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Bloody, deuced perfect.

Fletcherhad no choice but to fall in step beside her. He wasn’t leaving Siobhan to the woman’s viperish tongue or mean-spirited antics.

Forminga moue with her rouged mouth, LadyHuxley turned her pouting gaze on him.

“Introduce us, Fletcher darling, won’t you?”

He’drather eat boiled slugs. Centipedes. Scorpions.

Still, what choice had he?

Hemust have LadyHuxley’s cooperation.

“Mrs. McKinney, may I introduce SamanthaFogwell, ViscountessHuxley? Your ladyship, Mrs. SiobhanMcKinney.”

Whatwas her ladyship up to?

HadHuxley put her up to this?

Forwhat purpose?

Theviscountess made a pretense of looking around. “Your husband is not present, Mrs. McKinney?”

Siobhanappeared suitably sober. “I am widowed, your ladyship.”

“Oh, that’s right. Forgive me. My husband mentioned that the other night.” LadyHuxley gave an artificial laugh. “How silly of me to have forgotten.”

Whywould Huxley make a point of informing his wife about Siobhan? Particularly if he’d formed a romantic interest in her?

Toboast? Gloat?

Fromall accounts, he was a warped ponce.

LadyHuxley sidled closer, inspecting Siobhan with an intensity that made Fletcher’s nape hairs stand on end.

“You seem familiar to me, Mrs. McKinney. I feel quite sure we’ve met before.”

Hell’s bells.

“We could not have done.” Forming a small smile, Siobhan remained admirably composed. “I have only recently arrived from Ireland, and LordDarius has been charged with showing me the sights as a favor to our mothers.”

“Hmm, I could have sworn.” After a final lingering look, LadyHuxley clasped Fletcher’s arm. “Let’s have that dance, shall we?”

Withouta word, he swirled her onto the dancefloor.

“She’s a pretty little thing but too thin and pale.” LadyHuxley couldn’t quite conceal her jealousy. “I know you prefer your women voluptuous and exotic.”

Hehad. UntilSiobhan.

“Mrs. McKinney?” Fletcher puzzled his forehead but refrained from glancing toward Siobhan. “She twisted her ankle earlier. Likely, that is the cause of her pallor. I was checking on her when you arrived.”

“Your brother couldn’t have done so?” There was the jealousy the viscountess unsuccessfully tried to hide.

“He ate something that didn’t agree with him and excused himself to lie down for a while.” In truth, Darius was perfectly well and, hopefully as planned, at this very moment, offered Huxley’s driver a flask of whisky to loosen his tongue. “I imagine they will call it an early evening.”

“She rather looks like a waif sitting there.” Her ladyship tightened her mouth. “Huxley seemed quite taken with her, but I confess, I do not see the appeal.”

Thatshe could casually speak about her husband’s fascination with another woman said much about the state of the viscountess and viscount’s marriage.