Page 22 of The Wrong Duke

“I know what you mean,” David chuckled. “Sometimes, I envy the lower classes, truth be told. Why, I saw one gentleman just yesterday walking about in nothing more than breeches and a —”

“Careful now,” Evan interrupted his friend. “None of that bawdy talk. Not in front of a lady.” He grinned at Miss Baker who scowled quickly. “I apologize, Lord Lindstone. Sometimes we forget that we’re in mixed company.”

“It’s quite all right...” He couldn’t have looked angrier with the way Evan was behaving.

“Truth be told, I find that times are changing,” Evan continued jovially as he took a sip of wine. “Why, just last week — Miss Baker, you might find this story amusing. Scandalous, but a good example of just how risqué times are. At the ball, I was wandering through the garden, and you will never guess what I saw?” He waited for someone to ask the obvious question.

“What did you see?” Miss Forbes asked from beside David. She was leaning in, appearing transfixed by the banter.

“A lord and lady entwined about one another like vines running up a tree.”

“You are joking!” Miss Forbes giggled, and Evan caught her eyeing her friend across the table as if trying to share a silent conversation.

“I assure you, I am not! Of course, they were wearing masks but...” He clicked his tongue. “I didn’t get a good look at them, unfortunately. Lucky for them.” He looked right at Miss Baker who matched it. “The scandal such an act would cause.”

“You didn’t tell me this,” David queried.

“I didn’t want to frighten you, Lord Malnor,” Evan explained, winking at Miss Baker. “You and I, we’re getting on in years —”

“Speak for yourself.”

“— but these younger women... Another click of his tongue as he ignored the rueful glare Lord Lindstone had him in. “They behave as if they are on a sheep farm, I tell you.”

“That really is dreadful,” Miss Baker agreed with a friendly smile that didn’t at all speak to the fire behind her eyes. “I can’t imagine what might possess someone to behave in such a way.”

“Oh, I’m sure you can.”

Her eyes widened, but she was quick to subdue them. “Well, you know what they say. The quickest way to avert guilt is to pass the blame on to somebody else. Are you sure of what yousaw, Your Grace? And from what angle did you see it?”

“Ha!” David threw back his head and chuckled gaily. “Oh, she got you there. Yes, she did.” He picked up his glass of wine and shook his head to himself. “Very clever.”

“I can assure you —”

“I was only jesting, Your Grace,” she hurried to interrupt, that sly smile just for him. “Only jesting.”

“Yes, well...” Evan grumbled and took a deep sip of his wine. “The point still stands.”

“Oh, there was a point in there somewhere?” she shot back. “I thought you were just trying to sound interesting.”

“Amelia!” Lord Lindstone hissed.

“Gosh, this is fun,” David laughed to himself.

“Sorry, Father.” Amelia touched softly at her forehead. “It must be the wine.”

“And the heat,” Evan offered. “Feeling a bit overwhelmed perhaps. It’s lucky you’re sitting. If you were to fall, I doubt I’d be quick enough to catch you this time.”

“I’d rather fall.”

“Amelia!”

Evan suppressed a smile as his plate of food was placed in front of him. His plan had been a simple one — to goad Miss Baker into dropping the shy, withdrawn facade that she seemed so eager to promulgate as her true personality. Whenever she spoke with David, she was the epitome of class, careful not to say anything offensive, eager to come across as subservient and proper — a true lady of theton.

But Evan knew better. He thought back to the few times he’d had her alone, remembering how fiery she behaved, how sharp her tongue was, how quick she was to draw blood because to him, that was her true nature. So, when he interrupted and prodded and poked her as he just had, it was that version which he hoped to rear its ugly head and breathe fire.

Technically, it was a success. She’d taken the bait and said some not very nice things to which her father still glared a warning. Not happy with his daughter, she was likely to spend the rest of the night acting withdrawn and meek so as to avert any suspicions. Only... had it worked how Evan had hoped?

Beside him, David chuckled into his glass of wine, his eyes flicking between Evan and Miss Baker, apparently delighted by the riposte. He was, after all, Evan’s best friend with a sense of humor to match and likely not as put out by her behavior as Evan had hoped. Dammit, if it wasn’t for Lord Lindstone’s reaction, the entire conversation might have been written off as one big jest.

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