The Defiant Debutante

‘Really.’ Alex gave his uncle a mildly sardonic look. ‘Evidently she regarded me as being way past the age of eligibility for marriage at twenty-eight.’

‘No. I think she probably thought you were some fire-breathing monster with two horns and a tail. And when I told her you dealt with practically all my business affairs—’

‘Let me guess,’ Alex interrupted drolly. ‘Did she by any chance ask if you trusted me?’

‘She did.’

‘I see,’ he said drily, swearing that he’d not be bested by the dark-eyed witch.

‘So you will try to curb your temper when you are together and be gentle with her, won’t you?’ Henry asked, casting his nephew an anxious look of appeal.

Alex hesitated for an endless moment and then nodded, a reluctant smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. ‘Since I have no intention of laying a finger on her or being in her company for longer than I have to, I assure you, Uncle, that she will be perfectly safe from me. However, I feel I should warn you that I have already had a run-in with your ward; if that encounter is anything to go by, I cannot promise to be charm and graciousness personified where she is concerned. We may very well need a referee to keep us from murdering each other—which is where you will come in.’

Angelina swept into the dining room, intending to make a determined effort to be pleasant and agreeable to Lord Montgomery for Uncle Henry’s sake. A chandelier suspended above the table filled the room with flickering light, reflecting on the large, ornate silver pieces set on the mahogany sideboard, next to where the two gentlemen stood drinking wine.

Breaking off his discussion with Alex, Henry placed his glass on the sideboard and came to meet her, his eyes twinkling in admiration. ‘You look lovely, Angelina,’ he said, taking her hand and drawing her towards his nephew. ‘Alex tells me the two of you have already met.’

‘Yes—and as you can see, Uncle…’ she smiled with a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes ‘…I have survived the encounter without coming to grief.’

Henry lifted a brow to Angelina in a silent salute and smiled.

Angelina met Lord Montgomery’s sardonically mocking gaze. With his eyes as intense as a hunting falcon’s locked on hers, he moved forward, bowing his head with a studied degree of politeness, which to Angelina was a masterpiece of gracious arrogance.

Alex looked down at the tempestuous young woman in her lilac gown. Her face, which arrested and compelled his eyes, was both delicate and vibrant, and her large amethyst eyes still stormy.

‘Miss Hamilton was looking for something to read,’ Alex told his uncle without taking his eyes from hers.

‘Then I hope you found something to your liking, Angelina.’

‘How could I not? There were so many interesting books to choose from. I had absolutely no idea that so much knowledge could exist in one place.’

‘Alex must take the credit for that.’

‘Yes, I thought he might,’ she replied ironically.

Handing Angelina a glass of wine, Alex’s lips curled with a hint of a smile. ‘Miss Hamilton selected two illustrated editions—one on birds and the other on horses. Perhaps you prefer looking at pictures to reading, Miss Hamilton.’

Angelina’s eyes narrowed when she took his meaning and bristled at the intended slight. ‘I don’t just look at the pictures, Lord Montgomery. Contrary to what you might think, I am not illiterate.’

Henry chuckled. ‘Don’t underestimate Angelina’s intelligence, Alex. She reads anything you care to name and is conversant in French, Greek and Latin.’

‘Perhaps if I had chosen Voltaire or Socrates you would have been more impressed. Usually I read for enlightenment, for knowledge, but yesterday I fancied something light. I cannot see why you should pour scorn on my choice of reading. It just so happens that I like birds and horses.’

‘You speak French and Greek?’ Alex asked incredulously, with surprise and doubt.

‘You seem surprised,’ said Angelina.

‘I confess that I am. There are few ladies of my acquaintance who are familiar with the classics—and I am hard pressed to think of any one of them who is conversant in any language other than their own native English, and perhaps a smattering of French.’

Now it was Angelina’s turn to be surprised. ‘Then I can only assume that your experience with the female sex is somewhat limited, Lord Montgomery.’

A gleam of suppressed laughter lit Alex’s eyes, and Angelina could only assume, correctly, that her remark about his inexperience with women had not been taken in the way she had intended.

‘Angelina also plays an excellent game of chess,’ Henry championed, giving Angelina a conspiratorial wink to remind her of all those times they had played together on board ship, when she had more often than not finished the victor. ‘She can swim like a fish, outshoot most men, and handle a horse better than any female I’ve ever seen.’

Alex arched a sleek black brow in mock amusement when his gaze met Angelina’s. ‘I’m impressed! And to add to all these admirable attributes the cut and thrust of her tongue is sharper and deadlier than any rapier,’ he drawled.

‘I’m glad you’ve noticed,’ Angelina replied with an impudent smile and a delicate lift to her brows, taking a sip of her wine.

Alex lost the battle to suppress his smile. The girl had spirit, he had to give her that. ‘As you can see, Uncle, Miss Hamilton’s opinion of me is far from favourable. Earlier she accused me of being rude, overbearing, dictatorial—and she told me that I have the manners of a barbarian.’

‘And I fear I have to agree with her.’

‘Really, Uncle! Where’s your loyalty?’ Alex demanded with mock severity.

‘Forgive me, Alex. But that’s a difficult dilemma.’

‘I can’t see why it should be.’

‘I find my loyalties torn asunder. You see, they lie with you both. You are both family. Angelina is my ward—my cousin’s daughter—and you are my nephew. Surely you can understand the pressure I am under.’

‘Lord Montgomery is the other half of your family, Uncle Henry. Not mine,’ Angelina pointed out forcefully.

‘Noted for our obstinacy,’ retorted Alex.

‘Much good may it do you, my lord. I am no less obstinate, I assure you.’ The smile Angelina turned on Henry was full of sweetness. ‘It’s a pity one can’t be more selective with one’s family as one can be with one’s friends, don’t you think?’

‘I couldn’t agree more, my dear. But I am going to ask you both to lower your swords as a favour to me—at least until after dinner so that we can do justice to Mrs Price’s excellent cooking. It wouldn’t do for all three of us to end up with indigestion, now, would it? However, I grant Alex can be a touch overbearing at times, Angelina.’

Angelina raised a sceptical brow, tempted to say that Lord Montgomery was a complete and total ass, but instead she said, ‘Only a touch, Uncle Henry?’

‘Well, perhaps a little more than a touch.’

Angelina caught Lord Montgomery’s silver gaze that seemed to slice the air between them, warning her not to overstep the mark. She met his gaze calmly, with a defiant lift of her chin. ‘And Lord Montgomery has no need of a sword, Uncle. He can accomplish as much with his eyes as he can with the point of a sword. I swear he could slay a man at twenty paces.’

‘And you, my dear, have the unique distinction of putting his back up.’

Henry smiled indulgently and pulled out a chair for her at the table. Alex would sit opposite her and he would sit at the end—to act as referee if they were to continue sparring with each other. The air crackled and sparked between his nephew and his ward, and their looks and conversation were like daggers being hurled back and forth. It was better than he could have hoped for.

‘But you must forgive Alex,’ he continued. ‘The ladies of his acquaintance are usually more languishing. He can be quite charming.’

Angelina favoured Lord Montgomery with a look of pure mockery as he took his seat across from her. ‘Is that so?’

‘Most ladies do find me charming and pleasant—and some actually enjoy my company.’

‘And no doubt live to regret it,’ she bit back.

With a mixture of languor and self-assurance, Alex started to relax and lounged back in his chair, absently fingering the stem of his wineglass as his gaze swept over her in an appraising, contemplative way.