Lucien shook himself, turning away from gazing at Alexandra. “Hm? Oh. In just a moment. Stay close by.”
Alexandra was furious. He could see it, even if no one else seemed to notice. If hehadtold her about Monmouth’s presence, though, he would never have gotten her up the stairs, much less into her uncle’s arms. But Alexandra had more common sense than anyone he’d ever met. She would realize this reunion was in her best interest, even if she couldn’t immediately be happy about it. He would give her the evening to let her calm intelligence win out over her surprise, and then he would ask her again to marry him.
He gestured to Wimbole for a glass of champagne, and watched as the servants distributed glasses to all of his guests. “Before we adjourn to dinner,” he said in a carrying voice, “I have an announcement. Rose, if you please?”
As Rose made her way through the crowd of guests, Lucien glanced between Fiona and Alexandra. His aunt’s expression was one of complete bafflement, as though she simply couldn’t reconcile Alexandra’s reappearance with the pending marriage announcement. He looked forward to explaining things to her.
Rose reached his side, and he took her hand and kissed it. “My friends, many of you know that my cousin arrived in London under less-than-happy circumstances. Tonight, though, we all find ourselves full of joy.”
Fiona stepped forward, already accepting congratulations from the wags she’d adopted as her cronies. He’d warned her about spreading the news before it had been announced, and she’d ignored him. He and Robert and now Monmouth could protect themselves and the ladies—Fiona was on her own. If Robert chose to help her regain a modicum of dignity, that was his prerogative. Personally, Lucien would have been perfectly happy to leave her for the crows.
“I have the very great joy of announcing,” he continued, “that my cousin, Rose Delacroix, is to be married. And I am equally pleased to inform all of you that her husband-to-be is my good friend Robert Ellis, Lord Belton. Robert, Rose, my congratulations.”
Robert joined them at the front of the room. Amidst the loud applause and congratulations, Lucien thought he detected a shriek of fury, but he wasn’t certain if he’d actually heard it, or if he’d just expected it so strongly that he’d imagined it. When Fiona emerged from the crowd, charging him like a mad bull, he slipped Rose’s hand into Robert’s and led the angry bovine into the adjoining sitting room.
“This will not do!” Fiona bellowed, red-faced.
He closed the door. “I think it does quite well myself.”
“You will not get away with this! People know the truth about you and my daughter.”
“Apparently several people were misled,” he returned calmly, beginning to enjoy himself.
“I won’t have it! Lady Welkins and I will see that…whore of yours ruined tomorrow if you don’t go back out there right now and tell everyone you were joking—thatyouare marrying Rose.”
He closed the distance between them. “Robert is marrying Rose, because they both wish it.”
“You don’t care about what they want, Lucien.”
“Yes, I do. And if you say anything against either of them, you will find meveryannoyed.”
Fiona backed away a step. “Don’t you threaten me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Have I threatened you? As I recall, it was you making the threats. And that will stop now—especially with Alexandra. She’s done nothing to you. In fact, you owe her your thanks.”
“My thanks? That—”
“Enough!” he snapped. “I wouldn’t have married Rose, regardless. Miss Gallant made her enough of a lady to take a place in society.”
“She is to be a countess!”
“She is to be a viscountess,” he returned. The woman was a one-note song, and out of tune to begin with. “With a very generous dowry.” Lucien took another step closer. “And understand this, Aunt: Alexandra Gallant is reconciled with the Duke of Monmouth. You and Lady Welkins will keep your idiotic speculations to yourselves, or His Grace and I will see the two of you in Australia. Is that clear?”
For a long moment she glared at him. “You are evil!” she finally shouted. “You are exactly like your wretched father.”
He bowed. “That, Aunt Fiona, remains to be seen.”
“I don’t need to see anything further. I know.” With that, she stalked back out to the drawing room.
Lucien let her have the last word. He would rather see her angry with him than with Alexandra or Rose. As he strolled back to his guests, he allowed himself a moment of self-satisfaction. He’d seen Rose engaged to the titled gentleman of her choice, he’d thwarted his aunt’s clumsy attempts at blackmail, and he’d seen Alexandra protected from all further rumor and innuendo. Quite a night’s work, if he did say so himself.
Several times during the meal he tried to catch Alexandra’s eye, but she seemed completely occupied with amusing Rose and Robert and the dinner guests on either side of her. Even Monmouth received a smile and a gentle jest. Lucien frowned—Alexandra appearedtoocalm and content. She was putting on an act. He’d seen it before, at Rose’s first public outing, when she’d been angry and miserable. She was far too skilled to allow it to show, but he knew.
Of course, it was entirely possible thathewas overreacting. Despite his plotting, he really hadn’t expected everything to go so smoothly. As he began to convince himself that she was becoming reconciled to the reunion, though, she glanced down the table at him. He’d seen icicles warmer than the expression in her eyes.
The dinner proceeded flawlessly, but he ceased to care. Fiona no doubt continued to fume, but as the elderly females she’d invited piled on the praise and congratulations at her daughter’s catch, she mellowed a little. He was delighted when they all decided that he was Lucifer himself, and that she and Rose were lucky to have so narrowly escaped his clutches.
As the guests finally began to leave for the evening, he kept most of his attention on Alexandra, to be certain she didn’t try to slip away while he wasn’t looking. When she finally turned to stalk up the stairs, he was ready. “Miss Gallant,” he said sharply.
