where she came from, but we can all guess where she’s going! She aims to crown her career with ducal strawberry leaves!’
It seemed that Lady Dennery had her quarry well within her sights. Her blonde head was bent close to Alex Delahaye’s dark one and there was a provocative little smile on her red lips. As Jane watched, Lady Dennery brushed her fingers swiftly across the Duke’s hand, an intimate little gesture full of meaning. Jane hastily looked the other way.
The last dance of the evening was a quadrille and Jane had promised it to Henry Marchnight. She was not a little taken aback to find the Duke of Delahaye approaching her instead.
‘Marchnight has asked me to present you his apologies and myself as a poor substitute,’ Alex said, smiling at Lady Verey in a manner that Jane was annoyed to see made her poor mother melt completely. ‘His sister has torn a flounce and twisted her ankle, and demands to be taken home at once! I promised him that I would try to make amends!’
‘I am sure that Jane is greatly flattered, your Grace,’ Lady Verey said, when Jane had singularly failed to provide any response of her own. ‘Come, Jane,’ she added sharply, ‘thank the Duke for his condescension!’
Jane thought that she saw Alex wince. ‘I assure you that the privilege is all mine, ma’am,’ he murmured, ‘but if Miss Verey does not care for my company…’
Jane met his eyes. She had been expecting to see mockery there and was taken aback that he was not even smiling. For some reason she felt a need to hurry in and reassure him. It seemed ridiculous-he was a Duke and had all the assurance that his fifteen years’ seniority could give him. Surely he did not need a green girl to convince him that she appreciated his company! And yet…
‘Thank you, sir,’ she murmured. ‘I should be very glad to dance with you.’
Alex took her hand and looked so genuinely pleased that Jane felt her heart leap. She almost drew back, appalled to find her pulse racing at his touch. It was shocking to feel so vulnerable to him, both mentally and physically, and she had no notion how to deal with her feelings. She only knew that she was becoming involved in something too complex to handle.
‘The evening has been quite a triumph for you, has it not, Miss Verey?’ Alex said quietly, so that only she could hear. ‘I did appreciate your manoeuvre at dinner-a masterful piece of strategy! I find that I have to admire you for that!’
The figure of the dance separated them at that moment.
‘Thank you, your Grace,’ Jane said when they came back together again.
Alex gave her a broad smile that Jane found deeply disturbing. ‘No pointless denials, Miss Verey? I admire that too!’ The smile faded and his gaze became as brilliant as a sword thrust. ‘You are ahead on points, I cannot deny it, but the game is not yet over! We shall see who triumphs in the end!’
Jane’s heart skipped a beat but she gave him a look of limpid innocence. ‘No doubt we shall be seeing a great deal of you then, sir.’
‘I expect so.’
‘Do you attend Lady Aston’s masquerade on Thursday? I believe that your brother is invited!’
‘A masquerade!’ Alex looked quizzical. ‘Such potential for dissembling, Miss Verey!’
The dance ended. Jane dropped a little curtsy. ‘Indeed, sir! We are all looking forward to it! I have a pink domino that I am told is all the crack!’
Alex took her hand and kissed it, his eyes laughing at her. ‘Giving secrets to the enemy, Miss Verey?’
‘Perhaps so, perhaps not!’ Jane withdrew her hand before he could feel it tremble and realise his effect on her. That was one secret she did not intend to give away. She was not at all sure why she had mentioned the masquerade, for it would have suited her plans better for Alex not to be present. Yet the urge to see him again had been a powerful one, a dangerous one. She did not like to examine the reasons for it too closely. As he escorted her back to Lady Verey’s side, Jane saw Lady Dennery catch his eye with a significant little glance. At once, Jane felt young and naive to have succumbed to the charm of a man who evidently preferred more sophisticated company. No doubt he would deliver her to her mother, then forget all about her. It was foolish to expect anything else and she had only herself to blame for being such a starry-eyed innocent.
Simon was alone in the Breakfast Parlour when Jane came down the following day. He was dressed for riding and was flicking through the
‘Good morning, sis! How are you?’
He poured her some chocolate whilst Jane helped herself to a large portion of kidney and bacon.
‘I am very well, I thank you.’ Jane fixed him with a businesslike eye. ‘Simon, I need to ask you something. How is it that you and the Duke of Delahaye are become such firm friends so quickly? It is particularly unfortunate, because I need your support against him in this ridiculous plan to marry me off to Lord Philip!’
A slight frown marred Simon’s brow. He was accustomed to his sister’s painful directness, although several years away from her company had lulled him into a false sense of security. He looked at her critically as she despatched her breakfast with an efficiency that argued a hearty appetite, if a certain lack of delicacy. He was forced to admit that Jane had grown into a strikingly attractive girl, with her jet black hair and the flyaway black brows that seemed only to emphasise the bright intelligence in those green eyes. Jane was no country mouse, nor could he imagine her playing the part just to find a husband in the marriage mart of
The impatient drumming of Jane’s slender fingers on the tablecloth reminded him that she was still awaiting his reply.
‘Alex and I are not particular friends-’ Simon prevaricated.
‘Alex!’ his sister interrupted, investing the word with scorn. ‘You seem to be on first-name terms, at the very least!’
Simon sighed again. The martial light in Jane’s eyes suggested that this was going to be difficult. ‘Alex Delahaye is a friend of Harry Marchnight’s,’ he said carefully. ‘He asked Harry to introduce us because he was concerned to avoid any…difficulties…that might have arisen as a result of Lord Philip’s behaviour towards you. The trip to Ambergate and the rumours…’ He could feel himself floundering.
‘Difficulties?’ Jane was momentarily distracted. ‘Simon, what exactly did Lord Philip say about me?’
Simon shifted uncomfortably and avoided his sister’s eye. He had no intention of stirring up the malicious gossip again. ‘Why, nothing much to the purpose! It’s better to forget it all now that everything is smoothed over! But Alex was anxious to avoid misunderstandings, or the possibility of me calling Philip out-as though I would waste my time on such a silly young cub!’
‘I see.’ Jane stirred her chocolate slowly. ‘Then as you think him of so little account, you will understand my rejection of his suit! I may count on your support!’
Simon began to perceive that he had made a tactical mistake. Jane’s mind was evidently more alert than his at ten in the morning. He smiled reluctantly.
‘The trouble is…’ He hesitated. He knew she was about to make mincemeat of him. ‘The difficulty lies in a business transaction that is to be completed this very morning…’ He watched Jane put her cup down and fix him with an unnervingly wide green stare. ‘Knowing of my financial constraints at Ambergate, Alex has arranged to advance me a considerable sum on generous terms-’
‘You sound like Pettishaw,’ Jane said, with deceptive calm. ‘Are you trying to tell me that you have sold me into marriage with Lord Philip in return for a loan to help you renovate Ambergate? I know the house is in sad need of repair, but surely your sister’s happiness is too high a price to pay?’
‘Dash it, Jane, you’re running on like a novel from the circulating library!’ Simon spluttered, his conscience pricking him. ‘I mean no such thing! Of course you don’t have to marry the man if you do not wish, but…’ he risked a look at her face ‘…if you could just be nice to him for a few weeks it would help me immensely! Truth is, I’d never get the chance of such good terms from anywhere else and as Alex has seen fit to offer his help-’
‘Yes, I wonder why that should be?’ Jane marvelled in an innocent tone. Alex Delahaye’s words to her at Almack’s rang in her ears. It would help your brother if there were investment in Ambergate…There is always a way…‘Take care when you sign the agreement, Simon, or you may find your inheritance disappearing into the vast Delahaye estates!’
