She glanced at Lady Eden, yet still tried to keep one ear tuned in on the older ladies in front of her. “Tired of dancing so soon?”
The younger woman was amused, recognizing inattentiveness when she encountered it. She was further amused when she overheard several remarks nearby and realized the reason for Roslynn’s distraction.
“Everyone knows I rarely dance except with my husband, but he wasn’t able to join me tonight.”
“That’s nice.”
Regina Eden rolled her eyes, smiled, and hooked her arm through Roslynn’s. “Come along, m’dear. It’s devilish hot in this spot. Let’s move along, shall we?”
Roslynn sighed as she was forcefully dragged away. Lady Eden was certainly pushy for such a young woman. Roslynn had been surprised, in fact, to learn that she was married and had a child already, when she didn’t look as though she was very long out of the schoolroom. She was the lady with Frances earlier whom Roslynn hadn’t stayed long enough to meet, but Frances had taken care of the introductions upon her return from the garden. At the time she had still been pretty shaken from her encounter with Malory.In fact, she couldn’t remember the conversation she had had with Lady Eden then, if she had even had one.
Lady Eden stopped near the refreshment tables. Unfortunately, Roslynn now had a clear view of the subject on everyone’s lips. He hadn’t really come inside the ballroom. With an air of nonchalance, he stood in the doorway to the garden, one shoulder braced against the frame, arms crossed over his chest, eyes slowly scanning the room—until they lit on her. There they stayed, and he flashed that smile that made her feel like warming honey.
Seeing him in the light, seeingallof him in the light, was an experience of the senses. He had a body you couldn’t help but admire for its pure symmetry. Wide shoulders, narrow waist, lean hips, and long legs. Yes, he was tall. She hadn’t noticed it in the garden. And he fairly reeked of sensuality. Shehadnoticed that before.
The cut of his evening clothes was impeccable, though he looked almost sinister in black. But black complemented him. She couldn’t imagine him wearing the bright colors of a dandy. That would draw even more attention to him, yet he commanded everyone’s attention anyway, just by appearing.
“Heisdevilish handsome, isn’t he?”
Roslynn started, realizing she had been caught staring at him. But then it would be unusual if she weren’t, foreveryonewas staring at him.
She glanced at Lady Eden and gave a careless shrug. “Do you think so?”
“Oh, most definitely. His brothers are terribly good-looking too, but I’ve always thought Tony was the handsomest of the lot.”
Roslynn wasn’t sure if she liked that “Tony” fromthis beautiful young woman with the midnight hair and vivid blue eyes that glittered with humor. What had he said? “Tony to my intimates.”
“I take it you know him well?”
Regina grinned engagingly. “I know the whole family very well.”
Roslynn found herself blushing, which was something she so rarely did. She was relieved with that answer but annoyed with herself for how sharp her question had sounded. If the viscountess was well acquainted with the Malorys, then she was the last person Roslynn wanted to be aware of her interest in Sir Anthony. She ought not to be interested at all. She ought to introduce a new topic. She couldn’t.
“He’s awfully old, isn’t he?”
“Well, if you think thirty-five is old—”
“Only thirty-five?”
Regina had to suppress her urge to laugh. The woman was determined to find something wrong with Tony, but heaven knew what that could be. It was obvious he had made another conquest without even trying. Or was he trying? It was really too bad of him to stare like that. If she weren’t standing here with Lady Roslynn, the poor woman would be quite undone by what the gossips would make of his interest in her.
Yes, it really was too bad of him, because nothing would come of it. Nothing ever did. And she rather liked Lady Roslynn. She wouldn’t like to see her get hurt.
“He’s a confirmed bachelor,” Regina felt compelled to warn her. “With three older brothers, there’s never been any reason for him to marry, you see.”
“You don’t have to wrap it up prettily. I know he’s a rake.”
“He prefers ‘connoisseur of women.’”
“Then he likes to wrap it up prettily too.”
Regina laughed. Oh, she did like this woman. Roslynn might be feigning an indifference toward Tony, but she was refreshingly straightforward otherwise.
Roslynn stole another glance at Sir Anthony. She felt silly for having called him Mr. Malory, but how was she to have known then that he was a member of the peerage? The eldest brother the Marquis of Haverston, the second an earl, the third the black sheep of the family, and Anthony a close second. Oh, she had heard much about him tonight. Why couldn’t she learn as much about her potential “possibles”?
“He doesn’t dance?” Roslynn heard herself asking and wondered why she couldn’t leave it alone.
“Oh, he does, beautifully, but he doesn’t dare ask anyone here. If he did, he’d have to dance with a few dozen other women too, just to throw the vultures off the scent. But Tony wouldn’t go through so much bother just to dance with the lady of his choice. That’s why he can’t tolerate these affairs. They force him to discretion when the word isn’t even in his vocabulary.”
