The duke stepped into a better light. “Everingham. And as I said, there are no females here, for which I thank providence. Now push off before you attract the ladies’ attention, there’s a good fellow. I’m trying to grab a few moments to myself, away from the hurly-burly.”
Lord Towsett held the lantern higher. “You sure there’s no one else here, Everingham? Mrs. Threadgood told me Lady Georgiana was in here, with a rat.”
She was, George thought. With two rats.
“Lady Georgianawitha rat?” the duke repeated incredulously. He shook his head. “Mrs. Threadgood has clearly drunk too much champagne. There’s only me here. And now you.”
There was a short silence. “Have you seen Lady Georgiana Rutherford at all? I’ve been trying to catch a word with her all evening.”
The duke snorted. “Dammit, Towsett, do you imagine I, of all people, would be keeping tabs on a Rutherford female?”
“No, no, no, of course not. Though Lady Georgiana isn’t like—no. Well, then, I’ll be off. Evening, Everingham.” He left, shutting the door carefully behind him.
The duke turned back to George. “Your ardent suitor, I collect.”
She didn’t answer.
“Heard you’ve refused him several times.”
Again she said nothing. It was none of his business.
“Surprises me that you feel you have to hide from him. Thought you had more backbone than that. He’s not exactly fearsome, Towsett. Persistent, but not a brute.”
“I wasn’thiding! I’m not the least bit frightened of Lord Towsett,” she flashed. “If you must know, I came here because—” She broke off. It was none of his business.
“Because?” He prompted, but she said nothing.
“No need to be embarrassed, Lady Georgiana,” he almost purred. “I’m all ears.”
She gritted her teeth. He was enjoying this. “If you must know, I’d promised my aunt I wouldn’t make a scene. Anyway, I wasn’t the only one who was hiding.”
“Would you rather they spied the two of us together?” Even though it was dark, she knew he’d arched that eyebrow of his in that annoying manner he had.
“We weren’t ‘together’!” she said indignantly. It was his fault those wretched women had come in. She knew what they’d think, what they’d say.
“Truth doesn’t matter to gossips like La Threadgood. Appearance is all they care about.” And now she could feel his shrug, even though he was several feet away from her.
“They were after you, not me.”
“Is it my fault that females chase me?” There was smugness beneath the disdain. The arrogance of the man was something to behold. “Wherever I go, they pop up, like fleas on a dog. It’s always been annoying, but since your sister jilted me—”
“Rose didnotjilt you! It was... there were circumstances beyond her control. And she’s my aunt, not my sister.”
He dismissed Rose with a careless wave. “You have too many aunts to keep track of. Since Ifailed to get married, then, it’s become incessant. They call, they write, they try to bribe my servants. One even tried to climb through my window one night. The married ones are irritating enough, but the unmarried ones—what do you imagine those three females wanted just now?”
She shrugged, then realized it was pointless in the dark. “No idea.”
“To be compromised. One virgin angling for the appearance of seduction—or at least to be compromised—andtwo married witnesses.” He added thoughtfully, “It might be different if they were all married.”
George was disgusted. “Well, I don’t want to be compromised, and I have no interest in marrying you, so I’ll thank you to take yourself off—discreetly!—before anyone else comes in.”
He didn’t move. “I’m not finished with you yet.”
“What do you mean?” She eyed him suspiciously. “Is this about what I said at the opera the other night?”
He snorted. “Hardly. But I did come to this ball specifically to talk to you. So when I saw you enter the conservatory, I followed you.”
“Why?” She backed away. “I don’t want to talk to you.”
