How could Ethan be so wary of this woman and yet so intrigued at the same time?
Lady Allegra Gilbert was catnip to his poetic soul.
Astonished bewilderment was the only explanation for his next words.
“Ye be fair brilliant, lass,” he said in awe. “We’re going tae be tremendous friends, yourself and—”
“Donotfinish that sentence, Penn-Leith,” Kendall warned. “Lady Allegra is not for the likes of you.”
At Ethan’s side, Lady Allegra tensed. “Hah! Truly, Kendall? Who am Ifor, then?”
“The gentleman I choose!” Kendall clapped back.
“But I have been caught in an indecent situation, Your Grace.” She motioned to Ethan beside her, voice taunting. “Surely, I am ruined goods now?”
“Hardly.” Kendall gave a humorless laugh. “I will not say a word about what I witnessed today. Nor will Mr. Penn-Leith.” He shot Ethan a stern look. Ethan hastily nodded in agreement. “I would say you will have to try harder, Lady Allegra, but I hate to encourage such sinful—as you termed it—behavior.”
Swallowing, Ethan looked between the twins. How odd to see them together in the daylight. The family resemblance was evident in their high cheekbones, wide-set eyes, and matching expressions of hostility.
The longer Ethan sat beside Lady Allegra, the more the harsh reality of the afternoon’s events intruded.
Och, this was a bloody disaster.
He needed to appease the duke and make a hasty exit.
To that end, Ethan gave Lady Allegra an apologetic glance, tugged his hand away from hers, and stood. Affixing The Swooner to his face, he sank forcibly into his role as the Highland Poet.
“Your Grace,” he bowed, “please accept my most humble apologies and—”
“Spare me your clichéd groveling, Penn-Leith. I know my sister has dragged you into this,” Kendall all but snarled. “And stop brandishing that ridiculous smile of yours. It sets my teeth on edge.”
Ethan instantly dimmed his smile but leaned harder into projecting charisma and charm. Amiability, after all, was his weapon of choice. ‘Kill them with kindness’ could be called his life’s mantra. He might as well have the concept carved into a coat of arms.
He certainly felt like a knight when he donned it—weaponed-up and ready for war.
“Really, Kendall,” Lady Allegra drawled, lounging back into the sofa once more. “Is cheer so unwelcome in your own life that you must now police it in others? Is that where you were this morning? Pushing for legislation that will restrict bonhomie and tax laughter?”
Ethan was fairly sure he heard Kendall grind his teeth. It seemedthisversion of Lady Allegra was calibrated to test the duke’s patience at every turn.
“As much as I enjoy verbally sparring with you, Lady Allegra,” Kendall said, swallowing audibly and lowering his shoulders in an attempt to rein in his temper, “I feel compelled to discuss the mob which materialized on my stoop not an hour past.”
“Oh, yes!” Lady Allegra noticeably brightened. She leaned forward, as if explaining something to a wee child. “You see, when someone is personable and congenial—as Mr. Penn-Leith most assuredly is—people are drawn to them. Sometimes, a crowd just magically appears to cheer on the kind pers—”
“I gather, Penn-Leith,” Kendall interrupted his sister and fixed Ethan with his black stare, “that Lady Allegra is the mysterious woman in your latest scandalous poem?”
Why Ethan experienced a jolt of astonishment at the man’s astute guess, he didn’t know.
Kendall could be called many things—and heaven knew Ethan had used many pejoratives to describe His Grace over the course of their acquaintance—butunintelligentwas not one of them.
Sparing a glance at Lady Allegra’s equally surprised face, Ethan answered truthfully.
“Aye,” he nodded. “She is.”
Lady Allegra crossed her arms over her chest.
“I see.” Kendall rocked back on his heels.
“Please understand, Your Grace,” Ethan said, “that I was unaware of the connection between my poem and your sister before the evening at Lord Aberdeen’s. I would never have risked her reputation in such a way, had I known.”
