thought ruefully. The fact that he had made
no accusation against Edgeworth the night
of their infamous card game had obviously
emboldened the man.
Meditatively Lucas sipped the claret,
aware of his audience. Merivale and his
companion were frowning now, waiting
to see how Lucas would handle what
bordered on a thinly veiled insult to
Victoria's virtue.
One would be wise to resist the
temptation to speculate too much on
Miss Huntington's social activities," Lucas
said.
Unless, of course, one is prepared
to present oneself at dawn in Clery Field
accompanied by a pair of seconds."
The small tableau of Edgeworth, Meri
vale, and Merivale's friend went abruptly
still.
Edgeworth eyed Lucas through narrowed
lids.
Just what is that supposed to mean,
stone vale?"
Lucas smiled his thinnest, coldest smile.
Precisely what it sounds like. I am, as you
well know, prepared to let a little matter
such as cheating at cards go unremarked. I
am not, however, quite so sanguine when a
slur is cast on an innocent young woman's
name. I leave the decision up to you,
Edgeworth."
Edgeworth straightened away from the
mantel, his face turning an angry shade
of red.
Damn you, stone vale. God damn
you to hell, you bastard. Do you think your
luck will hold out forever?" He turned on
his heel and walked swiftly out of the
room.
Merivale and his companion watched
with open mouths as Edgeworth departed.
Lucas swallowed a far larger amount
of claret than he'd had all evening.
He considered himself fortunate that
Edgeworth did not care to play any
game in which the deck was not marked.
Good God," Ferdie Merivale said,
mopping his brow with a linen hand
kerchief.
Thought for a moment there I
was going to get my first invitation to act
as a second. I must say, you handled him
very well, sir. Certainly cannot have Miss
Huntington's name bandied about in such
a manner."
I should say not," Merivale's companion
put in.
Miss Huntington is a very decent
sort of female. Danced with me at my first
ball when I was damn sure I would make a
complete ass of myself on the floor. After
a couple of dances with her, I felt much
more confident, and after being seen with
her, I had no trouble getting other dances,
I can tell you."
She was extremely good to my sister,"
Merivale added.
Poor Lucinda was stricken
with the most awful case of shyness when
she made her debut a year ago. Frozen with
fear, you might say. But Miss Huntington
took her under her wing and showed her
how to go on in Society. Mama was
excessively grateful, I can tell you. As
a friend of Miss Huntington's, Lucinda
soon got some excellent invitations."
Edgeworth backed right down, didn't
he?" the other young man observed eagerly.
But, then, lately I have heard rumors the
man don't much care for a fair game of
any kind."
I believe, sir," Merivale said slowly,
that Edgeworth is a bit annoyed with
you because of that little scene at the card
table a while back. Everyone knows you're
much too good a player to drop an entire
deck on the floor by accident. After you
called for a new deck and began to win,
people started wondering at Edgeworth's
incredible luck in the past. He's finding
it harder and harder to get into a game
these days. Wouldn't be surprised if there's
some talk of kicking him out of his clubs
soon."
Interesting." Lucas nodded briefly at the
two young men.
If you will excuse me, I
must be going."
A moment later Lucas walked down
the front steps of the club and hailed
the nearest carriage. Inside, he sprawled
back against the seat and exhaled deeply.
He needed to think.
Idly he rubbed his jaw and stared out
into the night. This game he was playing
with Victoria was getting increasingly risky.
Aside from the very real physical dangers
of their midnight adventures, there was
now a genuine risk to her reputation.
Killing Edgeworth in a duel would not
be enough to silence the gossip, once it
had started.
He could not allow Victoria to get hurt,
Lucas told himself grimly. The thing had
reached a very serious stage. They were
courting an increasing risk of discovery
with every midnight outing, and every
time they were seen together at parties
or in the park, tongues wagged.
Lucas knew Victoria well enough now
to realize that even if he refused to escort
her on any more midnight adventures,
she would probably find some way of
going about on her own. She had grown
extremely confident in her flimsy masculine
disguise.
