“Only his military portraits.”
“Indeed. His portrait of Augustus, First Viscount Keppel, is, I believe, considered particularly fine.”
Viscount Keppel?Samuel stared down at her in amazement. He didn’t know of many young ladies with an interest in military portraiture. All at once, Samuel was tempted to bring up frontal assaults, just to seewhat she’d say.
No, he’d better not. Lovell would be horrified if he knew Samuel was even considering it. “Er, Lord Dunn tells me this is your first visit to Almack’s, Lady Emma. What are yourimpressions?”
Yes, that was better. A man couldn’t go wrongwith Almack’s.
He braced himself for the gushing praise and sighs of delight Almack’s so often inspired in young ladies, but they didn’t come. Instead, Lady Emma glanced about her as if just now noticing hersurroundings.
“It’s well enough, I suppose, though I confess I imagined something grander.”
Samuel blinked down at her. “Granderthan Almack’s?”
A flush rose to Lady Emma’s cheeks, as if she realized she’d said the wrong thing. “Er, perhaps that’s not quite the right word. It’s just, well…young ladies hear so much about Almack’s, you see. It takes on a mythical significance in one’s mind. In the end, it’s just a ballroom, isn’t it?”
Dear God, was the girl disparagingAlmack’s? Samuel couldn’t say whether he was amused or shocked. “Best not let any of the patronesses hear you say so, Lady Emma. They’ll take backyour voucher.”
Such a threat would have reduced most young ladies to a flood of tears, but Lady Emma only smiled. “If they choose to do so, they’rewelcome to it.”
“Without a voucher to Almack’s, you’ll find it difficult to make a suitable match. I assume that is why you’re in London for the season, Lady Emma. To make a suitable match? Or did you come to London for someother reason?”
A tour of London’s bawdy houses, perhaps?
No, he couldn’t saythat. It was altogether too blunt, but the girl’s complacency made him want to startle a reaction out of her. Her calm manner, her utter self-possession struck him as simplywrong.
Lady Emma’s red lips pursed in a prim line. “It’s kind of you to concern yourself with my matrimonial prospects, Lord Lymington. I do hope you’ll forgive me if I decline to discussthem with you.”
Despite himself, Samuel felt a reluctant tug of admiration. As setdowns went, it was a good one. Direct, but politely delivered, and he appreciated the succinctness of it. “Your matrimonial prospects don’t interest me, Lady Emma, beyond your leaving my cousin out of them.”
There. That was plain enough.
Her eyes went wide. Ah, good. He’d intendedto startle her.
But the horrified expression he expected never appeared on her face. Instead, Lady Emma bit her lip, as if she were trying to smother a grin. “I beg your pardon, Lord Lymington, but I believe you misunderstood your cousin’s intentions this evening. Lord Lovell proposed adance, nota betrothal.”
Good Lord, was the girllaughingat him? She certainly looked as if she were enjoying herself. “Let’s dispense with the pleasantries, shallwe, Lady Emma?”
“Was this you being pleasant, Lord Lymington? Forgive me. I didn’t realize. I believe one generally does rely on pleasantries in these situations. What shall we talk about, if not the sights in London and the weakness ofAlmack’s tea?”
He gazed into blue eyes sparkling with humor and reminded himself he was meant to be frightening her away from Lovell. “You have a distinctive voice, Lady Emma. Has anyone ever told you that before?”
“No, I don’t believe they have. I find it curiousyou’dsay so, Lord Lymington. I doubt I’ve said more than three dozen words to you tonight.”
“No, but I’ve heard your voice before. Even if I hadn’t, a single word would be sufficient. Yours is not a voice a man easily forgets.” Samuel studied her face, but there wasn’t a flicker of consciousness there, not even a hint of a blush. If Lady Emma had any inkling he knew about her secret visit to the Pink Pearl, she hid it well.
“Indeed? Well, er…thank you, Lord Lymington.” She looked faintly puzzled, but there wasn’t so much as a tremor in her voice, and she met his gaze without flinching.
Such big, innocent blue eyes…
Was it possible he’d made a mistake, and ithadn’tbeen her voice he’d heard? Voices were easily mistaken for each other, even distinctive ones. He’d only heard her speak a few words aloud—the rest had been in whispers.
But the effect that voice had on him, the prickling of awareness over every inch of his skin, the deep tug in his belly—he’d never been so aroused by a lady’s voice in his life. Samuel had known that voice as soon as the first word of greeting left her lipsthis evening.
Lady Emma was lying to him right now. Boldly, without a blush, while looking him directly in the eyes.
Ithadbeen her at the Pink Pearl last night. He wascertain of it.
