterly bored.

When the dance ended, and they'd thanked and dismissed their too-youthful cavaliers, she linked arms, a twin on each side. 'They're only trying to protect you-they've met too many bounders, and so want to warn all such men away from you.'

Amelia sighed. 'That's all very well, but their definition of 'bounder' is rather wide.'

Amanda snorted. 'If they think a gentleman has had so much as a single impure thought-a single mental flirt with any less-than-proper idea-then he's a bounder.'

'Which tends to thin the ranks rather drastically.'

'And is absolutely no help in our campaign.'

'Campaign?' Flick stopped beside an alcove hosting three large potted palms.

Amanda glanced about, then took her hand and tugged-they all slipped into the shadowy space behind the palms.

'We've decided…' Amanda started.

'…after discussions with Catriona,' Amelia put in, 'the lady of the vale-a sort of wise woman-'

'That we're not going to wait patiently, doing nothing but look pretty while suitable gentlemen look us over and debate whether or not to make an offer-'

'No.' Amelia lifted her head. 'We're going to make our own choice.'

Amanda's eyes glittered. 'We're going to look them over, and decide who we'll choose, not wait to be chosen.'

Flick laughed-an arm about each, she hugged them. 'Indeed, from what I've seen thus far, it would definitely be wise to take the matter into your own hands.'

'So we think,' Amanda declared.

'But tell us.' Amelia drew back to study Flick's face. 'Did you choose Demon, or did he choose you?'

Flick looked across the ballroom to where Demon stood, to her eyes the most superbly handsome man in the ton. He was wearing black, with ivory shirt and cravat; under the glow of the chandeliers, he looked even more dangerous than in daylight. He was chatting to a gentleman; despite that, Flick knew he knew exactly where she was.

Her lips slowly curved-he looked, and to her senses was, the embodiment of her dream, her desire, a far better reflection than any sculpture, any picture in a book.

She glanced at the twins. 'I chose him.' She looked across the ballroom. 'I was only ten at the time, so I didn't really understand, but… yes, I definitely chose first.'

'Well, there you are.' Amanda nodded decisively. 'That's all of you-Honoria said she didn't choose first, but she definitely chose. Patience and Catriona both said they chose first. And so did you. So choosing is obviously the best way forward.'

Flick glanced at them again, at their beautiful faces, and saw the stubborn wills underneath. She nodded. 'Yes, that's probably true.' The twins were very much like her.

'We'd better circulate.' Amelia nudged them from their nook. 'Mama is looking for us.'

Adopting easy smiles, they slid into the crowd.

Smiling, Flick separated from the twins; although she forbade herself to scan the room, her senses searched for Demon. Over the last days, she'd seen him only fleetingly at the park, and once, by accident, in Bond Street. They'd exchanged no more than a few whispered phrases about the syndicate. And not once had his ever- so-slightly bored social mask slipped.

They had, however, been in public.

He'd arrived this evening at precisely the right moment to escort them down to the carriage, so they hadn't had a moment in private to catch up-on anything.

Which was becoming frustrating.

As was the fact she couldn't locate him.

She stopped before a bust of Caesar mounted on a pedestal. Dispensing with subtlety, she stretched on her toes and tried to scan the heads-she knew Demon's was somewhere in the room.

From behind, his hand closed on her arm.

She gasped and swung around.

He was standing beside the pedestal-he hadn't been there a moment before. Swiftly, he drew her to him, then swung and drew her past, until she was standing in the shallow alcove behind the pedestal. He faced her, leaning one arm on the pedestal's top, blocking her view.

Flick blinked. The ballroom possessed three semicircular alcoves; before each stood some arrangement, like the palms or the pedestal, leaving a small area behind. Those desirous of a quiet moment could avail themselves of the spot, partially private but in full view of the ballroom.

Looking into Demon's hard-featured face, she smiled gloriously. 'Hello-I was looking for you.'

His gaze on her face, he hesitated, then said, 'I know.'

She searched his face, his eyes-she couldn't quite place his tone. 'Have you… ah, learned anything about the money?'

Demon drank in the sight of her, wallowed in the eager, welcoming light in her eyes, basked in the sensual glow that lit her face. She was screened from the ballroom by his shoulders. He drew a deep breath, and shook his head. 'No. But we are making progress.'

'Oh?' Her gaze lowered, and fixed on his lips; briefly, she moistened hers.

Clenching the fist hidden from the room by the bust, Demon nodded. 'Montague has eliminated various