His quip had been only mildly amusing at most. Certainly not apoplexy-worthy.
“Yes, I think…I shall.” With another wheeze, the earl released Gilly and grabbed for Connoll’s outstretched arm. “Too much exertion tonight, I think. I did dance with Miss Allenthorpe at the beginning of the evening.”
“Yes, she’s very energetic,” Connoll agreed, half carrying Redmond to the nearest chair and dumping himinto it. “I suggest you sit there for a few moments and recover yourself.”
“But I have a waltz with Miss Munroe,” the old man exclaimed. “I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”
“I’m certain Miss Munroe understands that you are a mere mortal, Redmond.” He glanced up to meet furious hazel eyes. If Gilly carried a pistol rather than a fan, he would probably have found himself on the floor, dead. “If it pains you to miss a dance, I have one with her later in the evening. We could trade, and then nothing is lost.”
Her glower deepened. “But—”
“You are too kind, Rawley. I accept,” Redmond returned, nodding his thanks as Munroe reappeared with a glass of lemonade. “Just need a few minutes to catch my breath, is all.”
The music for the waltz began, and Connoll straightened. “Shall we, then, Miss Munroe?” he intoned, keeping his expression innocent and polite.
Her jaw tight, she draped her fingers over his. “Dastard,” she hissed as he led her to the dance floor and slid an arm around her waist.
“I made it possible for him to dance with you later,” Connoll commented, drawing her closer and then stepping into the waltz. “If I hadn’t appeared, you would still be standing with the old fool, commiserating over his advanced stage of portliness. This way you get to waltz, and still dance with him at the end of the evening, if he’s recovered.”
“You poisoned him or something, didn’t you?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “My dear, I find you attractive, but I don’t yet know you well enough to commit murder. Perhaps by Tuesday next, if you continue to be this charming.”
“I should never have accepted that diamond,” she muttered.
“Redmond gave you a diamond?” The surprising stab of jealousy made his muscles shake. Connoll took a breath. He was behaving like a madman; this chit had only crashed into his life yesterday, and obviously Redmond was in the midst of courting her. Why she accepted the codger’s suit, he had no idea, but he had no intention of giving in to the abrupt desire to thrash the old earl.
“No, not Redmond,” she countered, her hazel gaze meeting his. “My aunt gave it to me as an inheritance.”
“My condolences on your aunt’s passing, then.” That was better. Very civilized of him.
“Oh, she’s not dead.” A flicker of amusement touched her face. “I suppose I should explain, since I brought up the subject.”
“Yes, that would be pleasant of you.”
“Aunt Rachel’s apparently had the thing for years—the diamond necklace, I mean—and believed the family mythology that it’s cursed. She thought herself on her deathbed and so gave it to me with one of her silly, dire warnings. At any rate she wrote me yesterday saying that she’s feeling much better and hopes I’m using the ‘cursed gem’—that’s what she’s calling it now—wisely.”
“But you said that you wished you hadn’t accepted it. Does that mean you believe its curse, too?”
“No! Of course not. It’s superstitious nonsense.” She scowled. “On the other hand, the moment I accepted it, your carriage crashed into mine and nearly killed me. And now you’ve begun hounding me and won’t go away.”
“I see. So if this diamondis cursed, then I am the personification of its evil.”
“Precisely,” she agreed easily.
“But I’ve never set eyes on it. If it and I are doing the devil’s
“Yes, I think…I shall.” With another wheeze, the earl released Gilly and grabbed for Connoll’s outstretched arm. “Too much exertion tonight, I think. I did dance with Miss Allenthorpe at the beginning of the evening.”
“Yes, she’s very energetic,” Connoll agreed, half carrying Redmond to the nearest chair and dumping himinto it. “I suggest you sit there for a few moments and recover yourself.”
“But I have a waltz with Miss Munroe,” the old man exclaimed. “I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”
“I’m certain Miss Munroe understands that you are a mere mortal, Redmond.” He glanced up to meet furious hazel eyes. If Gilly carried a pistol rather than a fan, he would probably have found himself on the floor, dead. “If it pains you to miss a dance, I have one with her later in the evening. We could trade, and then nothing is lost.”
Her glower deepened. “But—”
“You are too kind, Rawley. I accept,” Redmond returned, nodding his thanks as Munroe reappeared with a glass of lemonade. “Just need a few minutes to catch my breath, is all.”
The music for the waltz began, and Connoll straightened. “Shall we, then, Miss Munroe?” he intoned, keeping his expression innocent and polite.
Her jaw tight, she draped her fingers over his. “Dastard,” she hissed as he led her to the dance floor and slid an arm around her waist.
“I made it possible for him to dance with you later,” Connoll commented, drawing her closer and then stepping into the waltz. “If I hadn’t appeared, you would still be standing with the old fool, commiserating over his advanced stage of portliness. This way you get to waltz, and still dance with him at the end of the evening, if he’s recovered.”
“You poisoned him or something, didn’t you?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “My dear, I find you attractive, but I don’t yet know you well enough to commit murder. Perhaps by Tuesday next, if you continue to be this charming.”
“I should never have accepted that diamond,” she muttered.
“Redmond gave you a diamond?” The surprising stab of jealousy made his muscles shake. Connoll took a breath. He was behaving like a madman; this chit had only crashed into his life yesterday, and obviously Redmond was in the midst of courting her. Why she accepted the codger’s suit, he had no idea, but he had no intention of giving in to the abrupt desire to thrash the old earl.
“No, not Redmond,” she countered, her hazel gaze meeting his. “My aunt gave it to me as an inheritance.”
“My condolences on your aunt’s passing, then.” That was better. Very civilized of him.
“Oh, she’s not dead.” A flicker of amusement touched her face. “I suppose I should explain, since I brought up the subject.”
“Yes, that would be pleasant of you.”
“Aunt Rachel’s apparently had the thing for years—the diamond necklace, I mean—and believed the family mythology that it’s cursed. She thought herself on her deathbed and so gave it to me with one of her silly, dire warnings. At any rate she wrote me yesterday saying that she’s feeling much better and hopes I’m using the ‘cursed gem’—that’s what she’s calling it now—wisely.”
“But you said that you wished you hadn’t accepted it. Does that mean you believe its curse, too?”
“No! Of course not. It’s superstitious nonsense.” She scowled. “On the other hand, the moment I accepted it, your carriage crashed into mine and nearly killed me. And now you’ve begun hounding me and won’t go away.”
“I see. So if this diamondis cursed, then I am the personification of its evil.”
“Precisely,” she agreed easily.
“But I’ve never set eyes on it. If it and I are doing the devil’s
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