In that moment, he thought of Evelina and her spark. He supposed she must also be often judged by her appearance, though in the opposite direction. Men looked at her curves and her suggestive dresses and her pleasing mask and thought her one thing. Certainly, he’d heard many men over the years speak of her as only one thing, including Southwater.
But after just one evening with her, Vaughn was beginning to realize just how deep those waters went. It was a fascinating thing.
“Lord Blackburn.”
He jolted as he realized the lady in question had arrived while he mused about women in general being judged for their outward appearances. Evelina now stood beside his chair and she smiled as he jumped to his feet and tried to recall what he was meant to pretend about their meeting here.
“Miss Comerford,” he said, and let his gaze flit over her. She was dressed less provocatively than usual tonight. Her blue-gray silk gown was draped and arranged to accentuate amazing curves, but not flaunt them. She wore fewer gems than the last time he’d seen her, too. There was something so lovely about her that it put him to mind of spring. A season full of newness and possibility.
“What a pleasure it is to see you, my lord,” she said, extending a gloved hand.
He took it and lifted it to his lips briefly. He caught a whiff of her scent as she stepped a little closer. Cherry blossom, if he wasn’t mistaken. Another hint of spring after his very long winter.
“I didn’t know you were a member here,” she lied, meeting his eyes with both a clear message and also a little concern.
He supposed he had earned the second because he must look as off-kilter as he felt. Honestly, he had to get his head in the game they were playing. After all, peoplewerelooking at them as they interacted so publicly, watching them with evident interest. He had to take advantage of what the crowd would think and assume about them. Be mindful that everything he did from this moment forward would also likely be reported to their former partners.
“Yes, it’s been a while since I attended,” he managed to get out without much difficulty in finding the right words once he began. “And I suppose we must have gone on different nights if we never saw each other before. What a delight to know we share this common interest.”
Evelina glanced toward Miss Herschel at the front of the room and her expression brightened with what seemed to be true happiness. “It is. Tonight should be fascinating. Miss Herschel discovered five comets in her own right, you know, while working for the King.” Her lips pursed slightly. “One must wonder how many of her brother’s discoveries were more than merelyassistedby her.”
He frowned as he followed her gaze and observed the older woman again. “I’m sure more than one. I suppose that’s how it is for many women of an intellectual bent. To be taken seriously they must be merged into the academic lives of a brother or husband. It seems very unfair.”
He looked at Evelina and found she had turned her face toward his and was watching him with great intent. She shifted slightly, as if she was a little stunned, and then she nodded. “I agree. It’s interesting to hear a man, especially a man of your rank, understand or acknowledge that sad and frustrating truth.”
He smiled a little. “I do try not to be an entirely obtuse arse. I fail a great deal, I’m certain.” He motioned toward the chair he had been guarding until her arrival. “Would you care to sit beside me during the presentation? It seems we share a great deal in common on this subject.”
She jolted, like she’d forgotten this exchange wasn’t exactly real. They’d planned it, after all, it wasn’t as natural as he hoped it seemed. But then again, it wasn’t as false as it could have been, either. Just like at her home for supper two nights before, he felt the real spark of interest when it came to his exchanges with her. She was a captivating woman, after all. Hedidwant to know her thoughts on astronomy and exploration and music and all the other interests he’d nurtured privately when Florence had shown them no interest and even disdain.
“I would be happy to join you, my lord,” she said.
They didn’t get to talk anymore after that and the attention that had been paid to them by those in the crowd around them faded, too, as Lady Lena, the face of the salon, stepped to the dais in the front of the room and began a spirited introduction of Miss Herschel. For the first time in months, Vaughn relaxed into nothing but enjoyment of the event.
And enjoyment of the company he was lucky enough to keep, regardless of the motives he and Evelina had developed when they first arranged to meet here.
* * *
Evelina’s hands hurt from clapping so hard when the evening came to its end. She had come here as part of a ploy arranged with Vaughn, but she had truly enjoyed every aspect of the night. Miss Herschel was a clever, amusing presenter and her observations about the stars and revelations of how she had meticulously mapped them were enthralling.
She looked to her right and found Vaughn also clapping vigorously. All night she had been just as drawn to him as to the astronomer. He had listened with as much rapt attention as she had. His interest hadn’t been pretended either, for at the end of the formal presentation, when Lady Lena had called for participation from the audience, he had asked some of the same questions Evelina herself had had during the evening.
It was clear that the man was as intelligent as he was handsome and rich. That wasn’t always true of men like him, of course. Many of her lovers in the past had rank but no sense. And many of the interesting men she met had sense but no purse. To find one with all of the above felt a little like spotting a unicorn. Rare and…well, sleek and beautiful weren’t the worst descriptors for her companion.
Blackburn turned toward her with a wide smile that lit up his face. “That was sublime,” he said. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Oh yes!” she gushed. “When she talked about finding her first comet, I admit I was almost brought to tears. What a feeling that must have been. And it seems we judged her brother a little harshly earlier tonight. I adored that he always called it ‘my sister’s comet’ when he presented about it to the king.”
“Yes, I also love that he was her champion,” Blackburn agreed. “And still is, it sounds like.”
She sighed with pleasure. “Oh, it was such a fine night.”
He offered her his arm and she stared at it a moment. This was what they’d planned, after all, to show a small connection that others could gossip about before they made their bigger splash where it might be obvious they were lovers. But somehow the act of taking his elbow felt like it had deeper meaning. Like it was truly stepping into something new, not merely some act.
She blinked and pushed that foolish thought away, then forced her fingers to close inside his outstretched elbow. As he led her toward a table with petit fours and punch, she couldn’t help but be fully aware of the lean strength of him. If they had truly planned to be lovers, she would have been excited to unwrap him from all that propriety and find out what was underneath.
But she’d never see the impressive muscle she felt. She had to stop being silly about it. They had an agreement and it was best to leave the business they were conducting separate from anything real.
A woman near them whispered behind her fan to a gentleman and the two of them looked at her and Blackburn. She forced herself back into reality and edged a little closer. Into his orbit just like the stars they’d been hearing about all night.
