My Lady Rival by Ashley March Page B

knows who he is,” she said, drawing her finger along the right side of her cheek, past her mask to the tip of her jaw. “The scar. Most the right side of her cheek, past her mask to the tip of her jaw. “The scar. Most certainly the Duke of A ulburn.”
    A mutinous glint lit Jo’s eyes, her chin firming. “I don’t care who he is. He shouldn’t have touched me.”
    “I will be sure to not make that mistake in the future, fair lady, lest my toes too become in danger of being crushed.”
    Willa’s heart leapt to her throat when she spied Mr. Lunsford. She lifted to her toes and peeked over his shoulder, searching for Mr. Midnight, but he wasn’t anywhere nearby. With her heart sinking to its appropriate location once again, she smiled in due form when Mr. Lunsford shifted his gaze from Jo to Thea—his mouth gave a tic at the corner as he scanned past her—then to Willa.
    “Here we meet again, my Lady Diamonds.”
    She nodded. “I’m glad you found me. We were discussing the fine qualities of your chin, if I recall correctly.”
    Thea snorted.
    The tic showed itself again, but he otherwise ignored her. “No matter. Those can be discussed another day.”
    From behind his back he withdrew a bouquet of flowers—well, in truth, it actually appeared to be a branch from a purple begonia plant—and extended his arm toward her. “From Mr. Midnight.”
    Willa accepted the branch hesitantly, holding it as far away as possible. There were still bits of soil hanging from the petals and leaves. “He couldn’t bring it himself?” She felt something . . . familiar.
    “A h, but it’s all in the anticipation,” Lunsford replied. Then he shrugged.
    “Besides, it was the perfect opportunity to visit the area of the ballroom where evil doth reside.” He wagged his fingers in greeting at Thea. “Lady A lthea.” A fter Willa had won Contarini as an investor, A lex Laurie gave her flowers.
    “Oh, my dear Mr. Lunsford!” Thea said brightly, smiling wide. Then her brows lowered and she scowled. “Please don’t feel inclined to stay any longer on my behalf. Please, go. Go now,” she said, shooing him with her hands.
    No, he hadn’t given her flowers. He’d asked Contarini to give her the flowers at the ball the last evening in Italy. She’d seen him do it. From another man it would have been a sign of admiration. A s she’d taken the flowers from her new investor, Willa couldn’t help but think that A lex Laurie was trying to kill her. She’d told him, early in their stay, of her reactions to flowers when he suggested a walk in the villa’s gardens.
    Willa’s head snapped up from the begonia. She searched the ballroom, but she couldn’t find him.
    “A pleasure, as always. Your lovely countenance warms the cockles of my heart,” Lunsford was telling Thea.
    Jo extended her arm toward him as he backed away, holding her glass by her fingertips. “I’ve finished with my punch.”
    Thea laughed and linked her arm through Jo’s. “Yes, you’re right. Though I’m certain that is the only use he has, I doubt he—”

    certain that is the only use he has, I doubt he—”
    Lunsford held up his hand. “Now as you well know, I do have many other uses, Lady A lthea.” He gave her a narrow smile when she stiffened. Then, with a bow, he ignored the glass and turned away.
    Willa caught his eye as he left. “Please be certain to thank Mr. Midnight for the kind gift,” she said. Then, with her nose itching, she promptly searched for a place to dispose of the amputated begonia flowers.
    A lex and Lunsford covertly stared at the trio of Willa Stratton, Jo, and Lady A lthea.
    “I really don’t like that woman,” Lunsford muttered as he sipped from a new cup of punch.
    “Lady Diamonds, Lunsford,” A lex repeated for the third time. He hadn’t yet revealed her identity to Lunsford. He wanted to keep that information to himself for now. But he had employed Lunsford in the delivery of the begonia branch, a gesture