Marquesses at the Masquerade(69)

“What say you, Lord Exmore?” Wallis continued when Exmore didn’t answer. “Surely you are outraged.”

“I believe Lord Exmore has danced with her,” Lewiston volunteered.

Exmore’s restraint was cracking. How easy it would have been to strike the man’s handsome face. Perhaps blacken those pretty eyes, as Exmore had wanted to for years.

“He has?” Wallis cried, outraged. “Is this true?”

“Yes,” Exmore said, forcing himself to sit back in his chair. He decided that the best course to protect Annalise was to appear nonchalant, as if she meant nothing to him.

“I say, you of all men should know her true nature,” Wallis said. “She’s a termagant. A hellion.” He waved his hand dismissively. “No doubt, you had to dance out of politeness.”

Exmore didn’t trust himself to answer. He drew a long sip of tea instead. Lewiston had remained silent but looked on with a small amused hike to his lips. What did he know? Lewiston always had the advantage of knowing more than Exmore did.

“Lord Exmore, I fear for Patrick,” Wallis continued. “I don’t want that wild gel chasing after him. He’s an important man now. Five thousand a year. He doesn’t need her sort dragging him to her depths, scaring away more promising prospects.” Wallis looked at Exmore for agreement.

Exmore spoke in low, measured tones, aware that Lewiston was watching him closely. “I think you would find that Miss Van Der Keer has matured. I haven’t witnessed any of her former misbehavior of which you speak.”

“But what happens when Patrick arrives?” Wallis pressed on. “She knows he’s coming. That’s why she’s here. She has the mind of a cunning minx.”

“I feel you are mistaken.” Exmore could no longer conceal his anger. It ground in his voice.

Wallis patted his armrest. “I want you to talk to her father.”

“He is dead,” Exmore said bluntly.

“You appear to know a great deal about Miss Van Der Keer,” Lewiston said slowly, slyly.

Exmore ground his molars. How had he fallen into this delicate game of societal chess? He had to move carefully to protect his queen.

“Then who chaperones her?” Wallis demanded. “Her uncle again? That insidiously ambitious man. You must talk to him. Remind him of his and his niece’s station.”

“Which is?” Exmore snapped.

“Her uncle is a hairbreadth above middling, and she herself is barely respectable.” Wallis’s voice was raised, thundering over the din. “You must speak to her uncle and find some means, some leverage on the man to have his niece removed from London before she can get her scheming claws into my boy. She means to make him the contempt of gentle society and ruin all he has become.”

Exmore bolted to his feet, shaking the table, splashing tea.

“Come now, what is this?” Wallis demanded, lifting his tea-soaked linen from his lap.

“Very well.” Exmore’s voice was a low, hoarse whisper. “I shall speak to Miss Van Der Keer and warn her away from Patrick. I shall suggest that she find a gentleman who knows his own mind and doesn’t require his papa to solve all his problems.”

Wallis’s mouth dropped. “Are you insulting my son? I say!”

Lewiston released a low chuckle. Damn the man.

“You asked me to warn away Miss Van Der Keer,” Exmore said. “I’m merely thinking of a course that will work.”

The old man’s eyes narrowed as his mind worked. “I say,” he said slowly. “Maybe that gel’s sad charms have got to you in your weakened state. Listen to me, my lord, stay away from her low sort. Her kind will say and do anything to ingratiate themselves to their betters.”

Exmore knew he wasn’t acting wisely, but he wouldn’t stand to have Annalise slandered. He leaned down, placing both hands on the table, his face inches from Wallis’s.

“If you say a word against Miss Van Der Keer,” he said in a low growl, “I will sink Patrick’s prospects in this city forever. He may as well have stayed India.” Exmore gathered his letters and journal and strolled out, stunned silence in his wake.

Outside in the vivid sunlight, his body quaked. What had he done? He was supposed to keep things under wraps with Annalise. Their friendship was the purest, most lovely thing he had in his life. Of course, he had to slip up and destroy it. Damn him.

If anything grew from this unfortunate meeting with Wallis and Lewiston, he would do everything in his power to protect Annalise. He would shoulder all the blame. Until then, he would remain silent and hope nothing came of it. But he had a clawing feeling that a powerful wave was rolling in from the sea about to crash upon him.

*



Annalise glanced about Lord Warrington’s ballroom, searching for Exmore. Some evenings they crossed paths, other nights they didn’t. She floundered the nights he wasn’t around. Even though they pretended not to notice each other, when he was about she was aware of his every move. She could detect the slightest raised, amused brow or tightened lips suppressing laughter. When it was safe, their gazes would meet, and they would say without speaking, I know you are here. All is well. Strange how she needed only a single look from him to feel strong again.

She didn’t see him among the faces, but counseled herself that she had only arrived, and the musicians were still warming up. There was still time.