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“Yes, Mama.” The countess left in a whisper of silk, and Mariah slipped through the guests and onto a small balcony off the ballroom. The breeze was cool but refreshing, as was the quiet. She pulled the drape, not wanting anyone to find her, and took a deep breath, glad to have a moment’s peace at last.

If the problem really was with her, not with the gentlemen, she must figure out how to solve it. Mama said she didn’t have to choose quickly, but Mariah was old enough that people would think there was something wrong with her if she took too long. It was a little disconcerting; somehow she’d thought the answer to the question about when and whom to wed would be obvious. She would meet someone, he would be as drawn to her as she was to him, they would fall in love, he would ask for her hand, and she would accept, and then they would live happily ever after.

Only now that she had met dozens of the most eligible men in London did she realized how much her assumptions depended on chance. What if the man for her hadn’t been able to attend tonight? What if she never managed to meet him? What if there were no such man? What if she had to choose between being a spinster and marrying one of the prosy fellows who’d fawned over her tonight? Was that really to be her fate? Could she bear it, if it were?

“Blast it all,” she said out loud, cross at herself for discovering she was a silly romantic—something she hadn’t considered herself before—and at the gentlemen of London for being so inconsiderately dull. “A pox on men.”

“Come now,” spoke a voice from the darkness. “On all of us?”

Chapter Two

Mariah leaped back into the stone wall behind her. “Who is there?” she squeaked, hands flying to her throat.

“A poxy man, it seems.”

She strained her eyes in the direction of the voice. It was very dark out here, away from the blaze of the chandeliers in the ballroom, but she could just make out a shadow. A very large shadow; why, he must be a giant, or a— The shadow moved, and there was a quiet thud. He’d been sitting on the balcony railing and then jumped down.

“Quite a sweeping condemnation, don’t you think?” he asked.

“What are you doing out here?” she demanded, recovering her tongue.

“Enjoying the night air.” He sounded rather amused. She scowled, annoyed at him for overhearing what she would never have said in front of anyone. “What are you doing out here?”

Her lips parted in astonishment. “How dare you! Why, I— I⁠—”

“Are annoyed with all men, yes. I heard.”

“You should have announced your presence!”

“You gave me no opportunity, bursting out all in a passion. Perhaps you ought to have announced your presence. Heaven only knows what you might have interrupted out here.”

Mariah gaped in his direction. She was an earl’s daughter, and not used to being spoken to with such impertinence. And yet, she had an absurd urge to laugh. Now that she’d got over the surprise, she realized it must have been just as shocking for him as for her. She had burst onto the balcony in a fine fury.

“Then we are even, sir,” she said primly, not sure if she wanted him to apologize and leave, or stay and make her laugh in truth.

He laughed, a low dark rumble. “Not quite, but it will serve for now.”

Her eyes opened wide. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means I accept your apology.”

“Apology?” She was speechless again. “I, apologize?”

“And I accept.”

“That wasn’t— I didn’t⁠—”

He laughed again. There was something dangerous in the sound, as if he were deliberately luring her into impropriety. “And I apologize in turn for interrupting your tirade against the male sex. Fair enough?”

Mariah hesitated. “I suppose,” she said at last.

“Excellent.”

Silence descended. Mariah strained her eyes to see him better, but it was far too dark to make out his features. There was no moon tonight, and the drape blocked all light from the ballroom. The only thing she knew for certain was that he was tall; his voice came from above. It was a very nice voice, rich and even but with an enigmatic edge. She was sure she hadn’t met him tonight, for she would have remembered that voice.

She wished he would say something else, then realized she was standing in the dark with a strange man. A strange man who was, nevertheless, the most intriguing man she’d met all night.

“Shall we introduce ourselves, now that the insults and forgiveness have been dispensed with?” she suggested, feeling a prickle of interest.