“Who is the lucky man?”
Selena started, spilling brandy on the table. Was his voice just a little sharp, or was that wishful thinking on her part?
“He would like our arrangement to be discreet, so you will understand if I don’t divulge his name.”
“He’s married?”
She brought him his glass, which was precariously full, all the way to the brim, thanks to her nervousness. “No. In fact I have every reason to believe greater things will come of this relationship. As I said, he simply wants to be discreet—for now.”
She should not have taken that tack, she quickly realized. She and Nicholas had also been discreet, never making love in her house because of the servants, though he did call for her there, and never using his house on Park Lane. Yet everyone knew she was his mistress. You only had to be seen with Nicholas Eden three times in a row for that assumption to be made.
“Don’t ask me to betray him, Nicky,” she said with a halfhearted smile. “You will learn who he is soon enough.”
“Then, pray tell, why not give me his name now?”
Did he know she was lying? He did. She could tell by his manner. And who the devilcouldreplace Nicholas? The men of her acquaintance had all steered clear of her once he became her escort.
“You are being obnoxious, Nicholas.” Selena took the attack. “Who he is certainly can’t matter to you, for although it hurts me to admit it, I have noticed a lack of ardor in you lately. What else can I think but that you no longer want me?”
Here was the opening for him to deny it all. The moment was lost.
“What is this all about?” his voice was sharp. “That blasted ball? Is that it?”
“Of course not,” she replied indignantly.
“Isn’t it?” he challenged. “You think to force me into giving you my escort to that affair tomorrow night by telling me this tale. It won’t wash, my dear.”
His colossal ego was going to be the death of her, it surely was. What conceit! He just couldn’t believe that she might prefer someone else to him.
Nicholas’ dark brow arched in surprise and Selena realized horribly that she had expressed her thoughts aloud. She was shocked, but then she stiffened her resolve.
“Well, it’s true,” she said boldly and moved away from him, back to the fireplace.
Selena paced back and forth before the fire, its heat nearly matching the heat of her anger. He didn’t deserve to be loved.
“I’m sorry, Nicky,” she said after a while, not daring to look at him. “I don’t want our affair to end on a bad note. You really have been wonderful—most of the time. Oh, dear,” she sighed. “You are the expert at this. Is that how it’s done?”
Nicholas very nearly laughed. “Not bad for an amateur, my dear.”
“Good,” she said on a brighter note and risked a glance at him. She found him grinning at her. Damn, he still wasn’t buying her story. “Doubt me, then, Lord Montieth, but time will tell, won’t it? Just don’t be too surprised when you see me with my new gentleman.”
She turned back to the fire again, and the next time she turned toward him, he was gone.
Chapter 2
THE Malory mansion on Grosvenor Square was brightly lit, and most of the occupants were in their bedrooms, preparing for the Duke and Duchess of Shepford’s ball. The servants were busier than usual, running from one end of the mansion to the other.
Lord Marshall needed more starch in his cravat. Lady Clare wanted a light snack. She had been too nervous to eat all day. Lady Diana needed a posset to calm her. Bless her, her first season and first ball; she had not eaten for two days. Lord Travis needed help finding his new frilly shirt. Lady Amy simply needed cheering up. She was the only one in the family too young to attend the ball, even a masked ball where she wouldn’t be recognized anyway. Oh, how awful to be fifteen!
The only person preparing for the ball who wasn’t a son or daughter of the house was Lady Regina Ashton, Lord Edward Malory’s niece and first cousin to his large brood of children. Of course, Lady Regina had her own maid to fetch for her if she needed anything, but apparently she didn’t, for no one had seen either of them for an hour or more.
The house had been humming with activity for hours. Lord and Lady Malory had started their preparations much earlier, having been invited to the formal dinner being given for a select few before the ball. They had left a little more than an hour ago. The two Malory brothers would escort their sisters and cousin, a major responsibility for the young men, one just out of university and the other still attending.
Marshall Malory hadn’t been looking forward to escorting the family females until today when, unexpectedly, a lady friend had asked to join his party in the Malory family coach. A stroke of luck, receiving such a request from that particular lady.
He had been head over heels in love with her since he’d first met her, last year, when he’d been home for the holidays. She had not given him any encouragement then. But now he was through with school, twenty-one, a man on his own. Why, he could even set up his own household now if he was of a mind to. He could ask a certain lady to marry him. Oh, how wonderful to have reached his majority!
Lady Clare was also thinking about age. She was twenty, horrid as that was to contemplate. This was her third season and she had yet to win a husband or even an engagement! There had been a few offers, but not from anyone she could have considered seriously. Oh, she was pretty enough, with fair coloring, fair skin, fair everything. That was the problem. She was just…pretty. She was nowhere near as striking as her cousin Regina, and she tended to fade away when in the younger girl’s company. Worst fate, this was the second season she would have to share with Regina.
