Page 61 of How to Ruin a Rake

Someone cleared his throat behind her, and Allegra half-turned to see Max exquisitely turned out in black-and-white evening wear. She’d only ever seen him in one set of increasingly bedraggled clothes, and the effect on her senses was quite startling. She pulled her fingers free of Postumus’s grip. As the only Musgrove present who was paying attention, she would have to act as the hostess.

“Good evening, my lord,” Allegra said to Max. “May I introduce you to my brother, Dorian, and Mr. Cooper, who is also a guest in our house.”

Dorian came forward to shake hands, and Postumus bowed.

“A pleasure, my lord,” Postumus said. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Unless you are frequently in London, I suspect not,” Max said.

Allegra couldn’t help but notice how tightlipped Max was being and how unlike himself. She could only assume that her worst fears were correct and that the duke had somehow found out about Max’s relationship with her. Had he come to Musgrove Hall to berate his old friend for raising such a wayward daughter? From what little Max had told her of his father, it could be a possibility. It also might explain why there was no sign of the duke or her parents.

She had no doubt that her parents would stand up for her. Perhaps the duke was ordering his carriage and refusing to even stay the night. …

Someone spoke, and she looked round to see Postumus smiling at her.

“Sorry, I was woolgathering,” Allegra apologized.

“I was simply asking if you had a good walk with your dogs,” Postumus said. He smiled at Max. “Lady Allegra enjoys outdoor pursuits tremendously.”

“Does she,” Max said.

“I got caught in the rain,” Allegra said. “I looked a complete fright when I burst into the drawing room only to discover that my parents had guests.”

“I’m sure you looked delightfully refreshed,” Postumus said. “And a credit to healthy living.”

“She was covered in mud, her bonnet was missing, and her hair was falling down around her shoulders,” Max said. “She hardly looked her best.”

Allegra glared at him while Postumus looked genuinely confused. “That seems rather judgmental, sir.”

“I’m not sure why, when I’m just confirming what the lady said about herself.”

“But, surely—”

Thankfully the conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the duke and Allegra’s parents.

Her mother looked slightly stunned as she surveyed her guests. “Dinner is served. Please follow me to the dining room.”

The duke offered her his arm, and after a moment’s hesitation, she took it. Carenza went in with Julian, and the earl went in with Dorian, which left Allegra with two men who both looked at her expectantly.

“I can’t possibly choose one of you,” Allegra said. “Can we all walk in together?”

Both Max and Postumus looked equally unimpressed by her suggestion, but they strolled in on either side of her without causing any fuss, for which Allegra was quietly grateful. Ensuring her evening got worse, she was seated between them and had the duke opposite her. She could only hope that the duke was the kind of gentleman who would never speak to someone across the table.

To Allegra’s surprise, a conversation was struck up about the vagaries of the current weather, which then moved onto hunting and fishing at the duke’s Scottish estate. Dorian, who rarely ventured outside, was particularly vocal and exposed his lack of knowledge with breathtaking pomposity. Allegra noticed the duke wince at least twice, but he was a well-behaved guest, and he didn’t step in to correct any of Dorian’s wild fantasies.

When the servants removed the first course and set the many dishes for the second out on the table for the guests to serve themselves, the duke looked momentarily confused, as if the idea had never occurred to him.

Postumus took the opportunity to murmur to Allegra under his breath. “I confess I am quite unable to join in most of this conversation, having never participated in gentlemen’s sporting adventures.”

“Neither have I,” Allegra agreed. “But at least it keeps the conversation going.”

“Yes, there appears to be some tension around the table,” Postumus said. “Your mother is not herself at all.”

Allegra glanced at her mother, who was smiling politely but had a faraway look in her eye that suggested her mind was on other things. Carenza raised her eyebrows at Allegra in an obvious question, but there was nothing Allegra wished to say to her sister when she had no idea what was going on herself.

The meal proceeded, Max a silent presence at her side, the tension in his body evident every time someone addressed a remark to him. Allegra glanced at him, and he caught her gaze.

She smiled graciously and spoke under her breath. “What is going on, Max? Why are you here?”