The Masked Heart (Sweet Deception Regency #2) (10 page)

Fleur pouted under Blaine's sweetly smiling gaze as the men rose to take their leave. The girl did however acquit herself well as she accompanied them to the door. Blaine was finally able to relax in her chair and waited patiently for her sister to return. She would find out just what the girl had been up to and then deal with the dinner party. The thought of making a public appearance as Lady Yates filled her with unease and yet she could see no way out of the predicament. In her attempt to resolve Fleur and Val's isolation from society, she feared she had placed all of them in a very dangerous situation.

Chapter Five

Despite her misgivings about attending the dinner party at Fairhaven, Blaine discovered that she was enjoying herself immensely. In a way, she felt a reversal of the normal order of her life. As Aunt Haydie, she was relegated to the background, an invisible spectator watching the main players in the drama. Once the fear eased that her disguise might be penetrated, she began to delight in the role she was playing.

Owing to her secluded early life and her self-imposed exile from society, she had never been involved in normal conversation with others of her background. Almost exclusively, she associated with the theatre company but even there she had learned quickly that she had to be extremely careful of what she said or the male actors would immediately misinterpret her friendliness. She had adopted a standoffish attitude that many assumed was snobbery but it protected her from undesirable advances.

As Lady Yates, her supposed age gave her a freedom she had never possessed before. She need not suspect the intentions of anyone who spoke to her, so she was able to enter into the conversation as she chose, asking questions or commenting without fear of creating the wrong impression.

During the dinner party at Fairhaven, the company was small so the conversation encompassed the whole table and, despite the fact the guests were predominantly youthful, the discussions concerned an interesting range of topics. Although much of the conversation revolved around familiar figures of London society, it did not degenerate to the cataloguing of scandals and the spicier snippets of gossip. Much to Blaine's surprise, this high tone was owed primarily to the presence of Drew Farrington.

He faced her across the table so that she was aware of his every movement. Dressed in black satin, his linen blindingly white, devoid of jewelry with the exception of a single emerald ring on one tanned hand, Drew dominated the company. It was not that he spoke with any great frequency but he masterfully guided the conversation, choosing topics which would be of general interest to draw out the other guests at table. He had a keen wit; his humor generally directed at himself rather than others. It was a virtuoso performance and one that gave Blaine a more kindly view of the man. He might be arrogant but he was not one to listen for only the sound of his own voice.

Looking down the table, Blaine's mouth formed a thin line of distaste. The only objection she had to the evening was the inclusion of Talbott Stoddard. It had jolted her mightily when the man had entered the salon. He had been visiting one of Robbie's neighbors and as a courtesy was included in the invitation. To Blaine, it seemed inconceivable that the two men who had been pursuing La Solitaire so assiduously were both at the table with her.

Next to Stoddard was Fleur. Blaine's heart swelled with pride at the loveliness of her sister. She wore a puff-sleeved gown of palest pink silk with a wide ruffle at neckline and hem. The color brought out the golden quality of her hair and reflected the pink tones of her complexion. Pearls hung around her neck and dangled from her ears when she moved.

While helping Fleur prepare for the evening, Blaine had noted the glow of excitement that radiated from the girl and felt a keen sense of sadness. She herself had never had the naive joy of a debutante in her first season. She had gone from a sheltered and isolated homelife to the disillusioning experiences of the theatrical world. She prayed that Fleur might never lose the innocence that shone in her violet eyes.

She did not like the fact that Fleur had been placed next to Stoddard. The refreshing innocence of the beautiful girl had immediately drawn the interest of the jaded palate of the nobleman. Blaine could see that her sister was quite taken with the elegant manners of the handsome blond gentleman and she was relieved when the dinner was over, eager to call Fleur away from the dangerous Stoddard.

"Ah, Lady Yates," Drew said. "Won't you take my arm?"

Blaine blinked at the speed with which the man had rounded the table. He stood now, blocking her way and it would only make a scene if she refused him. The footman behind her chair extended her walking stick and she grasped it convulsively as she forced herself to nod graciously at Drew. "Thank you, Lord Farrington."

