such a good friend of Mama's, I should
think twice about allowing you to go about
with her. Only look at the situation I am in
tonight because of that woman's influence
on you. The sooner you are married, the
better. Thank God, Barton has almost
come up to scratch."
Annabella smiled demurely in the dark
ness." I know you cannot wait to rid
yourself of the responsibility of supervising
my behavior, but I fear you must contain
your enthusiasm for a while longer, Bertie.
Upon due reflection I have decided to have
you refuse Lord Barton's offer, if and when
it comes."
" Upon due reflection probably means
you discussed the matter with Miss
Huntington," Lyndwood said morosely.
I do recall a conversation on the subject,"
Annabella said." She was kind enough to
give me her opinion as to the sort of
husband Lord Barton would make."
Lucas broke in on the fraternal wrangl
ing, his interest sharpened by Annabella's
last remark." How was Miss Huntington
able to form an opinion about Barton?"
Oh, I believe he pursued her quite
industriously for several months last year.
During that time she had an opportunity
to learn a great deal about him."
Did she?" Lucas was aware of the chill
in his own words." Just what did she
learn?"
A number of small items such as the
fact that Barton has apparently fathered a
babe or two on his mistress, that he has
been known to get so deeply into his cups
that he has had to be carried into his house
by his coachman, and that he has a passion
for gaming hells," Annabella answered.
Here now," Lyndwood muttered," can't
hold a few insignificant peccadilloes against
a man."
Really?" inquired a familiar, husky
female voice from the open window of
the carriage." Would Viscount Barton be
equally prepared to overlook a similar
list of insignificant peccadilloes in his
prospective wife?"
Lucas turned his head sharply toward
the carriage window, aware that the mere
sound of Victoria's voice had immediately
reactivated the desire he had first experienced
in Jessica Atherton's card room.
He concealed his eagerness with the cold
control he had learned years ago, prepared
to greet his heiress with proper formality.
But instead of a striking woman in an
elegant gown and bonnet, he found himself
staring at a figure dressed to the nines
in men's clothes. Laughing eyes met his
through the shadows, challenging him.
Good God," he said through his teeth,
this is insanity."
No, my lord, this is amusing."
Lucas recovered himself as he heard the
groom start to clamber down from the
driver's seat. He shoved open the door
before the man could arrive to open it
properly, and reached out and caught hold
of Victoria's wrist before she realized his
intent. He had been expecting a lady with
a taste for some mild adventure, not this
outrageous creature.
Get in here, you little baggage, before
someone recognizes you."
His urgency brought Victoria through the
door far more quickly than she intended.
She gasped as she landed heavily on the
seat beside Lucas and grabbed her beaver
trimmed hat to keep it in place. He saw she
was clutching an expensive-looking inlaid
walking stick in her hand.
Thank you, my lord," she said with
heavy sarcasm.
Lucas ignored her." Let's get out of here,
Lyndwood.
Lyndwood obliged by tapping his stick
against the roof of the carriage." To the
park, if you please," he called out.
Annabella smiled at Victoria as the
carriage clattered into motion." You look
very well turned out this evening, Vicky.
Do I detect BrummelPs influence in your
choice of blue? He is particularly fond of
the color, I'm told. But you have always
preferred yellow."
I decided a yellow coat might be a
bit too striking for the occasion," Victoria
conceded.
So you limited yourself to a yellow
waistcoat. I congratulate you on your
sense of restraint. And, pray tell, who
tied your cravat? I warrant I haven't seen
such a clever design in ages."
Like it, do you?" Victoria fingered the
carefully arranged neckcloth." Invented this
particular fold myself. Call it the Victoire."
Annabella gave a peal of laughter." Vicky,
I swear you sound just like one of the
dandies on Bond Street. You've got the
whole tone exactly right. Just the proper
sense of affected boredom. I declare you
could trod the boards and make ydur living
as an actress." "
Why, thank you, Bella. That is high
praise indeed."
Lucas lounged back in the seat and
surveyed the striking figure beside him with
a critical eye. His initial shock was giving
way to annoyance and a certain uneasiness
that was new to him. It was clear Victoria
Huntington was fond of mischief, and this
brand of mischief could land her in serious
trouble.
