A Little Bit Sinful(37)
Frankly, it surprised her too that she’d thought it, let alone said it aloud. But she couldn’t let him know that so she quickly thought of an explanation. “It makes perfect sense. You get to do what you want, irritate the entitled, but you need not worry about breaking my heart.”
“Because you are not seduced by my wicked good looks.”
“Precisely.” Lie, lie, lie. His wicked good looks were the problem entirely. Well, perhaps not entirely, there was the matter of those intoxicating kisses…
“Your logic is intriguing, I shall grant you that.”
“Do you agree?”
“I’ll consider your proposal.”
Not with you. She schooled her features to ensure her disappointment wouldn’t show.
“I do have a question, though,” he said. “Won’t my courting you cause problems between you and George?”
This is what she got for speaking before clearly thinking something through. This was what Rebecca had always warned her about, her impetuous nature. She’d seen Justin dancing with Betsy and had wanted to speak to him and then out popped that suggestion. But now that she considered it, perhaps a feigned courtship would be precisely what George needed to jump into action. And he certainly wasn’t keeping himself all to her; he had Franny Cooper and who knew what other lady hanging on the line waiting for him. “A little jealousy never hurt anyone.”
He chuckled again. “Ah, Chrissy, I have missed you.”
His words warmed her. Had he thought of her all these years? She had thought of him in passing, but had assumed that she’d never see him again. It had seemed a good thing at the time since Rebecca had thought him to be the wrong sort of boy to befriend Marcus.
“I do have a confession though,” he said.
“Which is?”
He leaned close enough to her ear. “I’m not truly courting Miss Riverton.”
“Yes, I know, that’s what I was saying.”
“No, you misunderstand.” He sat straight again. “Vivian asked me to pay court to Miss Riverton.”
She frowned. “Whatever for?”
“To draw the attention of other would-be suitors.”
She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. Her frown intensified. She was annoyed that her sister-in-law would ask such a thing of Justin. But in truth she had no reason to be irritated. Still, part of it felt like a betrayal.
“Did you know that Lord Volley makes wagers on his wife’s dog breeding?” Justin asked.
She smiled relieved that he had changed the subject considering she’d just asked him to court her for no apparent reason. They had done well the other night when they’d spoken of similar matters. “I did not, but I do know that Lady Volley is so entranced with said dogs that supposedly she allows them in her bed, but not her husband. And I believe she has seven of those furry little creatures.”
“Fascinating,” he said.
“Most assuredly.”
“What do you know of that woman over there?” He nodded toward the stately older woman standing at the edge of the ballroom doors.
“Oh, that is Lady Pringle, and I’m afraid I have no gossip about her. She is a pinnacle of propriety,” Clarissa said.
“That is Lady Pringle?”
“You have heard of her? It would seem her reputation far reaches even what I would have thought. Then again, Rebecca used to call her the finest lady in all of London.”
He grinned, a devilish grin that made Clarissa’s toes curl. “It would seem that I am the one holding the gossip on her.”
“No!” But his grin did not falter. “Truly?” she asked.
“Indeed. Your mistress of decorum over there is also a notorious gambler. She uses a false name and sends a proxy in her stead, but she places wagers on nearly everything under the sun.”
“You are lying.”
“Absolute truth.” He put his hand over his heart as if making a pledge.
She narrowed her eyes at him. “If she uses a proxy and a fake name, how do you know it’s her?”
“I make it my business to know about everyone who patronizes Rodale’s. I did not know what she looked like, but my investigation turned up her real name.” He gave Clarissa a look. “I should go over there and introduce myself.”
“You cannot do that. You simply cannot introduce yourself, it isn’t done.”