So you limited yourself to a yellow
waistcoat. I congratulate you on your
sense of restraint. And, pray tell, who
tied your cravat? I warrant I haven't seen
such a clever design in ages."
Like it, do you?" Victoria fingered the
carefully arranged neckcloth." Invented this
particular fold myself. Call it the Victoire."
Annabella gave a peal of laughter." Vicky,
I swear you sound just like one of the
dandies on Bond Street. You've got the
whole tone exactly right. Just the proper
sense of affected boredom. I declare you
could trod the boards and make ydur living
as an actress."
"
Why, thank you, Bella. That is high
praise indeed."
Lucas lounged back in the seat and
surveyed the striking figure beside him with
a critical eye. His initial shock was giving
way to annoyance and a certain uneasiness
that was new to him. It was clear Victoria
Huntington was fond of mischief, and this
brand of mischief could land her in serious
trouble.
Do you go about like this often, Miss
Huntington?" Lucas was aware he had
automatically used the tone of voice that
in the past he had reserved for young
officers under his command who had
landed themselves in trouble. He could
not help himself. He was irritated.
This is my first experiment with men's
clothes, sir. But to be truthful, I shall
probably be strongly tempted to try it again
in the future. I find that the masculine
attire affords me far more freedom than
I have when I wear women's clothes,"
Victoria admitted.
It certainly affords you a far greater
opportunity for bringing down a wave of
humiliation and social disaster on your
lovely head, Miss Huntington. If it got
out that you have a taste for running
around London at night dressed as a man,
your reputation would be in shreds within
twenty-four hours."
Victoria wrapped her fingers even more
firmly around the handle of her walking
stick." What an odd thing for you to say,
sir. Do you know, your attitude quite takes
me by surprise. I would have thought you
less of a prig. I suppose the card game at
the ball misled me. Don't you have any
taste for adventure? No, I suppose you
don't. You are, after all, a good friend
of Lady Atherton's are you not?"
The woman was deliberately baiting him.
Lucas wished very strongly that they were
alone in the carriage." I do not know what
you are implying, Miss Huntington, but
I assure you, Lady Atherton is above
reproach."
Well, yes, that is just the point. Everyone
knows Jessica Atherton would never in a
million years allow herself to be found in
this carriage on her way to the fair tonight,"
Victoria declared.
Annabella giggled again " That is cer
tainly the truth."
Are you implying Lady Atherton is a
prig?" Lucas demanded.
Victoria shrugged, the movement sur
prisingly sensual in the well-cut jacket.
I mean no offense, my lord. Just that
she isn't the sort of female who enjoys
adventure. One naturally has to assume
that her friends are equally limited in
their choice of entertainment and equally
disapproving of those who have broader
tastes."
And you are a woman who enjoys
adventure?" stone vale baited.
Oh, yes, my lord. I enjoy it very
much."
Even though it carries with it the risk
of ruining yourself in Society?"
There would be no real adventure if
there were no real risk, would there, my
lord? I would have thought a successful
game ster such as yourself would under
stand that."
Her words made him more uneasy than
ever." You may be right, Miss Huntington.
But I have always preferred risks in which
the odds were at least somewhat in my
favor."
How very dull your life must be, sir."
Lucas instinctively started to react to the
goading remark but caught himself in time.
His self-control reasserted itself, along with
his sense of reason. The last thing he could
afford now was to have his quarry declare
him a priggish bore. His instincts told him
Victoria would respond to a challenge or
even an all-out battle of wills, but she
would ignore him entirely if he managed
to bore her.
A priggish bore. Good God. The thought
of that label stuck on him was enough to
make him laugh. It was certainly not the
usual description applied to his character.
But around Miss Huntington, Lucas
discovered, he was rapidly developing
a most uncharacteristic regard for the
proprieties. He was still in shock from
the sight of her in men's clothes.
Victoria
was
no
longer
paying
any
attention to him, however. She was
smiling at Annabella." So you decided
to turn down Barton's offer, did you? I
am happy to hear it. The man would have
made you a perfectly horrid husband."
I am convinced you are right," Annabella
shuddered delicately." I might have been
able to overlook Barton's interest in hazard
but just imagine marrying a man who has
actually fathered two bastards on some
poor woman to whom he will not give
his name."
It certainly casts a nasty reflection on
his honor," Victoria agreed grimly.
Lucas studied her profile in the dim light.
Just how did you come to discover the
business of Barton's illegitimate offspring?
I cannot believe that gossip reached your
ears on the dance floor of a hostess such
as Lady Atherton."
No, it did not, as a matter of fact. I
hired a runner to discover what he could
about Barton and he was the one who
turned up the news of the two children
and the mistress."
Lucas felt a chill clutch his insides." You
hired a Bow Street runner?"
I thought it the most efficient approach
to the problem."
It was a brilliant approach," Annabella
declared.
Lyndwood
groaned.
" Good
Lord,
if
Mama only knew. Poor Barton. Do ya
know, I think he rather cared for you,
Bella."
I doubt that," Victoria said briskly." His
family has told him they expect him to
marry and he is simply in the process
of casting about for a wife who will suit
his father. He tried me last year until I
managed to make him see I would not do
at all and then he moved on to try his luck
with the Perfect Miss Pilkington. Evidently
she, too, had the good sense to see that he
was the lowest sort of fortune hunter. Then
he spotted Bella, here, and decided to have
a go at her. Nothing more to it than that."
The Perfect Miss Pilkington?" Lucas
glanced from one woman to the other.
Why do you call Miss Pilkington perfect?"
Because she is," Annabella explained
reasonably." Never puts a foot wrong. A
model of feminine perfection. A paragon,
in fact."
You will understand about Miss Pilkington,
my lord," Victoria said," when we
tell you that she is a protegee of Lady
Atherton's."
I see." No wonder Jessica had wanted
to introduce him to the other heiress. It
was a good bet that if he had decided to
pursue Miss Pilkington, he would not now
be sitting in a carriage with a young lady
dressed outrageously in masculine attire.
Lucas wondered for half a second if he
had made a serious mistake earlier in
the evening. And then he decided that
whatever the risks, the night was going
to be infinitely more interesting with Miss
Huntington.
I thought you would, my lord," Victoria
said.
Well, one thing is certain," Lucas
pointed out dryly," because of your
interference, Miss Lyndwood will never
have a chance to find out precisely how
Barton does feel about her, will she? And
Barton, himself, will never know he was
done in by a paid runner and a certain
Miss Huntington. The man will never even
have a chance to defend himself."
Could he defend himself?" Victoria
retorted, her eyes clashing with his in the
shadows. This time there was no mischief
or humor in her steady, challenging gaze.
Are you saying that what the runner
discovered was untrue?"
Lucas held his ground, speaking evenly.
I am saying that it was none of
your business to interfere in the matter.
There might very well be mitigating
circumstances."
Hah. I doubt that very much," Victoria
said.
So do I," chimed in Annabella." Just
imagine that poor woman tucked away
with Barton's children."
Lyndwood bestirred himself on the other
side of the coach." Neither of you two
ladies ought to know a deuced thing about
any of Barton's offspring who happen to
have been born on the wrong side of the
blanket. T'ain't right for you even to be
discussing such matters, is it, stone vale?"
Such conversation is certainly not the
mark of well-bred ladies of the ton," Lucas
muttered, grimly aware he sounded exactly
like the boring prig Victoria had insinuated
he was.
Victoria's smile was triumphant." Lord
stone vale, allow me to point out that if
you find my conversation too offensive for
your delicate sensibilities, there is an easy
remedy for you. Simply open the carriage
door and depart."