“Of course,” Averil said, and she stared at Cam, a clear warning in her eyes.
Teddy shot a look at Cam. There was no way for her to miss he was expecting a fulsome apology from her after he explained himself. He probably wanted her to lie down in his path and let him trod on her. He said smoothly to Averil, his eyes on Cam, “Given the charming company, my lady, short notice is nothing.”
“My lord, would you please introduce Theodore to Mr. Sherbrooke and Mr. Ivanov. Of course he already knows Winstead and Eliza and dear Camilla.”
Introductions were made, pleasantries performed, and Teddy knew to his gut this Ivanov fellow was a dangerous interloper. Evidently Averil did too because she called out, “Mr. Ivanov, do attend me.”
Alex had no choice. He saw from the corner of his eye Teddy Jewel walking quickly to Cam. She’d moved to stand behind a high-backed chair, not much of a fortress, but it was something. He saw Teddy’s eyes were alight with purpose and confidence. He had no doubt Lady Whitsonby had toldhim Cam would welcome him and was eager to apologize for the punch in the nose. He wondered, smiling at her fisted hands at her sides, if she’d clout the toad again tonight. He looked toward Lord Whitsonby, saw this very polished lord knew well if he didn’t do something fast his daughter might well blow like steam pressure building up beyond its limit in a water-tube boiler, the result a huge explosion, massive damage and casualties.
Alex saw Lord Whitsonby look at his wife again. Cam was right, even her besotted husband could tell she was all but rubbing her hands together, so very pleased she was with herself.
Alex wasn’t surprised when Lord Whitsonby, a gentleman who very likely knew his way around any social situation no matter how fraught with danger, smiled at everyone, and called out just as Teddy Jewel had nearly reached Cam, “Teddy, do come and chat with Alex Ivanov and her ladyship. I believe you two have a lot in common. Alex was at Oxford, albeit many years after you attended.”
Many years? It made him sound like a graybeard. Surely he wasn’t more than five years older than this Ivanov fellow. No matter, Teddy only wanted to get to Camilla, cozy right up to her, make certain she was no longer angry with him. The bruise under his eye had finally faded away, and without it to remind him, he was finally able to admit he’d moved too quickly. She’d struck out in fear, maidenly fear and only accidentally connecting with his face. She was innocent of men and their needs and thus he would move more slowly, prove to her he knew what was what. He was ready and willing to show restraint.
He couldn’t look away from Camilla’s lovely self in the incredible elegant gown and pictured very clearly his wedding night. The very first thing he would do was to remove her glasses. They made her look like a bluestocking, and he knew from his father there was nothing more repellent. Yes, offwith the glasses. He would teach her how to please him. Lust coursed through him. It was all he could do not to moan and cross his eyes, but he couldn’t forget—success was at hand. Lady Whitsonby had assured him in the note she’d written to him that tonight would be his night with her, and his lordship would look favorably on his suit. Teddy didn’t want to speak to Ivanov, who looked like a bloody god, curse him, or to Mr. Sherbrooke, who was more well liked than he probably deserved. He wanted to stay with her, but he realized he had no choice. Lord Whitsonby would be his father-in-law. He had no well-bred choice but to obey him.
When Teddy had first come into the drawing room, all his attention had been on Camilla and thus he hadn’t seen Ivanov clearly. But Teddy fully realized now this young man was a clear threat, yes, like a god with the cursed fine figure that bespoke a sportsman. He turned, saw Camilla wasn’t looking at him, her soon-to-be betrothed, but at this dangerous interloper, and Teddy wanted to clout his pretty face, surely dangerous to the ladies both wed and unwed, and ask who his tailor was.
Lord Whitsonby wasn’t about to allow his wife to try to embarrass him in front of Teddy Jewel. He called out, “Osbourne, I believe everyone is famished. We’ll have dinner now.”
If Osbourne was surprised by this unexpected announcement, he gave no sign, his voice unperturbed. “Yes, my lord.”
Lord Whitsonby said, “Ryder, if you would please escort Camilla into dinner. Teddy, Alex, I fear you are to escort each other. My dear?”
Cam was seated between Teddy and Mr. Sherbrooke. Alex was seated across the table, his dark hair shining beneath the candle chandelier, his blue eyes clear and dazzling in the soft candlelight. She looked beneath her lashes at him, saw he was listening attentively to Winstead. “Do call me Win,” she heard him say to Alex, which certainly sounded better than Winnie.
Teddy, following his hopefully future mother-in-law’s advice, wasted no time. He leaned close as the spring soup was being served and said in what he hoped was a winning voice, his eyes on her face and those wretched glasses, not her beautifully displayed bosom, “I must apologize to you for my overexuberance, Lady Camilla. You are a young lady of impeccable breeding and gentle upbringing and I shocked you. I was not a gentleman. In my defense it was only that you excited powerful feelings in me and alas, I was unable to help myself. Please forgive me. Tell me how I can come back into your good graces.”
You were never in my good graces, you idiot.
She wondered if Averil had coached him on this artful opening. Cam smiled at him. “Actually, Mr. Jewel, I wasn’t shocked, I was offended at your ill-breeding. You excited powerful feelings in me as well, thus my retaliation.”
Teddy wasn’t cast down by this seeming rejection since Lady Whitsonby had assured him he would have her and her magnificent dowry, he just had to bend down far enough and be fluent in his apologies, he just had to persevere. He patted her hand, which made Cam want to smack him then. But because this was a formal dinner and her father’s eyes were on her, she said smooth as glass, “Perhaps a lady is prone to overreaction. Perhaps many times a lady is unable to explain herself cogently and with logic, she can only strike out in confusion and fear, but the truth of the matter is—” Her voice fell off a cliff because the look in her father’s eyes was a clear warning. She took a bite of her carrot soup.
Teddy leaned close, said gently, “My dear, I know this is difficult for you, so let me say I accept your apology.”
Cam said low, hoping no one could hear her, “Mr. Jewel, let me be perfectly clear—”
Cam broke off when she heard Averil say in a too-loud voice, “Pray tell us what you are speaking about, Camilla.”
Cam smiled at her mother-in-law. “Ah, nothing much really, we were just speaking of a lady’s lack of logic and her confusion. I was telling Mr. Jewel it is a constant cross to bear. A lady could easily become confused trying to decide, for example, which shoes to wear, which comb to put in my hair, which muffin in the basket to eat for breakfast. I daresay the list is as endless as a lady’s confusion.”
She smiled at the table at large, picked up her spoon and dipped up another bite of soup.
After an agonized moment, Teddy said, “Ah, your wit pleases me, Lady Camilla. May I call you Camilla?”
She met Alex’s eyes across the table and his message was clear.Do not stab him with your spoon.
“No, Mr. Jewel, you may not.”
When the boiled turbot and lobster were served in Cook’s famous sauce that made your tongue tingle, Eliza said to Cam in a carrying voice, “I was telling my dear Winnie about how excited you were to learn Teddy was coming to dine with us.” Up went a lovely arched eyebrow and her voice had more steel than a building girder. “Who knows what will come of this lovely evening?”
This sledgehammer made even Osbourne twitch and the two footmen exchange hooded glances. Of course everyone in this house knew what Teddy Jewel had done to the daughter of the house. Just as everyone knew the youngest daughter didn’t wish to ever share her larded sweetbreads with Mr. Jewel despite his future honors as Viscount Dawes.
Cam smiled. “Yes, who knows what will come?”
CHAPTER 16