There was another possibility, too, Lucas
reflected. If he stopped providing escort,
she might very well find another man who
would. And that was the most intolerable
thought.
Lucas absently massaged his leg while
he examined his own logic. It was clear
that the dangerous courtship had to end
and soon. The only solution was to marry
Victoria as quickly as possible.
His nerves would not tolerate too much
more of this wild, reckless, midnight
wooing.
Two days later Lucas folded his arms
across his chest and sent an amused scowl
at Victoria, who was shifting restlessly again
in the neighboring seat. She pretended not
to notice his admonishing look as she
readjusted her skirts.
Next to Victoria sat Cleo Nettleship,
paying rapt attention to the speaker, a
certain Sir Elihu Winthrop, who was
delivering a stimulating lecture entitled
An Enumeration of the Principles of the
Cultivation of Buckwheat."
Lucas, at least, was finding the subject
stimulating. He was already making plans
to put some of stone vale's fields into
buckwheat. The stuff made excellent
fodder for cattle and sheep and, according
to Winthrop, was frequently consumed
by humans over on the continent. Of
course, everyone knew that people on
the continent would eat virtually anything.
Still, there were periodic shortages of wheat
throughout England and buckwheat might
provide a good emergency grain for his
people.
Victoria began to tap her foot im
patiently. Lucas knew he should probably
not be too hard on her. She obviously had
other things on her mind this afternoon
and he was quite certain he knew what
was making her so fidgety.
Lucas hid a quick smile of satisfaction.
He had absolutely no intention of making
it easy on the lady. Now that he had her
hooked, she was going to have to work a
little more at getting herself landed.
For a moment he allowed himself a few
glittering memories of her sweet passion
and then, when he realized what it was
doing to the region of his groin, he gave his
full attention back to the speaker. Winthrop
was now deep into a discussion of various
methods of manuring buckwheat.
Most educational," Lady Nettleship
declared at the end of the lecture.
Although I confess I have a much
stronger interest in lectures on exotic
plants. Still, one should certainly be
aware of the newest techniques employed
in domestic agriculture. Did you enjoy it,
Lucas?"
Very much. Thank you again for letting
me know the lecture was going to be held
today."
Anytime, anytime. Are you ready to
leave, Victoria?"
Yes, Aunt Cleo. Quite ready." Victoria
was on her feet, collecting her bonnet and
reticule.
Well, we mustn't rush out of here. I
see one or two people I should speak to
first." Cleo glanced around the room with
enthusiasm.
I will be right back."
Victoria shot Lucas a meaningful look
from beneath her lashes as they started
toward the doors of the lecture hall.
He looked down at her, enjoying the
sight of her in a charming little yellow
spencer jacket worn over a white muslin
walking dress. She looked very lovely, he
thought with a sense of possessive pride.
He ushered her politely toward the exit,
nodding at several of the society's members
with whom he was becoming friends.
The departure from the hall took some
time as several people stopped to talk.
Lucas could feel Victoria simmering with
impatience beside him.
Is something wrong?" he finally inquired
quite casually as they stood in the entryway
waiting for Lady Nettleship.
No, but Lucas, I must talk to you."
Then something is wrong?"
Nothing is wrong. I simply wish to
speak to you in private and I have not
had an opportunity to do so since the
night we
She broke off, turning pink.
Then she gamely cleared her throat and
finished the sentence,
Since the night we
went to the Green Pig."
Speaking of which, I ran into Ferdie
Merivale the other evening at my club.
You will be happy to know he was not
nearly as annoyed with me as I had
expected. Even thanked me for rescuing
him. It seems he's come to his senses and
feels he had a rather close call."
Victoria's eyes brightened for a moment.
I'm so glad. I have always liked Ferdie and
his sister."
Too bad I cannot tell him he owes the
lesson to you, not me. I'd have left him
to his fate, I'm afraid."
Only because you were so concerned