Marcus followed her gaze, to where Edgar Blaxland was making his way toward them, accompanied by a nattily dressed elderly man.
“You’d better go, Marcus,” Tessa said.“This is going to get ugly.”
“Yesh, go ‘way,” the chaperone said, flapping a hand at him.
Marcus had no intention of leaving, especially if things were going to get ugly.He hadn’t liked what he’d observed earlier, before he’d even spoken to Tessa, and from her expression now, it was going to be more of the same.
Her brother seated the old man on a settee outside a small, curtained anteroom and glided up to meet them.He lifted a quizzing glass and regarded Marcus through it.“Good lord,” he drawled, “Renfrew, is it?”
Marcus inclined his head.“Though now I’m Alverleigh.”
“And I am now Lord Blaxland.So melancholy, is it not, that our esteemed papas have both passed away?Still, life goes on.You wish to be introduced to my sister, I gather.Theodosia, Lady Hewitt, Lord Alverleigh.”
Marcus was about to point out that he and Tessa had known each other as children, but the expression on her face froze the words in his mouth.“Delighted,” he murmured, as if they were strangers, and bowed over her hand.
She murmured some polite phrase in response but before she’d even finished, her brother had taken her elbow, saying, “And now that dreary convention has been observed, I must tear you apart.Come, Theodosia, there is a gentleman who is anxious to meet you.”He gestured to where the elegant, white-haired old gentleman waited, watching them with a look of eager expectation.
Tessa’s mulish expression hardened.“No, Edgar, I’mnotmeeting him.We discussed this.”
“Now, now, don’t be shy, dear sister, come along.”Edgar gripped her arm and nodded to the chaperone, who drained her glass and grabbed another one from a passing waiter.
For a moment Tessa sat there, stiff as if refusing to move, but just as Marcus was about to intervene, she glanced at him and shook her head.He stepped back.He didn’t like what was happening, but he didn’t know what it was all about, but she’d signaled clearly—twice—that she didn’t want him to get involved.
And it was clear that if he did intervene, there would be a scene.
“Very well,” she told her brother, “I’ll meet him, but there’s no point.I told you, I’m not doing it again.”
Edgar laughed as if she’d said something silly.“Come along.”His voice was implacable.
Marcus watched as her brother introduced her to the old gentleman, with what looked like a lot more charm than the perfunctory introduction he’d given Marcus.He couldn’t see how Tessa was responding to the old man’s remarks—her back was to him.But the old man, whoever he was seemed delighted with her.
“Told you,” Barney said at his elbow.
Marcus turned.“Told me what?”
“Not to bother with her.She’s not for the likes of you—or me, for that matter, not that I’m looking for a leg-shackle just yet.Didn’t think you were either.”
“What do you mean, not for the likes me?”He wasn’t looking for a wife; he was just reconnecting with a childhood friend.
Barney nodded to where the dandified old man was beaming down at Tessa.She’d turned a little and he could see her better now.Her expression was remote as the moon again and she seemed to be saying little, but her brother looked on complacently, clearly pleased with whatever was going on.“Lay you a pony he’ll be her next victim.”
Marcus frowned.“Victim?What are you talking about?”
Barney shrugged.“Victim, husband—not much difference when you boil it down.”
Marcus stared.“Do you mean to say she’s planning to marry that old man?”
“Not sure what she’s planning but unless I’m mistaken—and I rarely am—her brother is certainly brokering the deal this very minute.”
Brokering the deal?Marcus was revolted at the suggestion.“But she’s only twenty-four or five.That old goat’s old enough to be her grandfather.”
Barney glanced at the little scene again and said, his voice full of disgust, “That’s how they like them, those Blaxlands—old and rich.”
“I don’t believe it.”He couldn’t imagine the passionate, animal-loving little scrap he’d known all those years ago becoming in the least bit venal.And on Tessa’s behalf he resented her inclusion in ‘thoseBlaxlands.’
Barney shrugged.“Believe what you like, but you’ll see I’m right.Oh, look, there’s Monty.I haven’t seen him for ages.Hey, Monty!”He hurried off to greet his friend, leaving Marcus thoughtful and disturbed.
He could believe anything of Edgar Blaxland, but Tessa?No.