Do you go about like this often, Miss
Huntington?" Lucas was aware he had
automatically used the tone of voice that
in the past he had reserved for young
officers under his command who had
landed themselves in trouble. He could
not help himself. He was irritated.
This is my first experiment with men's
clothes, sir. But to be truthful, I shall
probably be strongly tempted to try it again
in the future. I find that the masculine
attire affords me far more freedom than
I have when I wear women's clothes,"
Victoria admitted.
It certainly affords you a far greater
opportunity for bringing down a wave of
humiliation and social disaster on your
lovely head, Miss Huntington. If it got
out that you have a taste for running
around London at night dressed as a man,
your reputation would be in shreds within
twenty-four hours."
Victoria wrapped her fingers even more
firmly around the handle of her walking
stick." What an odd thing for you to say,
sir. Do you know, your attitude quite takes
me by surprise. I would have thought you
less of a prig. I suppose the card game at
the ball misled me. Don't you have any
taste for adventure? No, I suppose you
don't. You are, after all, a good friend
of Lady Atherton's are you not?"
The woman was deliberately baiting him.
Lucas wished very strongly that they were
alone i
n the carriage." I do not know what
you are implying, Miss Huntington, but
I assure you, Lady Atherton is above
reproach."
Well, yes, that is just the point. Everyone
knows Jessica Atherton would never in a
million years allow herself to be found in
this carriage on her way to the fair tonight,"
Victoria declared.
Annabella giggled again " That is cer
tainly the truth."
Are you implying Lady Atherton is a
prig?" Lucas demanded.
Victoria shrugged, the movement sur
prisingly sensual in the well-cut jacket.
I mean no offense, my lord. Just that
she isn't the sort of female who enjoys
adventure. One naturally has to assume
that her friends are equally limited in
their choice of entertainment and equally
disapproving of those who have broader
tastes."
And you are a woman who enjoys
adventure?" stone vale baited.
Oh, yes, my lord. I enjoy it very
much."
Even though it carries with it the risk
of ruining yourself in Society?"
There would be no real adventure if
there were no real risk, would there, my
lord? I would have thought a successful
game ster such as yourself would under
stand that."
Her words made him more uneasy than
ever." You may be right, Miss Huntington.
But I have always preferred risks in which
the odds were at least somewhat in my
favor."
How very dull your life must be, sir."
Lucas instinctively started to react to the
goading remark but caught himself in time.
His self-control reasserted itself, along with
his sense of reason. The last thing he could
afford now was to have his quarry declare
him a priggish bore. His instincts told him
Victoria would respond to a challenge or
even an all-out battle of wills, but she
would ignore him entirely if he managed
to bore her.
A priggish bore. Good God. The thought
of that label stuck on him was enough to
make him laugh. It was certainly not the
usual description applied to his character.
But around Miss Huntington, Lucas
discovered, he was rapidly developing
a most uncharacteristic regard for the
proprieties. He was still in shock from
the sight of her in men's clothes.
Victoria was no longer paying any
attention to him, however. She was
smiling at Annabella." So you decided
to turn down Barton's offer, did you? I
am happy to hear it. The man would have
made you a perfectly horrid husband."
I am convinced you are right," Annabella
shuddered delicately." I might have been
able to overlook Barton's interest in hazard
but just imagine marrying a man who has
actually fathered two bastards on some
poor woman to whom he will not give
his name."
It certainly casts a nasty reflection on
his honor," Victoria agreed grimly.
Lucas studied her profile in the dim light.
Just how did you come to discover the
business of Barton's illegitimate offspring?
I cannot believe that gossip reached your
ears on the dance floor of a hostess such
as Lady Atherton."
No, it did not, as a matter of fact. I
hired a runner to discover what he could
about Barton and he was the one who
turned up the news of the two children
and the mistress."
Lucas felt a chill clutch his insides." You
hired a Bow Street runner?"
I thought it the most efficient approach
to the problem."
It was a brilliant approach," Annabella
declared.
Lyndwood groaned. " Good Lord, if
Mama only knew. Poor Barton. Do ya
know, I think he rather cared for you,
Bella."
