Page 24 of Rogue's Lady

Mrs. Randall nodded her assent and took Rob’s arm. Sparing one last wistful glance in Tavener’s direction, Allegra let herself be led off with the group.

As they walked to the refreshment room, a number of the ladies and nearly all the gentlemen to whom she’d been introduced these last few weeks stopped her to offer compliments on her skill.

Allegra had to suppress a little smile. It appeared that Sapphira’s scheme to discredit her had gone awry.

She hoped, after they finished their wine and the gentlemen went off, she might find a few minutes to speak with Rob alone and try to gauge how he felt about seeing her suddenly become the focus of admiring eyes. Would he be proud of her performance now? Despite his fine words about wanting her to meet a number of superior gentlemen, would he be as anxious to restrict the time she spent with the men of whom he approved as he was to bar her from seeing Tavener?

Soon after arriving in the refreshment room, they heard over the hubbub of voices the orchestra begin to play, signaling that the dancing had begun. A bubble of excitement rose in Allegra’s belly. How she would love to twirl about the ballroom floor on Rob’s arm! And if his friends should invite her to dance, she might discover if having another man so close to her moved him to jealousy.

To her consternation, though, Rob firmly declined both men’s suggestions that they return to the ballroom. Since Mrs. Randall was fatigued, he informed them, he meant to escort the ladies home as soon as they finished their wine. After exchanging goodbyes and promises to call, Rob’s friends bowed and departed.

Hard put to maintain her cheerful expression, Allegra swallowed her disappointment along with the last of her wine before taking Rob’s arm and allowing him to lead her out of the refreshment room.

During their transit down the stairs to claim their wraps, they were stopped by three more gentlemen proclaiming themselves eager to meet her. Allegra’s mouth grew stiff from smiling, her neck sore from inclining her head—and her temper ruffled at the knowledge that the evening was being cut short before she’d had a chance to achieve one of her main purposes for coming here.

Rob’s stated preference for meek, pretty-behaved maidens had already closed to her the avenue of flirtation. Lost now was the rare opportunity to savor the touch of his hand on hers when she danced with him. Where isolated from everyone by a canopy of sound, they might converse in relative privacy and she could attempt, without Mrs. Randall overhearing every word, to rekindle the admiration and camaraderie they’d shared in their youth.

A few moments later they reached the waiting carriage. “’Twas a close-run thing,” Rob said as they settled themselves, “but I think the evening passed off well enough despite your performance, Allegra.”

“Indeed, I believe her performance brought her the attention and admiration of more gentlemen than she would have had otherwise,” Mrs. Randall observed.

So Rob still didn’t admire her skill, Allegra thought regretfully. But another gentleman did and had shown his support by providing her the most timely of services. “You should thank Lord Tavener for playing immediately after—and far more brilliantly—than I did,” Allegra reminded them.

“That was most chivalrous,” Mrs. Randall said. “Perhaps it would have been safe for us to have remained for the dancing after all.”

Rob shook his head. “’Tis best to beat a strategic retreat and leave your admirers wanting more.”

“I’m sure you must be right,” Mrs. Randall said. “Still, what a marvelous evening! That glorious music and all those charming gentlemen eager to meet you, Allegra.”

“It was lovely,” Allegra acknowledged. “I just wish,” she added wistfully, looking up at Rob, “I’d been able to converse more with the charming gentleman who brought us.”

Was there a hint of tenderness in the wide smile he gave her? “Nonsense!” he replied. “I can worship at your feet any day. I’m delighted you were able to meet so many excellent young men.” His smile dimmed. “Men of better stamp than Tavener.”

“That’s hardly fair, Rob!” Allegra protested. “Not only did he shield me from scrutiny by his superior performance, while you were away procuring wine, he prevented Lord Wofford and Sir Harry Miles from lingering.”

“Wofford and Miles—those two undesirables? Damn and blast!” he exclaimed. “They should never have had the effrontery to approach you—and I daresay they would not have, had Tavener’s presence not encouraged them.”

