be recognized.” His tone was almost amused, but a flicker of some deeper emotion flashed in his smoky eyes.
She could only stare at him in disbelief. What wretched luck! Of all the places she could have stumbled into, she had to end up on the doorstep of one of the most dissolute rakehells in England. Oh yes, she knew of Davenport. His scandalous behavior was whispered about among the ton, and Caroline was well aware of the gossip, even though unmarried young ladies were not supposed to have their ears sullied with such shocking stories. Having a cousin who did not treat her as if she was a delicate—and witless— little creature had its uses.
He was regarding her as well, an inscrutable expression on his face. Finally, he shifted his weight from one booted foot to the other and broke the silence. “You needn’t collapse in a paroxysm of terror. I prefer to choose my own victims. You, it appears, are already spoken for.”
As Caroline went pale with anger, he walked past her to the sideboard and poured himself a brandy. “As I said, we do not stand on ceremony here. It has been a long day and I am devilishly thirsty. Would you care to join me?”
She shook her head.
“No, I didn’t think so.” The lips were curled once again in a faint smile. Furious as she was at his cutting words, Caroline could not help but notice there seemed to be a twinkle in his eye rather than the reptilian coldness portrayed on the canvas. “You are looking a trifle pale. Perhaps you should sit down before you fall into a faint.”
“I have never had a fit of vapors in my life,” she snapped. “I cannot imagine a more absurd reaction to troubling news. That is just the sort of time you need your wits about you.”
He threw back his head and laughed. It was a very pleasant one. “You have a good deal of spirit, Miss....” He looked at her expectantly.
She clamped her teeth shut.
“Hmmm.” He cocked his head to one side. “I shall have to call you something.” He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on the arm that had been injured. “Miss Socket.” His gaze traveled up to her face. “Miss Gash. Miss Hurt.”
Her lips began to twitch.
“Ah, I have it!” He rubbed at his nose. “Miss Boxer!”
At that she couldn’t repress a smile of her own. “Are you always so absurd, sir?”
“No. Usually it takes until the third or fourth brandy.”
Caroline’s face instantly turned stony. How had she let herself be drawn into bantering with such a man? She had come downstairs with a purpose and she had let herself be distracted.
“I must leave here immediately,” she announced.
Davenport removed his dusty coat and sunk into a faded wing chair. He wore no cravat and his shirt was open at the neck, revealing a hint of dark curls under the rumpled linen.
“I am relieved to hear it, Miss Boxer. I have more than enough of my own problems to manage without having to deal with some gothic female. Good luck to you—you appear to need it”
Caroline stood with her mouth agape. That was not exactly the response she had expected. Surely even a gentleman as jaded as the earl would offer her the use of his carriage!
She began again. “Sir, what I meant was, I should be obliged if you would have your carriage brought around to take me on to...to my destination as soon as possible.”
His bark of laughter was short and humorless. “Forgive my rudeness, Miss Boxer, but have you had a closer look around? There is no carriage. And the only animal in the stables besides my stallion is a rather ordinary hack.”
She swallowed. “Perhaps a carriage may be hired?”
He crossed his legs nonchalantly. “Have you any money?”
She shook her head.
“Well, neither have I, at least none to spare for a private conveyance for you. I’m barely scraping by as it is. Perhaps you have relatives you can send word to?”
Caroline bit her lip. She was saved from having to reply by the entrance of Mrs. Collins, carrying a tray
She could only stare at him in disbelief. What wretched luck! Of all the places she could have stumbled into, she had to end up on the doorstep of one of the most dissolute rakehells in England. Oh yes, she knew of Davenport. His scandalous behavior was whispered about among the ton, and Caroline was well aware of the gossip, even though unmarried young ladies were not supposed to have their ears sullied with such shocking stories. Having a cousin who did not treat her as if she was a delicate—and witless— little creature had its uses.
He was regarding her as well, an inscrutable expression on his face. Finally, he shifted his weight from one booted foot to the other and broke the silence. “You needn’t collapse in a paroxysm of terror. I prefer to choose my own victims. You, it appears, are already spoken for.”
As Caroline went pale with anger, he walked past her to the sideboard and poured himself a brandy. “As I said, we do not stand on ceremony here. It has been a long day and I am devilishly thirsty. Would you care to join me?”
She shook her head.
“No, I didn’t think so.” The lips were curled once again in a faint smile. Furious as she was at his cutting words, Caroline could not help but notice there seemed to be a twinkle in his eye rather than the reptilian coldness portrayed on the canvas. “You are looking a trifle pale. Perhaps you should sit down before you fall into a faint.”
“I have never had a fit of vapors in my life,” she snapped. “I cannot imagine a more absurd reaction to troubling news. That is just the sort of time you need your wits about you.”
He threw back his head and laughed. It was a very pleasant one. “You have a good deal of spirit, Miss....” He looked at her expectantly.
She clamped her teeth shut.
“Hmmm.” He cocked his head to one side. “I shall have to call you something.” He looked her up and down, his eyes lingering on the arm that had been injured. “Miss Socket.” His gaze traveled up to her face. “Miss Gash. Miss Hurt.”
Her lips began to twitch.
“Ah, I have it!” He rubbed at his nose. “Miss Boxer!”
At that she couldn’t repress a smile of her own. “Are you always so absurd, sir?”
“No. Usually it takes until the third or fourth brandy.”
Caroline’s face instantly turned stony. How had she let herself be drawn into bantering with such a man? She had come downstairs with a purpose and she had let herself be distracted.
“I must leave here immediately,” she announced.
Davenport removed his dusty coat and sunk into a faded wing chair. He wore no cravat and his shirt was open at the neck, revealing a hint of dark curls under the rumpled linen.
“I am relieved to hear it, Miss Boxer. I have more than enough of my own problems to manage without having to deal with some gothic female. Good luck to you—you appear to need it”
Caroline stood with her mouth agape. That was not exactly the response she had expected. Surely even a gentleman as jaded as the earl would offer her the use of his carriage!
She began again. “Sir, what I meant was, I should be obliged if you would have your carriage brought around to take me on to...to my destination as soon as possible.”
His bark of laughter was short and humorless. “Forgive my rudeness, Miss Boxer, but have you had a closer look around? There is no carriage. And the only animal in the stables besides my stallion is a rather ordinary hack.”
She swallowed. “Perhaps a carriage may be hired?”
He crossed his legs nonchalantly. “Have you any money?”
She shook her head.
“Well, neither have I, at least none to spare for a private conveyance for you. I’m barely scraping by as it is. Perhaps you have relatives you can send word to?”
Caroline bit her lip. She was saved from having to reply by the entrance of Mrs. Collins, carrying a tray
Similar Books
