Samuel grunted. “It’s not a gift, Dunn, it’s a curse. The loveliest lady in any ballroom is invariably the most troublesome.”
“Really, Lymington, you might at least wait until you’ve been introduced to Lady Emma before you decide she’s more trouble than she’s worth.”
“It’s nothing to do withher. The fault lies with Lovell. Lovely young ladies addle his wits.” When Lovell became addled, trouble was sure to follow. Indeed, it already was.
Lovell had been madly in love with Lady Flora for years, but it had taken a duel and long, lonely weeks in a sick bed for him to realize it. Of course, love being the fickle thing it was, no sooner had Lovell prepared to declare himself than Lady Flora, disgusted with his antics, had fled to London for the season in search of the sort of gentleman who’d make aproper husband.
A gentleman like Lord Barrett, for instance.
“It’s not Lady Emma who offends you then, Lymington, but lovely young ladies as a whole?”
“Why should I find Lady Emma offensive? I don’t even know the girl.” But the truth was, she did offend Samuel, for the same reason Lord Barrett did.
She wasin the way.
To be fair, she wasn’t the only one casting her lures at Lovell. If Samuel could judge by the whispering and the coquettish glances, nearly every young lady on this side of the ballroom was doing the same. Lady Emma’s only sin was in having a prettier face thanall the others.
No other lady, no matter how lovely her face, how blue her eyes, could ever take Lady Flora’s place in Lovell’s heart, but Lovell was already half in despair over his chances of winning back Flora. Now here was Lady Emma, the perfect distraction.
Samuel couldn’t let some blue-eyed chit turn his cousin’s head now, when Lovell was at last well enough to beg Lady Flora’s forgiveness, and win the lady who’d stolen his heart.
“Well, I doubt you’ll have any quarrel with Lady Emma,” Dunn said. “She’s a charming young lady.”
Charming. Damn it. In addition to that face, she was also charming? “If she’s so charming, why don’t you court her, Dunn?”
That would keep her out of Lovell’s way.
“I’m not looking for a wife, Lymington. It’s a pity, really, as I can’t say I’d mind being caught on the end of Lady Emma’s hook.”
Samuel snorted. “I daresay she’d be delighted to hear it, Dunn. Young ladies are always charmed by fishing analogies.”
Nearly as charmed as they were by naval battle analogies.
Dunn smirked. “Perhaps you’ll fall victim to Lady Emma’s allure yourself. I’d quite like to see that.”
“Unlikely, Dunn.” Samuel’s heart was made of sterner stuff than Lovell’s. Near impenetrable, really—
A sweet, light sound drifted over to him, and Samuel jerked his head toward it. It was Lady Emma, laughing at some nonsense of Lovell’s, her lovely red lips curved in a breathtaking smile.
Damn it. Even the girl’s laugh was enchanting. It sounded liketinkling bells.
Abruptly, Samuel had seen enough. “Make yourself useful, Dunn, and invite Lady Flora to dance once she’s finished with Barrett, will you? Two dances, if you would, then escort her into supper.”
“My pleasure, Lymington.”
Dunn could be trusted not to press a suit of his own with Lady Flora, but Samuel couldn’t say the same for the rest of the gentlemen in the ballroom this evening. Flora had no fortune, but the gentlemen here who needn’t worry about money would rush to court her soon enough, and Lovell would be out for good.
Samuel strode forward. A quick glance revealed his mother was deep in a conversation with Lady Crosby, so he made his way toward Lovell, and overheard him murmur in Lady Emma’s ear.
“…indulge me with your hand forthe next two—”
“There you are, Lovell.” Samuel cut his cousin off just in time to prevent him from asking LadyEmma to dance.
Lovell looked up, his face darkening. “Lymington. Where didyou come from?”
“I was dancing with Lady Jane Townsley. Itisa ball, after all.”
Samuel glanced from Lovell to Lady Emma, then back to Lovell, and raised an eyebrow. Lovell wasn’t pleased at the interruption, but he could hardly refuse to make theintroductions.
