afraid I don’t know whatyou’re talking about, Dansbury. As usual, you seem to be acting a complete fool.”
The acid in the duke’s tone surprised Lilith. Realizing that His Grace had as little liking for the marquis as she did was hardly a comfort, though. In fact, it almost made her look more kindly upon Dansbury. Beside her, Penelope watched the exchange in astonishment while William grinned in admiration of his mentor.
“Not as foolish as some,” Dansbury replied, glancing down and brushing an imaginary speck of dust from the lapel of his blue coat. The motion brought the duke’s, and their audience’s, attention to the exquisite diamond in his cravat.
The Duke of Wenford flushed furiously. “You are a thief, boy!” he snarled, striding forward.
Dansbury gracefully sidestepped. “Now I’m afraid it is my turn to be baffled,” he returned apologetically. “I thought the larcenist was you.”
“That pin belongs to the Remdale family, and you know it, you blackguard!” Wenford shouted.
The orchestra raggedly halted, and the dancers on the ballroom floor turned two by two to watch the proceedings. The Countess of Felton stood by the refreshment table looking positively elated. Thanks to Wenford and Dansbury, her ball had just become the event of the Season.
The marquis looked down at the bauble, as though puzzled at all the commotion it was causing. “This diamond was purchased just this evening with an exceedingly fortuitous throw of the dice,” he drawled. “It now belongs to the Faraday family.”
“Damn them all to hell!” Spittle flecked the duke’s lips.
“Do you think there’ll be a duel?” Pen whispered excitedly.
Lilith shook her head regretfully. “From what I’ve heard of him, no one would dare challenge Dansbury—though I wouldn’t complain if they killed one another.”
Pen covered her mouth with both hands to smother her giggles.
“That pin has been in my family for generations,” Wenford growled, coming another step closer to the marquis.
“Apparently your nephew places less value on its possession than you do. Otherwise he would have seen fit to carry more blunt with him to Boodle’s, or he would have dropped out of the game when it became too rich for his blood. Never gamble where you can’t win. ’Twas you who taught my family that lesson.”
The duke’s hands clenched, his color becoming an alarming crimson. “You—”
“Besides,” Dansbury continued, glancing at Lilith, “you have another possession you’re about to acquire anyway, do you not?”
“Oh, no,” Lilith whispered, wishing to sink into the floor as half the rapt audience looked in her direction, the whispers gaining more volume. “That villain!”
“That is none of your bloody concern. Give me my pin.”
Dansbury smiled at Lilith, and then with apparent reluctance returned his attention to Wenford. “I apologize, Your Grace, but I am quite late for an engagement.” The marquis strolled for the door. Just before he vanished through the wide entryway, he paused. “Seeing Your Grace’s attachment to the trinket, however, if you or your nephew would care to call on me tomorrow, I would be pleased to return it to your family for its table value.”
“Which was?” Wenford sputtered.
“Twelve hundred seventy-seven quid,” Dansbury returned, and exited.
For a moment the duke glared after him. Then, with an angry roar of commentary, his gray-haired cronies joined him in sending a chorus of black oaths in the marquis’s direction.
William started as though coming out of a trance. “Od’s blood,” he murmured, shaking his head. “Isn’t he top of the trees?” He handed his glass of punch to Lilith and strode for the door after the marquis.
“Oh, my,” Penelope said wonderingly. “He’s not afraid of anything, is he?” She fanned her face again. “And you were right, Lil. He is after you.” She blushed again. “He wants to be your sixth suitor.”
Lilith’s pulse
The acid in the duke’s tone surprised Lilith. Realizing that His Grace had as little liking for the marquis as she did was hardly a comfort, though. In fact, it almost made her look more kindly upon Dansbury. Beside her, Penelope watched the exchange in astonishment while William grinned in admiration of his mentor.
“Not as foolish as some,” Dansbury replied, glancing down and brushing an imaginary speck of dust from the lapel of his blue coat. The motion brought the duke’s, and their audience’s, attention to the exquisite diamond in his cravat.
The Duke of Wenford flushed furiously. “You are a thief, boy!” he snarled, striding forward.
Dansbury gracefully sidestepped. “Now I’m afraid it is my turn to be baffled,” he returned apologetically. “I thought the larcenist was you.”
“That pin belongs to the Remdale family, and you know it, you blackguard!” Wenford shouted.
The orchestra raggedly halted, and the dancers on the ballroom floor turned two by two to watch the proceedings. The Countess of Felton stood by the refreshment table looking positively elated. Thanks to Wenford and Dansbury, her ball had just become the event of the Season.
The marquis looked down at the bauble, as though puzzled at all the commotion it was causing. “This diamond was purchased just this evening with an exceedingly fortuitous throw of the dice,” he drawled. “It now belongs to the Faraday family.”
“Damn them all to hell!” Spittle flecked the duke’s lips.
“Do you think there’ll be a duel?” Pen whispered excitedly.
Lilith shook her head regretfully. “From what I’ve heard of him, no one would dare challenge Dansbury—though I wouldn’t complain if they killed one another.”
Pen covered her mouth with both hands to smother her giggles.
“That pin has been in my family for generations,” Wenford growled, coming another step closer to the marquis.
“Apparently your nephew places less value on its possession than you do. Otherwise he would have seen fit to carry more blunt with him to Boodle’s, or he would have dropped out of the game when it became too rich for his blood. Never gamble where you can’t win. ’Twas you who taught my family that lesson.”
The duke’s hands clenched, his color becoming an alarming crimson. “You—”
“Besides,” Dansbury continued, glancing at Lilith, “you have another possession you’re about to acquire anyway, do you not?”
“Oh, no,” Lilith whispered, wishing to sink into the floor as half the rapt audience looked in her direction, the whispers gaining more volume. “That villain!”
“That is none of your bloody concern. Give me my pin.”
Dansbury smiled at Lilith, and then with apparent reluctance returned his attention to Wenford. “I apologize, Your Grace, but I am quite late for an engagement.” The marquis strolled for the door. Just before he vanished through the wide entryway, he paused. “Seeing Your Grace’s attachment to the trinket, however, if you or your nephew would care to call on me tomorrow, I would be pleased to return it to your family for its table value.”
“Which was?” Wenford sputtered.
“Twelve hundred seventy-seven quid,” Dansbury returned, and exited.
For a moment the duke glared after him. Then, with an angry roar of commentary, his gray-haired cronies joined him in sending a chorus of black oaths in the marquis’s direction.
William started as though coming out of a trance. “Od’s blood,” he murmured, shaking his head. “Isn’t he top of the trees?” He handed his glass of punch to Lilith and strode for the door after the marquis.
“Oh, my,” Penelope said wonderingly. “He’s not afraid of anything, is he?” She fanned her face again. “And you were right, Lil. He is after you.” She blushed again. “He wants to be your sixth suitor.”
Lilith’s pulse
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