I doubt that," Victoria said briskly." His
family has told him they expect him to
marry and he is simply in the process
of casting about for a wife who will suit
his father. He tried me last year until I
managed to make him see I would not do
at all and then he moved on to try his luck
with the Perfect Miss Pilkington. Evidently
she, too, had the good sense to see that he
was the lowest sort of fortune hunter. Then
he spotted Bella, here, and decided to have
a go at her. Nothing more to it than that."
The Perfect Miss Pilkington?" Lucas
glanced from one woman to the other.
Why do you call Miss Pilkington perfect?"
Because she is," Annabella explained
reasonably." Never puts a foot wrong. A
model of feminine perfection. A paragon,
in fact."
You will understand about Miss Pilkington,
my lord," Victoria said," when we
tell you that she is a protegee of Lady
Atherton's."
I see." No wonder Jessica had wanted
to introduce him to the other heiress. It
was a good bet that if he had decided to
pursue Miss Pilkington, he would not now
be sitting in a carriage with a young lady
dressed outrageously in masculine attire.
Lucas wondered for half a second if he
had made a serious mistake earlier in
the evening. And then he decided that
whatever the risks, the night was going
to be infinitely more interesting with Miss
Huntington.
I thought you would, my lord," Victoria
said.
Well, one thing is certain," Lucas
pointed out dryly," because of your
interference, Miss Lyndwood will never
have a chance to find out precisely how
Barton does feel about her, will she? And
Barton, himself, will never know he was
done in by a paid runner and a certain
Miss Huntington. The man will never even
have a chance to defend himself."
Could he defend himself?" Victoria
retorted, her eyes clashing with his in the
shadows. This time there was no mischief
or humor in her steady, challenging gaze.
Are you saying that what the runner
discovered was untrue?"
Lucas held his ground, speaking evenly.
I am saying that it was none of
your business to interfere in the matter.
There might very well be mitigating
circumstances."
Hah. I doubt that very much," Victoria
said.
So do I," chimed in Annabella." Just
imagine that poor woman tucked away
with Barton's children."
Lyndwood bestirred himself on the other
side of the coach." Neither of you two
ladies ought to know a deuced thing about
any of Barton's offspring who happen to
have been born on the wrong side of the
blanket. T'ain't right for you even to be
discussing such matters, is it, stone vale?"
Such conversation is certainly not the
mark of well-bred ladies of the ton," Lucas
muttered, grimly aware he sounded exactly
like the boring prig Victoria had insinuated
he was.
Victoria's smile was triumphant." Lord
stone vale, allow me to point out that if
you find my conversation too offensive for
your delicate sensibilities, there is an easy
remedy for you. Simply open the carriage
door and depart."
Lucas realized in that moment that
Victoria Huntington had the power to
slice through his iron-willed self-control as
no one else had been able to do in years.
Furthermore, she accomplished the trick
quite effortlessly. This lady was dangerous.
He was going to have to work hard at
staying in command of the situation.
Lucas cleared his throat." My sensibilities
will survive your indelicate manners, Miss
Huntington. And I could not possibly exit
now. My honor still requires that I pay my
gaming debts."
Hah. This is no honorable gaming
debt, sir. This is blackmail, pure and
simple."
I assure you," stone vale returned," I am
fast discovering that blackmail is neither
pure nor simple, not with you cast in the
role of the victim."
Her eyes gleamed with mischief at that
sally and Lucas felt his whole body react
with sharp desire. He folded his arms
across his chest and leaned back against
the cushions, his gaze holding hers in
the shadows. In that moment he wanted
nothing more than to be alone with this
bewitching creature. He longed to pull her
down onto the carriage seat and show her
the extent of the risks she was running
when she challenged him so openly.
For an instant a charged silence hung
between them. When Victoria finally
blinked and allowed her gaze to slide
away from his own, he knew she had
discerned his thoughts.
But Lucas's small sense of victory was
short-lived. It was dawning on him rapidly
that this courtship he had embarked upon
was going to be even more hazardous
than he had first thought. With Jessica
Atherton's help and his own skill at getting
by on his wits and his ability at the card
table, he had hoped to conceal the true
state of his finances from Society long
enough to achieve his objective. He had
made his plans with his usual care.
But if his intended bride took a notion
to hire a runner to look into his affairs,
it was all too likely the full truth would
come out. The rumor of his nonexistent
inheritance would not hold up for long.
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