“That would make sense,” she concurred.“And another reason I believe he is not the man you are searching for.Honestly, after being in his presence for just a few minutes, it is clear to me that he is entirely too dimwitted for such intrigue.”Her green gaze lit on him.“I fully understand why Belinda chose you over him.”
Knox had to curl his hand into a fist on his thigh, rather than reach out and brush a stray strand of hair away from the graceful curve of her neck.“What of you, my lady?Would you choose me over Montrose?”
She gave a slightly indelicate snort.“I would choose an old goose over him.”She sobered, the pulse beat at the base of her neck fluttering.“When it comes to you, dear cousin, I admit that it would not take such a brief association with such an imbecile to choose you.I was enchanted the moment I climbed into your carriage.”
* * *
There weretimes when Astara really needed to keep her mouth shut.What possessed her to say something so bold to Knox?This would be when he would scoff at the very suggestion and act as though she had said nothing of import.
However, his eyes darkened even further, until the pupils nearly eclipsed the deep chocolate of his irises.“Astara…”
She sucked in a breath when he breathed her name and she wondered if he was about to lean over and kiss her in the middle of a crowd of eager musicale enthusiasts.The merriment was about to begin, but neither of them bothered to glance toward the stage where the introductions were being made about the young lady’s accomplishments.Instead, they both seemed drawn into the magnetic pull that was pulsing between them.
Suddenly, something altered in his expression and his attention was drawn to something beyond her shoulder.“I cannot believe that he would dare to show his face anywhere in London when I told him if he did so, I would see his end.”
She blinked, slowly coming back to the present.Slowly moving back from him, not realizing she had drawn closer as well, she glanced around, thankful to see that most of the guests were more focused on the entertainment than any scandal that might be brewing between the Duke of Hampton and his faux cousin.“Who are you talking about?”
“The Earl of Arkham.”
Astara was stunned at the animosity that tinged his tone at the very mention of the man’s name.His face had changed color, turning the color of pure rage.However, when his focus flicked back to her, he appeared to relax.
“He is not a good man.We were in school together and he did everything possible to gain the dislike of his fellow peers.The last time we spoke, my fist was lodged in his face and I told him never to step foot anywhere near society again or I would ensure it was the last time.”
Her eyes widened.“What did he do that was so unforgiveable?”
His jaw clenched.“Any offense that you could possibly contrive, he was responsible for it—larceny, arson, disorderly conduct that resulted in his expulsion—just to name a few.”
“Gracious,” she breathed, feeling her stomach tie in knots.“He sounds positively awful.”
“He is the devil himself,” Knox returned firmly.“Do not doubt it.”
A shiver traveled up her spine, knowing that there was such a threat among the assemblage.“Which one is he?”
She started to glance behind her, but he hissed a warning.“Do not appear as though we have been discussing him.He has been staring over here enough as it is.The last thing I need to do is engage him and find myself in a round of fisticuffs.”
He tore his attention away from the back of the room and although Astara was burning with curiosity about this demon of an earl, she kept her focus on the entertainment before her, although not a single note of the piano concerto pierced her consciousness.Instead, her mind was whirling with what Knox had told her.She had encountered men like him in the East End, of course.A single woman of limited means without proper protection had to learn to outsmart those who wished her harm—or worse.
In spite of that, she murmured to Knox.“I need to use the ladies’ retiring room.”
He offered some sort of noncommittal reply as she got up and excused herself.
She quickly rushed down the hallway, the back of her neck prickling with awareness of the unwelcome stranger.For some reason, the image of some menacing figure lurking at the edges of the room did not settle well.In truth, she was feeling rather queasy from it.
Feeling as though she had composed herself enough to keep her pleasant demeanor in place for the rest of the evening, Astara left the retiring room and nearly screeched in fright when a man reached out and grasped her arm.Her pulse immediately stilled from the shock when she recognized Knox.“You frightened me half to death!”she scolded.
“I apologize for that, but we need to go.I cannot stay here in the same room as that man and act as though everything is fine.My honor will not allow it.”
Astara was rather thankful that Knox had made that decision, because she wasn’t certain how much more her nerves could take.
As they bid a polite farewell to their hostess, Astara allowing the duke to act as though she was unwell, she happened to glance back into the interior of the room where applause concluded the first performance.At any other time, Astara would have enjoyed sitting through something so lively, but not now, not when her stomach was tied up in knots for some strange reason.
And then she realized why she was so overset.It was as if her subconscious knew the truth all along.
She reached out and clutched Knox’s arm, suddenly breathless and dizzy.“That is the man, the one from the ball and the park.”
Knox dared to look in the direction she was staring and although the Earl of Arkham’s expression was concealed by the shadows that seemed to lurk around him, he touched a hand to his forehead in a silent salute, a blatant challenge.
Ice formed in her blood, chilling her from the inside out.
