Page 17 of Black Widow

His instincts belatedly began to prick him, and they were telling him toretreat.

The fan tapped him again, harder this time. When he looked back at the duchess, her expression was a trifle pinched. “I am only trying to help you, young man,” shechided.

“Thank you,” he said automatically before wondering why she had taken an interest in him. She didn’t keep him in suspense forlong.

“Yes, well, one would hate to see such a fine young man making a mistake and tying himself to a woman with…shall we say…a questionablereputation.”

Gideon stiffened. “If you’re referring to Mrs. Montgomery, I should explain she is a familyconnection.”

He could tell the duchess was trying not to roll her eyes. “No need to take umbrage, my boy. I know Amelia Montgomery is your kin by marriage, and she is charming and well-mannered enough. Truly, I have no issue with her. But I thought you should know your interest in her has been remarked on these last weeks. And I knew the former Earl of Flint for many years. He was a goodfriend.”

The duchess broke off and sighed. Her mind was no doubt deep in the past. After a beat, she continued. “Yours is an old and venerated title. Make sure you keep that in mind when you are selecting a countess to stand at yourside.”

His smile was taut when he nodded. “Thank you for your concern, but I’m not pursuing a bride at themoment.”

“That does not mean they are not pursuing you.” The duchess laughed. “You’re at the very top of every matchmaking mother’s list thisseason.”

“Oh.” Well, it was not news that he was a target on the marriage mart; nevertheless, it was disconcerting to hear that he was considered the main prize—and from a duchess noless.

A mental image of his head mounted like a deer in a hunting lodge flashed before his eyes as he caught Clarke’s eye from across theroom.

“Well, I see I’ve given you something to think about,” the duchess said when he turned back to her. “I shall leave you to it. Lord Harrow’s daughter is over near the window, by the way, in the whitemuslin.”

With that less than-subtle-hint, the grande dame departed in a cloud ofscent.

Behind him, Clarke sniggered. “Never understood why they call them the weakersex.”

Feeling wrung-out, Gideon spun around to face him, accepting the glass of champagne he held out withalacrity.

“Trust me, I’ve never made that mistake,” he muttered. “I don’t suppose there’s any chance of getting our hands on somethingstronger?”

“I bribed a waiter to raid the old duke’s liquor cabinet. I’m not sure what we’ll be getting, but it should do thejob.”

“That is why you’re my closest friend,” Gideon saidgratefully.

He drank the champagne in one gulp, looking around. The Harrow chit was making calf eyes at him. He nodded politely, trying to summon the enthusiasm to ask the girl todance.

“Best get it out of the way now,” Clarke said when the musicians began to play a cotillion. “You don’t want to have that hanging over your head when Ameliaarrives.”

An excellent point. He nodded at Clarke. “Save me that glass of purloined liquor when it comes. Something tells me I’m going to needit.”

The next quarter hour dragged as he did his duty and danced with Lucy Harlow. She was as advertised—a lovely girl, but painfully green. He knew it was the usual practice for a man of his age and station to marry a girl as young as sixteen or seventeen, but he personally couldn’t stomach the idea. Miss Harlow and all the debutantes of her age were little more than children in hiseyes.

Amelia had only been two years older when she married Martin, he reminded himself. Perhaps she resented being forced to wed at such an early age despite her affection for his cousin. And she had some—that much heremembered.

With an effort of will, he forced himself to stop thinking about Amelia and applied himself to the task at hand. He chatted and danced with several girls in their first or second season. He also paid court to the matrons and singled out one or two wallflowers, careful not pay too much attention to any single female. While he couldn’t stop the ton from speculating on his marriage prospects, at least he wouldn’t fuel the rumors that he had someone particular inmind.

After doing the rounds, he found Clarke again. The contraband French brandy he’d procured wasn’t a good year, but by then, he didn’tcare.

“She’s been here for twenty minutes. The reception from the duchess was a little frosty, however, Amelia didn’t appear to notice. Actually, she looks a bitfatigued.”

Trying not to be too obvious, Gideon and Clarke moved in the crowd on the edge of the ballroom until they were in sight of Amelia. She was with Worthingagain.

Gideon stood much closer to her than he’d been in the park, near enough for him to know that “fatigued” was anunderstatement.

“She looks bloodyexhausted.”

Though Amelia was striking in a muted violet bombazine gown, there were dark circles under her clear blue eyes. She was also paler than he’d everseen.

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