Always a Maiden (The Belles of Beak Street #5)(13)

“Who is the abbess, Cooper?” asked one of the men. “Does she have any friends?”

“She’s a nun, not an abbess.” At the last minute Evan decided not to address the man by his title—although he knew quite well it was the Viscount of Hull.

Susanah’s eyes widened. No doubt she knew him too. Hull hadn’t even bothered with a mask.

Evan silently prayed for him to go away.

“Hello, love. You could come with me. I’m worth far more than Cooper is.” His hand reached out toward Susanah’s mask. “I could give you real jewels not paste as you’re like to get from him.”

Evan slapped his hand away. “She’s all mine. If you need a woman of your own, go find a real abbess. I’m certain there are one or two about.”

“Haven’t seen you here before,” Hull said.

Evan stiffened. He didn’t usually bother attending these events because he wasn’t in the market for a mistress—or at least not one who would require him to support her in style. The women here wanted providers not merely lovers. “I attend on occasion.”

“Or you.” Hull was no longer looking at him but focused on Lady Susanah. “What ho?” His gaze swung back to Evan’s. “Tell me you didn’t bring a lady here.”

Evan rose and stood between the viscount and Lady Susanah, wondering what had clued in the man. Maybe that he never attended balls like these.

“You like me slip’ers, gov?” Susanah said in a fairly credible cockney accent as she wrapped her arms around Evan’s waist. “Saw them in a window of a secon’hand shop and ’e bought ’em for me….sir.”

Evan’s lips twitched as he watched the other man’s eyes narrow as he tried to decipher Susanah’s identity. Clearly, Hull wasn’t buying the accent, but he hadn’t placed her either. Evan twisted and reached over her head to wrap his arm around her and bring her into a frontal embrace. Hell, if she was going to hug him, he would enjoy it—even if it was only an act on her part.

“I’ve seen those shoes before.” Hull’s eyes narrowed. “Not on Mrs. Barnet, either.”

“Bad form, Hull.” Evan reached over Susanah and gave the other man a playful push, which made Hull list before catching himself. “Now leave us, while I explain Mrs. Barnet meant nothing to me.”

“I don’t know how you do it.” Hull gave a mocking bow and left to return to his friends with a loud, “He’s got a new lady friend.”

Evan let out a slow sigh and then squeezed Susanah.

She, of course, pushed away from him. “How does he know I’m a lady?” she whispered fiercely. “Aside from my shoes.”

“Because I’m not know for consorting with East End harlots,” he whispered. “Nor would one be allowed in here—unless of course, she’d refined her speech and manners.”

Her blue eyes looked wounded. “Oh. I suppose I panicked. I didn’t want him remembering my shoes.” She glanced over her shoulder as the group departed the room, all but one couple who were obviously too engrossed with each other to pay any mind to anyone else. “Do you think he knows who I am?”

“No.” He gathered her back in his arms although it was a bit like hugging a marble statue. Or a warm, breathing, marble statue. His blood was roaring through his veins, which didn’t make a lot of sense given her resistance. “It was a very credible accent.”

“I shouldn’t have said anything.” She stared at his chest or waistcoat. Somehow he didn’t think its pattern deserved such scrutiny.

“It is no matter. Lord Hull is a bit bosky and he probably won’t remember enough details to matter.”

“What if he does figure out who I am?”

“No one would believe it.” Surely, Hull wouldn’t give the woman Evan brought a second thought. “Is he on your list of potential husbands?”

Her gaze jerked up to his. Finally. “He was.”

“Was?” echoed Evan faintly. The surge of triumph he felt was not warranted but knowing that didn’t stop it. He shouldn’t want to eliminate her potential suitors. It wasn’t as though he could marry her. “You can’t hold his attendance here against him. You would never know of it, in the ordinary course of events.”

“But I can’t have him figure it out either.”

“He won’t.” Even if he did, he wouldn’t say anything. Although, if Hull learned she wasn’t so proper after all, it might stir his interest in her. Evan didn’t want Hull to be interested in her, although he wasn’t a bad sort.

Susanah squinted at him. “Did Mrs. Barnet really mean nothing to you?”

Evan didn’t know how to answer that. He hesitated.

Susanah plucked at his waistcoat lapel. “I know you don’t kiss and tell, but that would imply you did kiss her.”

“Let us say that upon closer acquaintance, she was not who I thought she was.”

Susanah pushed back and said, “I see.”

But he really didn’t think she did. And strangely he wanted to explain, although that would mean betraying Theresa’s confidences. Since Susanah was trusting him with her reputation and her virtue, he couldn’t tell her the truth.

“I suppose it is good that you don’t form lasting attachments.”