A blond brow shot up. “Possessive, aren’t we? But I believe those words were hers—to you. And after all, dear boy, you haven’t won her yet.”
Chapter Eleven
Justin Warton proved such delightful company that Roslynn’s temper was able to subside completely in less time than she could have hoped for, considering what a foul temper she had when it was fully aroused. And she had been furious, the more so when Frances found her just coming out of the conservatory and promptly whisked her upstairs to repair her coiffure, which she hadn’t even realized had fallen into such a telling state of disarray. Horrid man to leave her looking as if she had just been manhandled, which she had been, which forced her to suffer through a stern lecture from Frances, albeit deserved.
Sheknewshe had been foolish,knewshe had taken a terrible risk. She didn’t need to be told so with such sterling clarity. But she couldn’t take exception to Frances’ anger in her behalf, since it was based on love and concern. She could only be more furious with herself, for upsetting Frances and for knowing better in the first place.
After a long harangue about Sir Anthony’s sordid reputation, Frances had concluded with, “You simply must never find yourself alone with him again, Ros, especially since you are so obviously attracted to him.”
“I never said that, Frances.”
“You didn’t have to. I saw it the moment Regina brought Sir Anthony forward to be introduced to us. And I saw the way he looked at you too. Kissing you in the conservatory was one thing, but you know itwould’t have stopped there if you had been in a less conspicuous place.”
Roslynn didn’t volunteer that it had gone a step beyond kissing, even in that public place, or that she wasn’t at all sure that it might not have gone much, much further if Anthony hadn’t fortunately come to his senses and released her.Shecertainly hadn’t been the one to break away, nor had she even tried, once she was held firmly in his embrace.
“You should have told me you had met him at the Crandal ball.” Frances’ tone suddenly turned hurtful. “I could have warned you sooner, for it’s obvious he’s marked you for his next conquest.”
“Frances, Frances, you didn’t have to warn me. I’d already heard the gossip about him at the ball. I knew what a disreputable rake he is.”
“And yet you still let him lead you off.”
“I told you, he tricked me!” Roslynn cried in exasperation, then promptly regretted her tone. “I’m sorry, but you must stop worrying. I’ve told him to stay away from me.”
Frances pursed her lips, her finely arched brows drawn tightly together. “Do you think your wishes will make the least bit of difference to him? Men like him don’t accept rejection, Ros. For some absurd reason, they only become more intrigued the harder the chase. Andthatone, Sir Anthony, is the worst of the lot, simply because he’s the handsomest, the most sought after, and the most confirmed bachelor in the Realm. He’ll never marry, Ros. He’ll never settle for one woman. And why should he when hundreds scheme and plot to win his favor?”
“Frances, you’re forgetting how unique my circumstances are. I’m not just another hopeful debutante on the marriage mart. I’ve got a goal toaccomplish, and I’m not going to let anything upset it. The consequences are too abhorrent to me, not to mention dangerous, if I should fail to quickly secure a marriage.”
Frances sighed and gave a little apologetic smile. “You’re right, I was forgetting that. But you will be careful, Ros? A man like Malory, with his experience, could have you seduced before you even know it. I suppose we can just be grateful that that brother of his, just as unprincipled, hasn’t set his eye on you too.”
Roslynn was to remember those words later, but when they returned downstairs and Justin Warton was quick to invite them to share the buffet with him, she was still simmering over her own naiveté with Anthony Malory to give his brother a single thought. And then Justin took her mind off her near catastrophe and she enjoyed herself for a while. He was so charming, his lovely indigo eyes so admiring, that she seriously found herself considering him as a likely candidate to add to her list, despite his young age. At least he was older than she, and he certainly made no attempt to conceal his interest in her, which was gratifying, especially aftershehad had to be so bold as to seek out her other candidates. And still had to, it seemed, since Sir Artemus had yet to approach her tonight, even though she knew he had seen her.
Unfortunately, Lady Warton broke up their threesome soon after they had eaten, complaining of a headache, and Justin was forced to see her home, though he extracted a promise from Roslynn that she would ride with him in the hunt planned for the next morning.
“Well, that was an easy conquest,” Frances remarked after Justin had left with his mother.
“Do you think so?” Roslynn grinned. “He is rather nice, isn’t he?”
“And so very upstanding. I’ve heard nothing but good things—”
“Frances, you needn’t laud his sterling qualities. If you’ve noticed, Sir Anthony appears to have left. You can stop worrying.”
Frances squeezed her hand. “Very well. I know you’ve got the sense to distinguish the good from the bad. And as long as Lord Warton has quit for the evening, shouldn’t you be furthering your acquaintance with Sir Artemus while you have the opportunity?”
“Indeed.” Roslynn sighed. “And I also need to find Lady Eden for the information she promised me. The sooner my list is narrowed down, the better.”
But Regina Eden was having a lively conversation with several of her neighbors that Roslynn was loath to interrupt, and she found Sir Artemus embroiled in a game of whist, several such games having started up after dinner.
Roslynn moved near one of the open French doors to wait until she could catch Regina’s attention, taking advantage of what little breeze wafted in off the vast parkland. As uncomfortably warm as the drawing room had become, she would have loved to step outside but didn’t dare, not after the last time she had thought to escape to a garden had precipitated her first meeting with Sir Anthony. And just because she hadn’t seen him since she left him in the conservatory didn’t mean he wasn’t still on the premises somewhere.
She almost thought to go and drag Frances outside with her just so she could cool off a bit when she was startled by a movement behind her.
“Enjoying yourself, Lady Roslynn?”
She turned around warily, recognizing James Malory’s voice and afraid that Anthony would be with him, as before. She relaxed, however, to see he was alone, his golden hair slightly ruffled, obviously having just come in from outside. But her respite lasted only a few seconds, for the way he was pointedly staring at her, waiting for her answer, reminded her that this was the brother she had decided could be dangerous in his dealings, and nothing about him tonight changed that opinion, though she was now inclined to feel that Anthony was the more dangerous, at least to her.
She nodded slightly. “Yes, your niece has made me feel right at home, though I must say I was surprised to learn that she was your niece. She would be the daughter of one of your older brothers, I suppose?”
“Our only sister, Melissa,” he corrected. “But she died when Regan was just a baby still, so my brothers and I had the pleasure of raising her.”
