Let Love Find You (14 page)

“So you’re just doing her a favor?”

“Exactly. All aboveboard. Her maid is even waiting in the coach. So you might want to add a trusted, long-standing friend of the family to that list of yours.”

She conceded that point with a nod. When she had to scramble for her own chaperones even with a
big
family, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have only one family member to depend on. Trusted friends would have to do in that case—no, actually, that still wouldn’t do a’tall! It would have to be a married woman friend. Amanda had chosen that option herself when she’d begged Rebecca to escort her to the first ball of the Season because she’d thought it would be much more fun to be accompanied by an old friend. But a male friend would never do. And certainly not one as young and handsome as Devin Baldwin.
That
was still highly irregular.

She said as much. “If her brother couldn’t attend, she should have asked a female friend of the family. Have they none?”

He chuckled. “You
are
persistent, aren’t you? If you must know, the invitation was mine. She’s here as my guest. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be here a’tall. Her brother thought it a splendid opportunity for her to meet some new marriageable chaps, and so it is.”

Amanda could feel the blush rising and looked away, hoping he wouldn’t notice. Yes, that did make a difference, but she wasn’t going to say so. And why were they even dancing? Just so he could criticize her again? He’d started to, but she’d stopped him by offering an explanation, and he’d conceded. She could explain away his other negative assumptions about her, too, but she wouldn’t. She could not care less what he thought—as long as he kept it to himself.

She glanced at him again. “Did you ask me to dance to apologize? If not, I think you should take me back to my cousins. You and I have nothing—”

“The truth isn’t always pleasant. But what I told your sister-in-law wasn’t for your ears, and I might have been exaggerating a bit to make a point. Didn’t expect you to be eavesdropping.”

Color rose in her cheeks again, due to anger this time. That was supposed to be an apology? No, it was nothing of the sort.

Stiffly she said, “So that was your roundabout way of telling her you weren’t up for the job?”

He raised a dark brow. “Prevaricate instead of tossing out a simple no? Hell no, that’s not my style.”

Her eyes narrowed on him suspiciously. “You don’t still think you’ve been hired to play Cupid for me, do you?”

“You don’t think I might want to help someone as desperate as you out of the goodness of my heart?”

She snorted over such a failed attempt at being amusing. “After what you said? No, I do not! Besides, I don’t think you have a heart.”

“I notice you didn’t deny that you’re desperate.”

She gasped and took her hand from his, turning to leave. He actually grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him, tightening his grip on her hand and waist. She couldn’t believe it! What if someone saw that! Good Lord, she’d
known
she’d end up making a scene if she got near this exasperating man again!

“Let go of me!” she insisted.

“We’re not done—dancing. So your temper is yet another problem?”

“I don’t have a temper—unless I’m around arrogant brutes like you!”

“You don’t deal well with criticism, do you? No matter how well-intentioned?”

“Well-intentioned insults, now I’ve heard everything,” she said scathingly.

“Nothing was said to insult you, you’re just too touchy to admit you’ve been going about this all wrong—unless you don’t actually want to get married for some reason? That would certainly explain your resistance to good advice.”

She clamped her mouth shut. She glared at him. She was close to screaming in exasperation. He was going to be the ruin of her if he didn’t shut up!

“I didn’t think so,” he said with a nod. “So I’m going to help you despite yourself. Let’s call it a good deed.”

“Oh, I see, taking your
god
of love nickname a little too seriously, are you?” she said, sarcasm dripping from her every word. “You actually think you’re capable of producing
miracles
?”

He actually laughed. “
That
was the exaggeration. So which
is it to be? Lord Goswick and riding lessons, or we find out who you’re compatible with and go from there?”

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him, We
aren’t finding out anything together,
but his mention of Kendall made her say indignantly, “I can win Kendall Goswick without anyone’s help, thank you very much.”

He shook his head. “That’s too bad. It actually looked like you fancied him, but I must have been mistaken.”

“I did. I do.” But then her brows snapped together. “Stop it. I have dozens of other things to recommend me—”

“Won’t matter a jot once he finds out you don’t like horses.”

“I love horses. Love to see them race. Love to have fast ones hitched to my carriage. Who wouldn’t love something that useful?”

“You know I was talking about riding. I know Goswick very well. He doesn’t have parents to nag him about getting married. He doesn’t give a fig about socializing, so don’t look for him to show up at these affairs. You’re probably the first lady he’s shown the least bit of interest in since he came of age.”

That
was thrilling to hear and erased her anger for the moment. “Did he say something about me?”

“Yes, actually. He said he looked forward to riding with you. But when that doesn’t happen, you’ll never hear from him again.”

“Nonsense. Love transcends
requirements
.”

Devin chuckled. “Are we back to talking about gods?”

“You know what I meant,” she huffed.

“Yes, of course, you think love can surmount all obstacles. In some rare cases it might. But you won’t even get to that point with Goswick. He’s not going to have a chance to fall in love with you if you never see him again. And as soon as he finds out you’re afraid to get on a horse, I guarantee you’ll never see him again.”

W
ITH THE DANCE
FINALLY
over, Amanda would have rushed away from Devin, but he still wasn’t letting go of her. He hooked her arm through his and walked her back to her cousins. Very well, another few moments and she’d
never
have to talk to him again.

But as if their conversation hadn’t ended, he said in an aside to her before he let her go, “Isn’t there some unwritten rule that the offspring of dukes have to be courageous?”

How ridiculous! But he walked away before she could tell him so. And it only took her a moment to realize he’d just called her a coward! She couldn’t let
that
remark go unchallenged! But when she tried to see where he’d gone, she finally spotted him back on the dance floor, with Blythe Pace this time.

