In fact, the only people he let anywhere near him were his family and her.
She wasn’t quite certain she wanted to dissect the implications of that honor.
What did this Madame Moon tell you?”
Her friend frowned slightly. “It was so strange. She said there was a man here tonight who was everything I could ever want, and that if I did not find him, my life would be empty and…tragic.”
“Good lord.” Rose dug in her heels. “I’m not going near this woman. It’s all about men.”
“We’re women,” Eve needlessly reminded her, giving her a shove toward the tent entrance. “Of course it’s all about men. Now get in th…oh my.”
Rose turned her head. Her friend was staring at someone on the other side of the room-a man. A handsome, lean, dangerous-looking man with the grace of a cat. A very predatory cat, and he was staring at Eve as though she was the sweetest, plumpest mouse he’d ever seen.
Perhaps there was more to this Madame Moon than she first suspected. One look at Eve’s face and she could tell her friend was just as taken by this man as he by her. “Go,” Rose whispered. And then loudly she said, “Eve, is not that Amanda Ross by the punch bowl? She said she had a recipe for a new face cream. Go get it from her, will you?”
Eve shot her a startled glance, because they both knew Amanda Ross was standing not two feet away from Vienna La Rieux, who was conversing with Mr. Dangerous. But as startled as her friend might have been by the encouragement, she also realized that both of their chaperones were in line to have their fortunes told and that she might never have an opportunity like this again.
“Of course,” she replied loudly as well. “I will be right back.”
And off she went. Alone, and the target of exasperated looks by the ladies waiting their turns, Rose ducked into the tent to face her future.
I see a man.”
Rose bit back a sigh. Of course she did. She seemed to see a man in every cup. And here she’d actually hoped that Sadie Moon might be as unusually talented as her appearance suggested.
“He hides himself. A mask. He keeps to the shadows.”
Rose’s heart rolled over her chest. “What else?”
“You want him,” Sadie said, turning the cup in her palms. “You do not understand what you feel for him, or why he pushes you away.”
“No.” Rose was breathless. “I don’t.”
Those fey eyes locked with hers. “Because he loves you enough to give you up. He is all about duty and honor, but he is ruled by fear.”
She was on the very edge of her seat now. “Yes. He’s afraid of coming out of the shadows.”
Sadie shook her head, the feathers on her hat bobbing. “That’s only part of it. He’s afraid for you.”
“For me?” Rose’s teeth clicked together. “Why?”
The fortune teller shrugged. “For that answer, you will have to go to him. You have many men in your cup, Lady Rose.”
Disappointed, Rose sagged a little. “For all the good it does me.”
A bright grin flashed beneath that amazing hat. “The man who wants you but will not take you. Another who would take everything you offer and give what he can of himself-but it will not be enough. Another who wants nothing from you at all.”
Grey. Kellan? And probably Archer.
And there’s one more thing.”
Rose accepted the handshake with a smile, hoping she would see this strange woman again. “What is that?”
“The man in your cup-the one who you say hides from the world?”
“Yes, what of him?”
Sadie smiled. “He’s here.
Your brother is the most ridiculous, hardheaded, stupid man I know!”
Rose half expected Archer to chastise her. Instead, he took a second glass of champagne from the footman passing with the tray and offered it to her. “And you are surprised by this?”
“Astonishingly, yes.” She took a long, unladylike swallow of the crisp, bubbly liquid.
“I’m astounded. Ah, here are two scoundrels you should know to avoid.” His grin told her he considered them quite the opposite.
They were good-looking men, one tall and dark, the other almost as tall with brown hair and blue eyes and enough of the Kane countenance that she picked him for Grey's relation instantly. They met Archer enthusiastically, and then turned polite curiosity in her direction.
"Lady Rose Danvers," Archer said jovially. "May I present the Earl of Autley." The dark man bowed over her offered hand. "And my cousin, Mr. Aiden Kane?" The man who looked a bit like Grey smiled and took her hand next.
"It's lovely to meet you, Lady Rose," the earl said smoothly. "I hope you are enjoying your time in London?"
"Oh, yes," she replied. "Lord Archer has been a very entertaining companion."
"I don't doubt it," Aiden said with a grin as he clapped Archer on the shoulder.
From where he sat in the box above the ballroom, Grey was able to watch Rose without her knowing.
The Duke of Ryeton, notorious rake and scoundrel, reduced to Peeping Tom. This is what Rose had brought him to.
It was exactly one week ago tonight that he’d made lover to her for the last time. In this very building, in a room he canceled the reservation for just an hour ago.
Now, what did my brother do to earn your ire this time?-insist that you are better off with a boring young man who will love you for your dowry? Hang your puppy like that dastardly Heathcliff?”
The last was meant to make her laugh, she knew, and laugh she did. And when she was done, she was in a much better humor. “You have read Wuthering Heights?”
He nodded. “I have. Don’t look at me like that! You do not believe me?”
“I believe you, but I must confess my surprise. You do not seem the kind of man who would read novels.”
A sly smile curved his thin lips. “My dear girl. Who reads novels?”
“Mostly women, I would suspect,” she replied, setting her empty champagne flute on the tray of a footman. Yet another passed with a fresh tray of full glasses and she took one of those.
“Exactly. If one wants to converse with a woman, one should have a variety of subjects at hand.”
“But you only want to talk to them so you can seduce them.”
“You shock and wound me.”
Rose grinned. “Impossible.
Grey was here.”
He hadn’t known, that was obvious from the way his eyes widened. “You lie.”
Rose chuckled. “I saw him. I spoke to him. He said he came to see me. And then he ran out of here as though the hounds of hell were nipping at his heels.”