"Robbie insists I give you a tour of the Long Gallery since this is the first time that you have been at Fairhaven," Drew said, pulling her hand through his arm. Noticing the worried look in the old woman's eye as she looked back at Fleur, he hurried to reassure her. "Robbie will look after your little chick and keep her out of harm's way." He took a step and still sensed her hesitation. "Just lean on me, Lady Yates. I shall walk very slowly, ma'am, and then you will not be inclined to get winded."

"There's nothing wrong with my wind, you rapscallion," Blaine snapped, annoyed at his vision of her as a simpering invalid.

"Excellent. Then we shall move right along." Drew grinned at her as he led her away from the rest of the company.

Once more Blaine realized how quickly he had outmaneuvered her. Instead of objecting to his company she had fallen into the trap of defending her health. Vanity, she muttered to herself, will be your undoing.

As they walked through the corridors, Drew treated her to a discussion of the ancestry of many of the pieces on display. He halted before a case of Chinese ivory carvings, while she admired the delicacy of the workmanship. When they arrived at the Long Gallery he led her around the room stopping at the various pictures, amusing her with scandalous tales of his forebearers.

"This is my Great Uncle Danforth. He lived to an amazing age and was the despair of all of our more staid relatives. The man had a penchant for the ladies and was wont to chase the chambermaids through the hallways while shouting 'Tallyho' and blowing a hunting bugle."

"Definitely would cut up the peace," Blaine answered, a light chuckle breaking through despite her best efforts. "Had a similar uncle but he had a severe spasm one day and was gone in an instant."

"I suppose the chase was too much for him," Drew said.

"No," she said. "More like the capture."

"Lady Yates!" Drew snorted in amusement. When the old woman raised her lorgnette in question, he threw back his head with a genuine bark of laughter. "I knew when I first met you that I would find enjoyment in your company. Your eyes give you away. They fair sparkle with mischief. And I was afraid that my stay in the country would be deadly dull."

"Why exactly did you come to stay with your brother? A repairing lease?"

"Robbie asked me to come," Drew answered quietly.

"I see. Wants help with his suit, eh?"

"Something like that."

"At least you've not offered me Spanish coin. I like to be dealt with honestly." Being careful to move slowly, Blaine crossed the parquet floor to a grouping of carved walnut benches. She sat down gingerly as if stiff with rheumatic pains and crossed her mittened hands over the carved knob of her walking stick. "It's no good, you know," she said, her face a deep rumble in the quiet room.

"Fleur is very young," Drew said, indicating he understood her perfectly.

"The shameless chit has confessed that she has been meeting with your brother. For her part, it was a harmless lark to relieve her boredom. Luckily for her, Robbie is a gentleman." Blaine met Drew's amused glance with a grimace. "I have seen much of this world and I have tried to make her understand that her behavior might have reaped tragic consequences."

"Did she believe you?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Naturally not!" Blaine shrugged at the uselessness of giving advice. "She sees the world as a place of wonder and purity. Most men would take advantage of such innocence."

Drew's gaze sharpened at the bitterness in the old woman's voice. He knew little of her life and yet he wondered at the jaundiced view of men she held. He waited in silence for her to continue, surprised that he wished to know her perceptions.

"I like your brother, milord. He has a pleasant nature and I sense a stability that would make him an excellent husband. I gather he has no need to make a wealthy marriage, which is just as well since Fleur has only a small dowry." She paused, looking up into Drew's face. "Is Robbie aware of the fact that Fleur is not in love with him?"

"Yes, he does know that. Unfortunately, he assumed that since she treated him as a friend, all he need do is to declare himself, and she would fall into his arms. Watching him tonight, I would guess he has come to the understanding that it will not be quite so easy." Drew placed one foot on the bench beside Lady Yates and braced his arms on his leg as he pursed his lips in thought. "I think Robbie was not aware of how isolated your niece has been from all society. Tonight in the presence of the other men at the table, he has received a much different view of her situation."

Blaine nodded in agreement.

