battles, so we mustn’t begrudge him his excuse.”
“An easy out, being a ship’s captain,” said Molly. “If every man had a ship, we’d have no males left on land at all.”
“Yes, I’d take facing cannonballs over a woman’s expectations any day,” said Harry.
“Ha.” Molly glared at him. “Who’s the fourth again?”
“A baronet, Sir Richard Bell.” Harry sighed. “I despise the man. But he’s certainly a tried-and-true bachelor.”
“How so?”
“He’s been seducing young debutantes without getting caught for close to twenty years.”
“Surely not.”
“Oh, yes. I don’t know what he tells them, but they never tattle to their parents, who would, of course, demand he be brought up to scratch.”
Molly wrinkled her brow. “I don’t like the sound of him.”
“Stay away from him. The past several years, he’s had a particular aversion to me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’ve always wondered. He’s older than Roderick, and we run in different circles. So I don’t see why he’d even notice me. But he does. He goes out of his way to be unpleasant.” Harry shrugged. “I simply ignore him.”
“Hmmm. Probably your best bet.”
“And he always keeps the same mistress,” Harry went on. “It’s a mystery why she stays with him. Of course, his wealth probably lured her in, but she could do much better. Her name, I believe, is Bunny.”
“Is she a strong contender for the title of Most Delectable Companion?”
“Yes.” Harry grinned. “She is what most men would describe as the perfect mistress.”
“Why?” Molly nudged at his crossed knee. “What is it about her that makes her perfect?”
She knew she shouldn’t enjoy talking about mistresses, but it was so much more interesting than hearing Cedric prose on about naked statues or Miss Dunlap lecture on the virtues of self-discipline.
“Bunny has the face and figure of a goddess,” Harry said. “And the disposition of your most favored servant, the one who answers your every beck and call and asks nothing in return.”
Molly made a face. “Ugh. Is that what men really want? She sounds like a pet. A favorite dog.”
Harry chuckled. “Oh, no.” His tone was silky. “She is nothing like a favorite dog, I assure you.”
Molly felt her chest tighten. “I don’t like men who want women who are constantly currying their favor.”
“Of course you wouldn’t like those men! Because you don’t curry anyone’s favor—except maybe Cedric’s. Weren’t you as affable as a lapdog with him?”
She refused to answer because, by God, she had been!
“I knew it,” Harry said. “You were his slave.”
“Never,” Molly lied.
She despised Harry for bringing up Cedric and her fawning behavior with him, which she’d instituted as soon as she’d realized she wanted him to run off with her. Hopefully, Harry hadn’t also deduced that she’d coerced Cedric into kissing her that very morning. Because every woman should be kissed at the start of her elopement, shouldn’t she?
Cedric hadn’t deserved a kiss from her, she realized now. And judging from his bland response, he obviously hadn’t wanted it, either, which was an even more lowering thought.
“You’re best rid of him,” Harry said easily. “It’s not in your nature to be obedient.”
“Stop talking about my nature,” she said. That was personal, and what did he know about hers ?
And then he seemed to read her mind.
“Believe it or not, Molly Fairbanks.” His voice was low, intimate. “I know you.”
She felt gooseflesh on her arms and a strange thrumming in her middle. “Don’t talk to me in that…that way! It’s indecent. I shall tell the duke.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t, if I were you. It’s only how a man addresses his mistress.” He sat up and his expression grew serious. “Get used to it,” he said in a neutral manner. “I shall have to address you that way at the house party.”
“No.” Molly crossed her arms.
“An easy out, being a ship’s captain,” said Molly. “If every man had a ship, we’d have no males left on land at all.”
“Yes, I’d take facing cannonballs over a woman’s expectations any day,” said Harry.
“Ha.” Molly glared at him. “Who’s the fourth again?”
“A baronet, Sir Richard Bell.” Harry sighed. “I despise the man. But he’s certainly a tried-and-true bachelor.”
“How so?”
“He’s been seducing young debutantes without getting caught for close to twenty years.”
“Surely not.”
“Oh, yes. I don’t know what he tells them, but they never tattle to their parents, who would, of course, demand he be brought up to scratch.”
Molly wrinkled her brow. “I don’t like the sound of him.”
“Stay away from him. The past several years, he’s had a particular aversion to me.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I’ve always wondered. He’s older than Roderick, and we run in different circles. So I don’t see why he’d even notice me. But he does. He goes out of his way to be unpleasant.” Harry shrugged. “I simply ignore him.”
“Hmmm. Probably your best bet.”
“And he always keeps the same mistress,” Harry went on. “It’s a mystery why she stays with him. Of course, his wealth probably lured her in, but she could do much better. Her name, I believe, is Bunny.”
“Is she a strong contender for the title of Most Delectable Companion?”
“Yes.” Harry grinned. “She is what most men would describe as the perfect mistress.”
“Why?” Molly nudged at his crossed knee. “What is it about her that makes her perfect?”
She knew she shouldn’t enjoy talking about mistresses, but it was so much more interesting than hearing Cedric prose on about naked statues or Miss Dunlap lecture on the virtues of self-discipline.
“Bunny has the face and figure of a goddess,” Harry said. “And the disposition of your most favored servant, the one who answers your every beck and call and asks nothing in return.”
Molly made a face. “Ugh. Is that what men really want? She sounds like a pet. A favorite dog.”
Harry chuckled. “Oh, no.” His tone was silky. “She is nothing like a favorite dog, I assure you.”
Molly felt her chest tighten. “I don’t like men who want women who are constantly currying their favor.”
“Of course you wouldn’t like those men! Because you don’t curry anyone’s favor—except maybe Cedric’s. Weren’t you as affable as a lapdog with him?”
She refused to answer because, by God, she had been!
“I knew it,” Harry said. “You were his slave.”
“Never,” Molly lied.
She despised Harry for bringing up Cedric and her fawning behavior with him, which she’d instituted as soon as she’d realized she wanted him to run off with her. Hopefully, Harry hadn’t also deduced that she’d coerced Cedric into kissing her that very morning. Because every woman should be kissed at the start of her elopement, shouldn’t she?
Cedric hadn’t deserved a kiss from her, she realized now. And judging from his bland response, he obviously hadn’t wanted it, either, which was an even more lowering thought.
“You’re best rid of him,” Harry said easily. “It’s not in your nature to be obedient.”
“Stop talking about my nature,” she said. That was personal, and what did he know about hers ?
And then he seemed to read her mind.
“Believe it or not, Molly Fairbanks.” His voice was low, intimate. “I know you.”
She felt gooseflesh on her arms and a strange thrumming in her middle. “Don’t talk to me in that…that way! It’s indecent. I shall tell the duke.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t, if I were you. It’s only how a man addresses his mistress.” He sat up and his expression grew serious. “Get used to it,” he said in a neutral manner. “I shall have to address you that way at the house party.”
“No.” Molly crossed her arms.
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