Drex felt resolve thicken, plugging his throat like hemp in a ship’s hole.
“His desperation should make my job easier.”
Greg shrugged. “At my club last night, I heard whispers that other men of greater connection but less wealth will be eager to court Lady Christina.”
Drex grabbed his gloves from the table beside him. “Then I shall have to work quickly, won’t I?”
As the two men went down and asked for the carriage, Greg said, “I hope your father’s health permits him to join us.”
“He will meet us there.”
Greg nodded. “It will aid your suit to have Manchester see you endorsed completely by your father. The ton will whisper less, too. Now remember, your attentions to Christina must not be too marked, else the gossip about her will simply multiply.”
“I must see her.” Drex toyed with his sleeves, trying to shut out the pounding of his heart. “I know I cannot tell her who I am yet, and I pray she does not guess—”
“Even your speech has an edge of culture now. She could not possibly guess,” Greg assured.
“Lady Allyn was quite insistent I rid my vocabulary of most four-letter words,” he remarked wryly.
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The Lady and the Dragon
“If anyone could lead you through the ton’s intricacies in such a short time, despite your unfortunate illness, Lady Allyn could.”
Drex groaned. “Don’t remind me. My father’s physician assured me I knelt at death’s door. Perhaps I would have crossed the threshold had my father not looked after me.”
“You’re less angry with him, then?”
He shrugged. “I cannot divert my mind from my purpose to consider him now. I must win Christina and free Ryan.”
“Understood. And what will you do once you’ve won the fair Lady Christina?”
Drex smiled, envisioning a future of content. “I shall tell her all and hope she forgives me. If she does, no one will separate us.”
The carriage stopped and the two men exited to a dark drizzle and a throng of people waiting to enter the town house.
“Remember, you cannot dance with her more than once, perhaps twice, without raising eyebrows.”
“Unfortunately, I recall that bit of instruction.”
Greg turned for the door. “Good. Let’s go inside so you can capture Lady Christina’s heart—again.”
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Shelley Bradley
Chapter Fourteen
Several hours of polite smiles and hand-shaking passed before Drex finally spotted Christina across the room, alone. His heart stopped for an instant.
Then another.
Her golden hair swung in fat ringlets, unlike the smooth sheen of waves she’d worn at sea. Her narrow shoulders and waist told Drex she had not regained much, if any, weight since their parting.
He scanned her face anxiously, but the distance between them was too great to decipher her expression. Was she still angry? He drew in a deep breath, then walked with purpose toward her.
Greg restrained him with a hand on her shoulder. “Are you mad? You know you must be introduced to her.”
Drex swallowed his anticipation and forced his gaze to his friend’s face. “I’d forgotten.”
“Wait here. I shall find our hostess.”
Nodding absently, Drex slid a few paces closer to Lilli. Surreptitiously, he studied her face. The kiss of gold she’d acquired from the sun on their voyage to the Bahamas had faded to proper paleness. He ached upon seeing the listless, gray mood she wore like armor. Yet in the stiff set of her shoulders, she wielded a hint of anger as a warrior would a sword.
Greg arrived with their hostess before he could take another ill-advised step toward Christina.
“Lady Henningston, may I present Drexell Cain-Ashmont, Viscount Drakethorne,” his friend said hurriedly.
The stylish fortyish lady extended her gloved hand. Drex clasped it and bowed.
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“Your dear father wrote that you would be attending. I called at his house on Wednesday last, but you were not at home.”
Drex forced himself to smile, despite his urgency to be presented to Christina in his new guise. “I am the less fortunate for missing such a beautiful guest.”
“La, you have such a flattering tongue.” She smiled.
“Not at all,” he assured. “I wonder, however, if I could persuade you to introduce me to that lovely creature against the wall.” He nodded in Lilli’s direction.
Lady Henningston paused, her eyes growing rounder. “I can happily introduce you to many eligible ladies if you are in search of a wife.”
Drex gritted his teeth, restraining an urge to throttle the woman for setting down Christina. “Thank you for your kind offer. May we start with her?”
Brows raised, the lady replied, “If that is your wish.”
The trio made their way toward the wall. Lilli’s eyes widened as they closed in on her.
“Lady Christina, may I present Drexell Cain-Ashmont, Viscount Drakethorne,” their tight-lipped hostess murmured.
Heart pounding, Drex waited for her response. He held his breath, palms damp, praying she would extend her hand to him so he could touch her, just once, even through their gloves.
She merely inclined her head, green eyes conveying apathy.
Drex bowed to her. “I’m honored.”
“And you know Viscount Monroe,” Lady Henningston prodded.
Greg smiled. Christina nodded, adding a murmured “Hello.”
“Find me, should you wish to meet other young ladies,” their hostess said to Drex, then turned away.
“I should like to meet young ladies,” Greg called after Lady Henningston.
With a clap on the arm, Greg left Drex alone with Christina.
He turned to face her, happy to drink in her familiar features. Yet the animation she’d always displayed was absent. Guilt stabbed his gut. Why hadn’t she regained her spirit yet?
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Shelley Bradley
“I beg your forgiveness, Lady Christina, for the awkward introduction. This is my first social function in London.”
She stared without response.
Drex smiled, wondering how much he could say without revealing himself or looking like a fool. “I confess, I’ve been eager to meet you since I first saw you across the room.”
Her gaze zeroed in on his face for an instant. Wariness dominated her features before she focused again on the crowd. “If you have come simply to ascertain if rumors of my scandalous behavior are true, please go.”
He laughed. “No, but I appreciate your candor. I simply enjoy a beautiful lady’s company.” The orchestra, silent for some ten minutes, took the front of the room again. “They’re forming a new set. Would you care to dance?”
“No.” She refused to look at him.
“Please take pity on a poor fool who’s only learned to dance. I cannot tell you how much I require the practice.”
She looked at him with wary speculation in her green eyes.
“Besides, once the others see the Earl of Ashmont’s long-lost misbegotten son dancing with such a graceful creature, certainly they will direct their silly whispers at me.”
To his right, an elderly woman gestured Christina toward the dance floor.
She faced the woman.
“Grandmother, I know nothing of—”
“Christina, remember your manners. People are watching.”
Jaw tensed, Christina swallowed tightly as he extended his arm to her.
With a hesitant stretch, she reached for him, fingers lying tentatively upon his forearm. She cast her glance straight ahead as they made their way to the floor.
They lined up across from one another along a row of dancers, women on one side, men on the other. He bowed; she curtsied. Two women on her left cast her snide, sidelong glances.
Resisting the urge to snap at their small-minded ways, he stepped forward to the music, meeting Christina in the middle. A rush of thrill, a tingle, infused him when their hands clasped.