"It is my thought that Fleur would be the perfect wife for Robbie," Drew continued. "She looks to him for friendship and generally that is the beginning of love. But she is young and will want to spread her wings a little and try out her powers. If he can be patient, I think he might win her in the end. Would you approve of Robbie's suit?"

Blaine fussed with the silver-rimmed lorgnette but did not raise it to her eyes. She stared across the room, her eyes not really seeing the array of portraits. When she spoke it was as though she were working out the problem in her own mind.

"When Fleur was just a child, I knew she would grow to be an exceptional beauty. I wanted her to go to London so that she might marry a titled gentleman who could give her the world. But in the last several years I have come to the realization that would not guarantee her happiness."

"Is there any guarantee for happiness?" Drew asked quietly.

"Probably not," she admitted. "London is much different than Wiltshire. The so-called gentlemen of the
ton
are not the kind of men who engender much admiration. Many are morally bankrupt, keeping mistresses or playing fast and loose with other men's wives. Many are on the look out for rich wives because they have already run through their inheritances. Few have the qualities I would choose for Fleur. In Robbie I find much that is admirable and would accept him as a suitor for her hand."

A low chuckle echoed in the quiet room and Blaine looked up questioningly at her companion. When Drew smiled his face softened, losing the arrogant appearance that she found so annoying. His green eyes sparkled against his tanned face and his teeth flashed whitely.

"It seems our goals for Fleur and Robbie are very similar. I will be frank with you, Lady Yates. I came to Wiltshire at Robbie's request but my intentions were to save him from the clutches of some scheming jade." He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners when she bristled in anger. "Hear me out, ma'am, before you condemn my actions."

Blaine subsided on the bench, caught by the gleam of laughter in his gaze. She wished he would remove his foot. His closeness was having an unsettling effect on her nerves. The material pulled tautly across his leg and she could see the musculature rippling beneath the skin at every movement of his body. She had to keep a tight grip on the top of her walking stick because she was filled with an urge to reach out and touch him. She raised her eyes to his face and forced her mind to focus on his words and not the nearness of his body.

"Robbie, as you perhaps have ascertained is, like Fleur, the trusting type. When he informed me that he had been meeting secretly with a young lady of impoverished circumstances with, if I may be pardoned, an invisible aunt, my suspicions were aroused. I rushed here to save him and much to my surprise found the wicked temptress to be nothing more threatening than a well-brought up babe sprung lately from the nursery."

"Believe me, young man, there is nothing more dangerous," Blaine intoned archly.

"Unless it is her beady-eyed mother," Drew said with a shudder. "However to return to the subject. Do you think Fleur might come to look on Robbie with some favor?"

"If she has any sense, she will, but one never knows with young girls." Blaine bit her lip, deep in concentration. "Fleur has always had a very sweet nature. Despite her disenchantment of the moment, she loves the country and has a strong feeling for the land. It is just lately that she seems petulant and bored. Perhaps I have been wrong in keeping her so close. In London, with her beauty, she would be sure to take but I do not think she would be happy in that society. The question is, will Robbie be content to stand by while she discovers the joy of being young and a lovely female?"

"I think once he thinks on it, he will. We shall have to do what we can to be of assistance." Drew placed his foot on the floor and held out his hand. "Well, madam, how like you the role of Cupid?"

"The world's a stage," Blaine quoted, taking Drew's hand and letting him assist her to her feet. At his touch, she did not need to pretend an aged shakiness as her knees felt decidedly unsteady. "I shall play my part like the veriest trouper."

Drew's brow furrowed at the touch of irony in her voice but led her back to the main parlor, well pleased with his chat with the old lady. He had not been wrong about the intelligence or the wit of the woman. Her insights were perceptive and he had thoroughly enjoyed himself in her company. Lady Yates would make a formidable co-conspirator.

On entering the room, Blaine's eyes immediately found Fleur, seated in a window embrasure, listening raptly to Talbott Stoddard. The girl's cheeks were flushed and occasionally a soft giggle burst from her rosy lips. Blaine's own mouth tightened as she watched the spell being cast by the experienced rake. At her side, Drew nudged her and she followed his gaze to Robbie who lounged with his back to the mantel.