Blasted man. How dare he challenge her to get back on a horse? And, of course, the only way she could prove him wrong was to actually get back on one. But she’d tried that when she went home with her father! Did she really? No, actually, old
Herbert had just helped her to give up by not giving her any encouragement at all.

She chewed at her lower lip. Despite Ophelia’s telling her horse riding would be a prerequisite for a match with Kendall Goswick, she’d still been hopeful about furthering her acquaintance with him. But now Devin was telling her the same thing, and her hope just evaporated. Despondency was sneaking back up on her. She’d
really
enjoyed having two prospects for the Season—and where the deuce was the other one? She still hadn’t even clapped eyes on Robert Brigston.

“Is something wrong?” Rebecca asked her in a whisper so Rupert wouldn’t hear.

“No, why?”

“You were frowning.”

Amanda sighed. “I have so many, too many really, choices of men to pick from. It’s just becoming a bit difficult to sort them all out.”

“Is it really?”

Amanda laughed. Rebecca had been her best friend when they were children and knew her too well.

“It’s that the one I favor the most is an avid horseman. Phelia doesn’t think he’ll court me if he finds out I don’t ride.”

“You still don’t? I know you refused to try after that fall put in you bed for a whole summer, but I thought by now—”

“I drive my own carriage instead. I never thought I would actually
need
to ride a horse. Now I do, and I
will
, but, what if I can’t?”

Rebecca laughed. “Gumption and doubts in the same breath, only you could pull that off with such flair. If you want my advice, don’t put the cart before the horse. Find a good teacher and give it a try first, before you fret over—”

“There you are, gel,” Mabel Collicott said to Amanda. “What the deuce were you doing, dancing with that horse breeder? Stick to your own kind, a nice chap like Farrell Exter—”

Considering Mabel had just barged in on her conversation, Amanda had no trouble interrupting, “Excuse me, ladies, but I only have a few minutes left on this break to get some refreshment before the next dance. I’ll be right back, Becca.”

Amanda hurried away, not sure what about that old dame annoyed her. But really, Amanda already knew Farrell, considered him somewhat a friend, but for a matchmaker to recommend to her a second son with no prospects? The woman had to be going batty in her advanced years.

On the long walk to the refreshments table at the other side of the room, Amanda skirted the back of the crowd so she wouldn’t get stopped by anyone she knew. She was still stopped. Actually, her dance card was pulled right off her wrist!

She swung about to upbraid the fellow for not simply asking her to wait. The words never came out. The young man was of average height, had blond hair, blue eyes, and was handsome! This had to be Robert Brigston, Viscount Altone. And here he was, signing her card and grinning while he did so.

When he looked her in the eye as he handed the little booklet back to her, the grin left his face. He actually looked surprised as his eyes moved over her face, then briefly lower. “My, oh, my. I’ll admit you looked pretty from afar, but seeing you close up bowls me over. You’re a raving beauty, ain’t you?”

She didn’t know what to say to that. Compliments before introductions? She’d at least like to know for sure who was complimenting her before she responded with more than a blush.

But he wasn’t finished! “I wasn’t going to marry, no need to yet, but now that I’ve met you, I must. Do say yes.”

She simply couldn’t help the giggle that produced, though she quickly cut it off. How outrageous he was! But she didn’t really mind silliness of that sort a’tall. Grinning, she replied, “I’ll say nothing of the sort. And you haven’t introduced yourself to me yet.”

He laughed, a little too loudly, drawing attention their way. “You so dazzle me, my manners flew right out the door. Robert Brigston, your servant, your slave—I’ll take whatever I can get. And you must be the incomparable Amanda Locke?”

She was mindful she shouldn’t be talking to him without her chaperones close by, at least not until they danced. She hoped he’d signed more than one line in her card. She definitely wanted to find out more about him! But for the moment, she needed to end this first encounter or steer it toward greater propriety.

She nodded. “I was getting some refreshment before rejoining my cousins. Perhaps you’d like to come by and meet them?”

“I’ll pass on that opportunity, lovely lady. Relatives are so boring. Until our dance?”

He kissed her hand! And not the polite barely touching of lips to skin, either, but a firm kiss. Then he just strolled off, leaving her surprised and quite disappointed that he hadn’t wanted to extend their encounter by walking her back to her cousins.

But, at least, now she had a dance with Lord Robert to look forward to tonight. That nipped that bit of despondency in the bud and filled her with a bubbly excitement as she returned to Rebecca and Rue, completely forgetting about the refreshment she’d gone for.

During her next six dances, she couldn’t concentrate on her partners at all! She noticed now where Lord Robert was,
dancing with other debutantes. And each time their eyes met, he’d wink at her, giving her the urge to giggle again. This was so exciting! So this was what she’d been missing her first two Seasons, actually being attracted to a man. And this year, there was not just one but two men! Would she actually have a hard time deciding which one she liked better? What a wonderful thought! But that was
if
she accepted Devin’s dare . . .

Then Robert whispered by her ear, “Finally, I get to touch you.”

She drew in her breath sharply. No one had ever said anything that risqué to her before. She swung about. He was grinning at her as he took her hand to lead her onto the dance floor. He wasn’t supposed to be touching her hand yet, not until they were actually on the dance floor. Perhaps he’d missed that lesson in etiquette.

When Robert turned to draw her into position for the dance, he actually pulled her hand behind him so she got much too close to him. Her breasts even touched his chest! But he quickly corrected the “accident,” stepping back to begin the dance in the proper position. Had he done that deliberately? Surely not.