Turning interested eyes to her friend, Deborah tipped her head.
“You speak of Lord Brookmire, I assume?” Seeing her nod, she shrugged. “I confess that I do not know the gentleman at all. My mother has recently informed me of him and his reputation.”
Lady Elizabeth laughed softly.
“You are blessed indeed to be entirely unaware of him. Quite how you avoided his gaze last Season I cannot explain, for you are quite beautiful and just the sort of young lady he would seek.”
Shaking her head, Deborah threw Lady Elizabeth a glance.
“You are very kind.”
“And yet, quite serious,” Lady Elizabeth continued firmly. “You need not hide back in the shadow of your sisters any longer. Your mother has clearly made a great deal of effort when it comes to your appearance, both last Season and this. You should be quite pleased. I am sure that a gentleman will seek you for his bride very soon.”
Giggling, Deborah put one hand to her mouth to hide her smile.
“So long as it is not Lord Brookmire, then I shall be contented.” She tilted her head, her smile fading. “And so long as I find myself in love with the gentleman in question, and he with me.”
Lady Elizabeth nodded.
“Of course.”
Only last Season, Deborah, Lady Elizabeth, and their other dear friends had made a promise, that when it came time for them to wed, they would seek only a gentleman who loved them rather than marrying for the sake of convenience – and Lady Yardley was now also supporting them in whatever way she could.
“I can assure you that certainly willnotbe Lord Brookmire.” Lady Elizabeth’s smile was wry. “That gentleman cares nothing for affection, or even for the feelings of others!” Her lips pursed for a moment. “Last Season was the first which he attended, after his mourning following his father’s death. His first since he became Viscount Brookmire. However, he made it quite clear that he was to throw aside all of his responsibilities and thereafter take as much pleasure as he wished during the Season. He did whatever he wanted, and in whatever way he wished, and thus, the feelings and considerations of others were not even a thought to him. That is why Lady Yardley mentioned his return in the Ledger, although I noted that she said nothing about his previous behavior, nor the names attached to him.”
Deborah sighed.
“Which is precisely what we would expect from Lady Yardley, is it not? I am grateful to her for it.” She smiled softly. “Lady Yardley is a lady of integrity. She will not write anything about a person’s character within the Ledger unless it is entirely necessary and, if it is a whisper, then she will always state as much. I do admire her for that.”
“In this case, the warning is clear, even without her saying anything specific,” Lady Elizabeth added. “Those of us who are aware of his reputation already know to stay away from him, and those who do not know, such as yourself, are then informed by friends, so that you might do the very same.”
Glancing across to where her mother stood only a short distance away, Deborah found herself smiling briefly. The concern of both her parents and her friends was touching.
“As I have already said to my mother, I have no intention of going anywhere near Lord Brookmire.”
“Well, that would be a pity, since I am very pleasant indeed!”
A deep voice interrupted her conversation, but it was with a sharp glance that Deborah looked at the gentleman who had stopped before them. She took him in quickly, seeing his well-built figure, his slightly tilted chin, gleaming green eyes, and thick brown hair which flashed with hints of red where the candlelight touched it. His features were quite pleasing, of course, but it was not that which dissuaded her from him. Instead, it was the broad smile that settled on his features, the arrogance within that look that had her stomach turning over. She did not doubt that she stood in the presence of the very gentleman of whom they had been speaking.
And I am not about to melt with either embarrassment or appreciation for his handsomeness.
“I do not think that we have been introduced.”
With a tilt of her chin, Deborah narrowed her eyes a little, then turned her head away directly. It was a distinct and all-encompassing gesture, making it quite clear to the gentleman that she had no desire to speak with him further.
His response, however, was to chuckle.
“Indeed, we have not.” The gentleman’s grin, and following laughter when she shot him a glance, had her face flushing hot - but not with great delight at his attention. Instead, it was with anger that his arrogance should be displayed so toward her. “I can easily remedy that, for you and I have been acquainted, Lady Elizabeth. Would you not introduce me to your fair companion, who seemingly wishes to have no interest in my company, even though she and I have never so much as a single word to each other?”
Deborah opened her mouth to state that she had no interest in acquainting herself with a gentleman whose poor reputation preceded him, only to snap it shut again, fearing that he was attempting to goad her into responding before it was appropriate for her to do so.
Lady Elizabeth let out a small harrumph.
“I shall do so simply because I am bound by the rules of propriety, not because I have any wish to do so,” came her sharp response. “Lord Brookmire, might I present Miss Deborah Madeley, daughter to Viscount Prescott. Miss Madeley, this is the Viscount Brookmire.”
“Delightedto make your acquaintance.”
Lord Brookmire grinned, sweeping into a great bow. It was the expected response, of course, but Deborah herself gave no such murmur. Instead, she smiled briefly but did not let it warm her expression, keeping her eyes averted from him for as long as she could. She caught her mother’s gaze as she rose from her curtsey, seeing Lady Prescott frown, then lift an eyebrow in question. Deborah managed a minute shake of her head. No, she did not require her mother’s aid at present. Just because Lord Brookmire stood here did not mean that she would have a great long conversation with him. Appreciating her mother’s confidence in her – for Lady Prescott did not make a direct step towards her, Deborah finally looked towards Lord Brookmire. He was simply gazing at her with that irritating smirk still plastered across his face, and his eyebrows lifted as though he were waiting for her to finally give him her attention.
