Alex's eyebrows shot up. "Suitors of whom?"
"You know quite well that you took London by storm last night. Just as I expected you would."
A rumbling sound erupted from Alex's stomach and she was reminded of her hunger. Ignoring the smug expression that had taken over her mother's visage, she moved toward the sideboard and filled a plate with pastries and freshly sliced fruit while she took a deep breath and considered her next course of action.
"Mother, I cannot imagine what I could possibly have done to encourage the attentions of even a fraction of these 'suitors.' In fact, I went out of my way to avoid encouraging them."
She picked up a calling card from the blossoms that had been precariously perched between the breakfast trays and read the message. "Viscount St. John? He's got the intelligence of a goat. If this is an indication of the kind of suitors I've got simpering after me, it speaks to a significant problem with my perceived quality."
"Alexandra, there are some forty bouquets in this room alone, and I've had several posies sent to the upstairs parlor because of space constraints here. I feel confident that there are several notes from gentlemen who are not dull-witted." The duchess held up a stack of cards, which she had obviously collected prior to Alex's arrival. When she began to read them aloud, Alex collapsed onto a chaise nearby and grazed on her breakfast while commenting on the senders in question.
"Lord Denton. He's very well appointed, and a marquess."
"And doesn't fail to mention both the money and the title at any opportunity."
"Arrogance isn't a terrible trait in a male, Alexandra."
"It is when the male in question is a crashing bore as well."
The duchess sighed and flipped to a new card. "Simon, Lord St. Marks."
"Mother, I will not be matched with someone who is a half a foot shorter than me."
Another sigh from the duchess. "Lord Wentworth. He's first in line for a dukedom."
"So is Will; I wouldn't marry him either."
"What about me? Good God. Is it a funeral?" Alex was saved from her mother's quelling look by the arrival of Will, whose dry question earned him the irritated glance.
Alex popped a strawberry into her mouth and chewed thoroughly before speaking. "No, although that might be preferable to what it actually is." She spread her arms and indicated the flowers throughout the room. "These" — she paused for theatrical emphasis — "are all from my adoring fans. It seems I'm quite the rage."
"Well, there's no accounting for taste, Scamp." Humor laced Will's tone.
Alex threw her older brother a scowl and would have held it to increase the drama of the moment had she not been interrupted by the arrival of Lord Blackmoor. While most of London would have agreed that it was highly improper to pay a house visit before noon, Gavin was more family than guest, and his entry garnered no surprise. Smiling at the duchess and bowing low over her hand, he remarked wryly, "Well, it's a good thing I didn't arrive with flowers— they would have tipped this room's decor into the realm of the excessive."
The duchess returned his smile as Will and Alex laughed aloud. "Your presence is ever so much more a treat, my lord," Her Grace said, "although I will venture a guess that you're here for breakfast more than you are for a glimpse at Lady Alexandra."
Gavin went to the sideboard and began filling a plate for himself. "Indeed, it seems that the rest of London's male population has courting Alex well in hand, and so I find that breakfast is what's left to me." He cast a sidelong grin at Alex, who was sifting idly through calling cards, pretending not to be moved by his teasing.
And, in truth, it wasn't his teasing that did move her. That, she was used to. Instead, she was reminded of the previous evening and the whirlwind of confused emotions she had felt around him, Gavin, with whom this kind of verbal sparring was the status quo. By the light of day, she realized, the graceful, looming, discomfiting male was gone, and left was her old friend. His hair was still damp from his morning ablutions and, despite his impeccable waistcoat and breeches and the perfect knot in his cravat, he was back to being his relaxed and casual self.
It seemed that last night was an aberration and all those peculiar thoughts she had had were simply that — peculiar. And past. Thank goodness.
Returning from the food, plate in hand, Gavin paused just behind the chaise where Alex was ensconced. Looking over her shoulder at the cards in her hands, he spoke. "Of course, Lord Douglass sent you an invitation to ride this afternoon. He's up to his eyelids in gambling debt. You're not seriously considering accepting, are you?"
The manner in which he spoke, laced with superiority, crawled up Alex's spine, making her want to defy him even though she was well aware of the Viscount Douglass's shortcomings. Tamping the fiery response that sprang to her tongue, she offered a graceful shrug and flipped to the next card.
Blackmoor gave a snort of laughter. "Crane? He's an imbecile. You'd have him for breakfast."
Alex cast him a sidelong glance and remarked coolly, "Lord Blackmoor, I hadn't realized that you had taken such an interest in my suitors."
"I'm simply pointing out that all these flowers are for naught if the likes of Crane and Douglass are your options. There must be some men worthy of consideration in the group, no?"
As Alex opened her mouth to respond, she was interrupted by the duchess. "I must speak with Cook about the menu for the evening meal. Alexandra, you have at least fifteen invitations to ride along the Serpentine this afternoon. I expect you to accept one of them before I return."
At his sister's groan, Will laughed. "I wish I could stay and watch your torment, Alex, but I must be off to the War Office." Turning to Blackmoor, he offered a lopsided grin. "I assume you’ll at least stay until you've finished breakfast? Keep track of anything worthy of teasing for me, will you?"
Blackmoor settled back into a nearby settee and extended his legs in front of him, crossing his ankles casually. "Indeed." Turning a friendly look on Alex, he offered, "Who is next on this unfathomably impressive list of marriageable males?"
Recognizing his sarcasm, Alex rolled her eyes in irritation. "Mother... don't leave me with him."
"Actually, I believe that Lord Blackmoor might be the perfect person to help you sort through these offers, Alexandra. He knows enough about the eligible men of the ton to be able to separate the scoundrels from the gems." Meeting the young man's eye, the duchess nodded in approval and offered a parting comment as she left the room with Will : "I shall approve the decision upon my return."
Left alone in the room with Gavin, Alex let out a sigh. "I fear I won't be able to find a way out of this. How did this even happen? I went out of my way to avoid attracting suitors last night."
Leaning back in his chair, Gavin leveled Alex with a serious look. "You've learned your first lesson, Minx. Men chase that which seems unattainable."
"No. What I learned was that men are gluttons for punishment. Why 'chase' me when they could catch any number of eligible young females from last evening?"
"Silly girl... because chasing you makes for more of a challenge — and more of a reward."
Alex offered an amused snort. "I assure you, my lord. Considering my feelings about being 'caught,' I would provide little, if any, reward."
While his body remained relaxed, his eyes narrowed on her and his voice deepened as he responded, "On the contrary, Alex. Your resistance to marriage would make the reward of successfully courting you that much sweeter. Turning your desire for spinsterhood into a desire for something else would be quite a coup for any man. Which is why all of these men" — he indicated the room with a lazy wave of his hand — "have thrown their hats in the ring."