Archer shook his head, an expression of disbelief on his face. “They tend to do that when Hades freezes over.” Then he offered her a grin. “He braved being seen in public just to come here and see you?”
“He was watching from a balcony. I wouldn’t have known he was here if the fortune teller hadn’t told me.”
His brows shot up. “And there’s a story for another time. Look, Lady Rose, I know he’s frustrating as all get-out, but you cannot expect Grey to change years of behavior in a week. You have to be patient-like waves lapping at a stone.”
That was so very easily said. He wasn’t the one being pressured to find a husband. He wasn’t the one who felt as though everything she wanted was just out of reach. “You know, I suddenly find myself very interested in Lady Monteforte’s literary tastes. Shall I make the introductions?”
“I will hang your puppy if you do not.”
Rose grinned. He truly was the most charming of rascals. “How very fortunate for me then, that I do not own a puppy.”
“For shame. Every young lady should have a puppy.”
Rose made the introductions, and Archer wasted no time in asking Lady Monteforte if she cared to dance. For a moment it seemed the lady might decline, but then Rose offered to stay with Jacqueline and Archer offered the widow his arm. She hesitated before taking it.
Interesting. Rose had never seen a woman react so coolly to Archer’s charm before. The Kane men were obviously losing their touch.
Grey wasn’t quite drunk, but he was far from sober when Rose entered his study later that evening. His heart stuttered at the sight of her, but his head…his head couldn’t take any more.
“I’ve been drinking,” he warned her, just in case his sprawled posture and missing cravat wasn’t enough indication. “And I refuse to dance this ridiculous dance with you any more tonight.”
“May I have a drink with you?”
He glanced up. She stood beside the sofa where he half sat, half lay. She looked like someone who’d just lost her best friend or puppy or something equally as tragic.
He sat up. “Of course.” Never mind that it wasn’t proper. Who the hell cared? They were well past proper. He was simply trying to hold on to sane.
She poured herself a substantial glass of sherry and took a seat on the chair nearest him. He sat quietly, nursing the remainder of whiskey in his glass while she took several sips from her own.
“Do you remember my come-out ball?” she asked after a few minutes.
“Of course.” And he did. “I remember telling you that you looked lovely in pink.”
She smiled. “You danced the first dance with me so I wouldn’t have to dance with Papa.”
“You were afraid the other girls would laugh at you if you danced with your father.”
“They didn’t laugh at me for dancing with you.”
“No.” He chuckled at took a drink. “I wager they didn’t.”
Rose sighed. “They thought you were so scandalous, you know. All night I had girls coming up to me wanting to know about you. I felt very important.”
He saluted her with his glass. “Glad to be of service.”
“I think I fell a little bit in love with you that night.”
Grey choked on a mouthful of whiskey. Coughing, he cursed himself for being stupid enough to relax his guard with her. “Rose…”
She held up her hand. “I’m not telling you this to make you uncomfortable, Grey. I wanted to tell you that you were a knight to me that evening-a knight on a big white horse. I didn’t know much about your reputation, all I knew was that you made me feel grown-up.
Rose barely poured herself a cup of hot, mouth-watering chocolate, when she saw Grey and Archer walking across the lawn. Archer was impeccable as always, but Grey was a mess. His clothes were the same he’d worn the night before, and obviously slept in. His shirt, open at the throat, revealed a glimpse of tanned flesh that made her heart twitch and her gingers itch to touch him. His hair was mussed, and stubble covered his cheeks and jaw, except where prohibited by his scar.
In short, he looked absolutely beautiful-a fallen angel. The only thing that made him remotely human was that scar, and she could easily tell herself he got that from battling the archangel Gabriel before being thrown out of heaven.
She squinted as she realize Grey held something against his chest-something that moved. Was that a puppy?
She jumped to her feet, and skipped down the few steps that took her down to the lawn. Lifting the skirts of her yellow morning gown, she hurried to meet them. “Good morning!” she cried. “What have you there?”
Archer smiled in greeting, but Rose barely noticed. Her gaze was riveted on the man looking at her with an expression so hopeful it neigh on broke her heart.
“I brought you something,” he said, his voice low and strangely rough. “A gift.” And then he held out his arms and offered her the sweetest face she’d ever seen.
“Oh!” What an idiot she must seem, her eyes welling with tears over a dog, but she didn’t care. She let the tears come and slip down her cheeks as she took the warm, silky animal into her own arms, burying her face against its fur. “Grey, thank you!”
“He’s too young to be away from his mother yet, but he’s yours if you want hm.”
“Of course I want him! He’s beautiful.”
He ran a hand through the thick tangle of his hair. “I didn’t know that you’d never had a dog before.”
Rose cast a glance at Archer, who shrugged. “Telling my secrets are you, Lord Archer?” What else had he revealed?
Grey’s brother shot her a sincere glance. “Only that one, Lady Rose. I did not think you would mind.”
“And I don’t.” Turning her attention back to the squirming puppy in her arms, Rose was rewarded with a lick to the chin.
“He’ll need to go back to the stables in a few minutes,” Grey told her. “But you can see him whenever you like.”
With her free hand, Rose reached out and took one of Grey’s. His fingers were so big and strong next to hers. She squeezed and then let go, letting him know with a touch just how much his gift meant to her. “I love him. Thank you so very much.”
“What are you going to name him?” he asked.
Rose tore her gaze away from the pleasure in his, lest she do something stupid like kiss him in front of his brother. Instead, she cast a small, secretive smile at Archer. “Heathcliff,” she replied. “His name is Heathcliff.
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