One thing that had set Mary in good stead to be part of the male-dominated world of Alexius was her tenacity. Usually, he was proud of it. Tonight, he wanted to shake her.
“I have had a few things happen today that, as I have stated, I will not discuss now. Please accept that and shut up.” The words were delivered with a smile.
“What things?”
As her husband danced by with his sister-in-law, Lady Raine, Monty stopped beside them.
“Your wife pines for you, my dear sir!” Releasing Mary, he maneuvered her into her husband’s arms and took Dimity into his.
“Do you know, Lord Plunge,” Dimity said, looking him in the eye, “my husband told me appearances regarding you are not always as they seem.”
In a short space of time, Monty’s life was suddenly extremely complicated, and each day becoming more so.
“My dear lady, I have no idea what you speak of.” He decided denial was his best tactic until he could speak to the Devilles and ask why they were talking about him to their wives.
“Had I bothered to really look at you before now, and past the silly, simpering fool—”
“I do believe that hurt.” Monty pouted.
She snorted.
“You look magnificent this evening, my lady. New modiste?” Monty was excellent at directing conversations away from anything he usually had no wish to discuss.
“No. Now, as I was saying. You seem off somehow. Not your usual jolly, empty-headed self.”
Correction, he wasusuallygood at directing conversations. It was those bloody Devilles again. Everything in his life had changed since he’d let them in.
“I assure you I am as I have always been,” he said with a smile that he was sure looked more like a snarl.
“Lady Challoner, or Iris as she asked me to call her, is very nice,” Dimity said, and he exhaled at the change in conversation. “I have a feeling she will become friends with the Devilles.”
“I wonder if I should warn her to run now,” Monty said before he could stop himself.
Dimity laughed softly. “Well, well, well, Lord Plunge. I do believe my husband was correct. There is more to Lord Plunge than we see.”
“I assure you there isn’t.”
“You and I are going to become excellent friends.” Monty looked at her smug smile and thought he should either be happy she thought him a friend or run for the hills. The woman could be terrifying.
CHAPTEREIGHT
“Allow me to introduce you to Mr. James, niece.”
Iris curtsied to the man with thick black hair and a nice smile who her uncle had brought to meet her.
“My lady, would you honor me with a dance?”
She’d known that dancing was likely to happen. Iris had just not wanted to participate, and she most definitely did not want to waltz. The thought of being held by a man made her uneasy.
Some people she’d met were nice, and until this moment, she’d been enjoying herself in conversation with the Deville family. They were loud, funny, and she thought could become her friends. Not that she planned to stay in London long, but while she did, it would be nice to see them again. They’d also said their children would love to meet Henry. As her son had not spent much time with other children, Iris thought she’d like for that to happen too.
“Is your dance card full, niece?”
She looked at the card hanging around her wrist and knew it was, in fact, empty. Iris couldn’t exactly say she didn’t want to dance with the man without a valid reason.
“No, Uncle, and of course I would love to dance.”
Mr. James smiled. “Well then, would now be too soon?” He held out his arm.