About to protest once again Rob’s assessment of Tavener, Allegra was forestalled by Mrs. Randall, who cried, “Oh, Rob, are they not good ton? Lord Tavener did seem reluctant to present them to Allegra, but Lady Maxwell assured me that Wofford’s being the grandson of one of her good friends made it all quite proper.”

Rob hesitated—probably, Allegra speculated, trying to frame a reply that his gentle cousin would not take as a reproof. “I’m sure Lady Maxwell meant to be helpful,” he said at last, “but in future, it’s best to let me make such judgments. I am privy to information about society’s gentlemen that a respectable lady wouldn’t know. And yes, Allegra, I suppose Tavener did exercise good judgment by discouraging those two rogues. Though he probably just wanted free rein to flirt with you himself. You did well tonight, but you must still be very cautious to limit your contact with him.”

Allegra’s warm approval of Rob’s gentle handling of his cousin cooled. Though she’d hoped he might be jealous of the dangerously attractive Tavener, she could not like his persistent refusal to acknowledge any good qualities in the baron. She opened her lips to disagree with him again, then shut them.

Thereafter, silence reigned in the vehicle, Mrs. Randall nodding off and Rob’s eyes closing as well. Her mind and senses still aroused after the events of the evening, Allegra wasn’t sleepy in the least.

If Rob chose to believe the worst of Tavener, she obviously wasn’t going to dissuade him. Nor should she let his implacable disdain irritate her, since the lower Rob’s opinion of her undesirable suitor, the more likely that alarm over Tavener’s pursuit might propel Rob to a declaration.

Still, Rob was showing himself rather dictatorial and small-minded, his unfavorable opinion of Tavener so firmly fixed in his head that he refused to entertain any evidence to the contrary. By instinct and observation, Allegra knew Tavener to be a much finer man than Rob would allow.

Was she really sure she wanted to entice Rob into a proposal?

That errant thought shocked her so much that she gasped. Of course she still wanted to marry Rob! she assured herself, trying to calm her agitation. Granted, the golden hero of her childhood had obviously changed a bit, but hadn’t she, as well? If he were now somewhat…firm in his views, ’twas understandable after all his years of commanding men in wartime. Besides, in her limited observation, most men believed they knew better than ladies what should be done in any situation—poor, misguided fools that they were.

Though Tavener might be a good man at heart, as well as a devastatingly attractive one, she mustn’t lose sight of the fact that her future security and happiness were at stake here. Tavener may have beguiled her with his rogue’s charm and innate kindness, but worldly wisdom said that sooner or later, he would focus his mesmerizing eyes, tender regard and devastating charm on some other susceptible female.

Once a rake, always a rake, a sorrowful Molly had told her. Rob seemed to share that opinion. Who was she to dispute their much greater knowledge of the world?

No, she would not let herself be distracted from her purpose by the allure of a rogue. Even a rogue who seemed to possess as many fine qualities as William Tavener.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

AS HE HAD most of the evening when not by the lady’s side, while Will nodded and smiled at his well-wishers, he watched Miss Antinori out of the corner of his eye. He’d hoped to speak with her again, but Lynton’s friends—eminently respectable men both—were leading her away.

Perhaps later, he thought, not willing to leave the musicale while there was still the possibility of snagging her for a bit more of their delicious conversation. Since Lucilla had been obligated to attend another function tonight, he meant to take full advantage of this chance to focus upon Miss Antinori, free of his well-meaning cousin’s urging that he seek out more “suitable” young ladies.

Now that Miss Antinori was out of black gloves, Will might even be able to claim her for a waltz.

Ah, that he might let his arm encircle her waist, clasp her hand while the movements of the dance brushed her body against him. Lust and longing blasted through him at the thought.

A simple conversation might be safer if he wished to keep enough wits about him to charm her. He’d hardly exaggerated when he told her he had trouble thinking when she was near.

Trouble thinking of something appropriate, that is. The words that sprang to his lips weren’t the politely superficial “I shall delight in calling upon you” she’d coached him to utter, but something simpler and more basic.

Like “Come with me.” “Kiss me.” “Stay with me.” Just a glimpse of her from across the room was enough to set his body simmering. A mere touch of her hand whipped his smoldering desire back to full flame.

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