Page 5 of The Duke of Seduction
He thumbed through the tome for a moment and shook his head before looking for where it might have been on the shelf. Finding a space, he tucked it between two other books.
Geology. She’d stolen into a viscount’s library to read about geology. He was suddenly embarrassed about his assignation, which was odd since he’d never been before. But then he’d never been up against a haughty young woman who had sought to use a library for its intended purpose, whereas he’d planned to sully it. Yes, embarrassment fit the moment.
A haughty young woman with spectacular chocolate eyes and hair the color of cinnamon. Good Lord, was he hungry? Or was it that she’d just been pretty enough to eat? No, not pretty. That wasn’t the right description. She was attractive, but her chin was perhaps a trifle too strong and her cheeks too severe. She was captivating, in possession of some unidentifiable quality that made you want to know more about her in the hope of naming it.
And right now, he didn’t even knowhername. He turned and left the library and went in search of his friend Felix, the Earl of Ware. Finding him in the gaming room, he waited until Felix extricated himself from the card game and joined him near the door.
“Ready to go?” Felix asked.
“Not quite. Let’s repair to the ballroom for a bit.” He didn’t wait for Felix to respond before turning and leading him to the door that led to the ballroom.
Felix groaned. “Why? If you’re going to dance, I’m leaving without you.” They’d planned to go to Brooks’s Club as soon as Beck had completed his assignation.
“I’m not going to dance. I’m merely trying to find a woman.”
“Didn’t you just meet a woman?” Felix snorted. “You’re insatiable.”
Beck rolled his eyes. “Our plans were interrupted.”
“I see. How disappointing. Do you need me to create a diversion so you can try again?” Felix was quite adept at causing a disruption, usually for the purpose of general hilarity, but occasionally to allow for Beck or someone else of their acquaintance to accomplish some other act. At Oxford, Felix had been rather notorious for his abilities. Now, he tended to use his skills for organization. No one planned a game or activity better than Felix.
Because of this skill, Felix tended to know people Beck didn’t, though identifying a young miss on the Marriage Mart might be beyond even him. Like Beck, Felix steered fairly clear of those looking for a husband.
“I don’t need a diversion,” Beck said. “I need you to tell me who someone is.”
They stepped into the ballroom, and Beck instantly felt a prick of annoyance. The whole notion of young women putting themselves on display as if they were vegetables at the market disgusted him. Society put far too much stock in how a woman looked and on her standing in their rigid hierarchy.
“Why are we trolling the ballroom?” Felix asked.
“I met a young woman earlier and didn’t get her name. I’m hoping you might know her.”
Felix stopped and stared at him. “A young woman? You detest the Marriage Mart. What the devil are you doing?”
Beck scowled as he tugged Felix’s sleeve. “Don’t stop. People will want to approach us to converse.”
“And we wouldn’t want that,” Felix muttered. “Where is this astounding young woman?”
Continuing his perusal of the ballroom, Beck scoured the far corners. At last he saw her, huddled with two other young women. “Ten o’clock, in the corner. Cinn—red-brown hair. Blue dress. Taller than the other two she’s with.”
“I don’t immediately recognize her, but then I can’t get a good look at her,” Felix said. “I’d suggest we move closer, but I’m guessing you’ll say no.”
“Perhaps a little.” Beck led him closer to the wall.
Felix looked at him sharply. “We’re into the wilds now. Why is this woman so important? And if you met her, why didn’t you learn her name?”
“Never mind any of that. I’m simply curious.”
“I see her now. That’s Lady Lavinia Gillingham. She’s a close friend of Sarah’s. And that’s Sarah to her right.”
Beck turned to Felix and stopped. “Colton?”
Felix nodded. “Anthony’s sister, yes.”
Anthony Colton was one of Felix’s closest friends. They’d grown up together.
“Do you want me to arrange a formal introduction?” Felix asked.
“That won’t be necessary. I was merely curious.” Lady Lavinia…Gillingham. Her father was an earl. And Beck had been closeted alone with her. Hell, he’d kissed her bloody neck. Suddenly feeling overheated, he wanted to beat a hasty retreat from the ballroom.
