Page 28 of Innocent in the Prince's Bed

‘He thinks he’s better than us,’ said another.

‘It’s not just that,’ came a man from the corner, a young baronet newly up from the country, hoping to catch a bride with little more than his looks. ‘He’s taken all the ladies’ attentions. The ladies aren’t interested in us when he’s nearby.’ That remark got a response. The volume in the club rose as men shared their experiences: the women loved his hair, his blue eyes, the way he danced, his accent.

One of Percivale’s close friends, young Viscount Heatherly, nudged him. ‘What are your thoughts, Percivale? He’s been spending time in Lady Dove’s court.’

Percivale shrugged as if he wasn’t bothered. ‘Lady Dove is popular, everyone spends time in her court. Even you.’ He elbowed his friend good naturedly. He was smart enough to avoid giving an outward show of fear.

‘He took her to the Academy today, I hear,’ Heatherly pressed.

‘Yes, I know. I saw them and stopped to chat.’ Never mind he’d been dismissed. Heatherly and these chaps didn’t need to know that. All they needed to know was he was not bothered by the Prince’s attentions towards his intended. Everyone knew Lady Dove was his, destined for him even. Everyone knew grand families married grand families and they were two of the grandest. It would be the height of insecurity if he worried aloud. Besides, he was confident in his own appeal. He was attractive and he’d just become more so. A note had arrived that morning informing him that his ageing uncle was sickly and taking a turn for the worse. The title of Ormond was closer than ever. He’d meant to share the news with Lady Dove today, until Kutejnikov had ruined his plans.

Lady Dove Sanford-Wallis and her dowry was his. To be sure, he didn’t like discovering that she’d gone driving with the Prince yesterday and out with him again today. It had all been very proper. Her mother had been along. But two days in a row? Percivale knew what the Prince wanted—her money, like every other man in London. Rumour had it the Prince had some wealth of his own, but no land to go with it. He was an exiled upstart. What better way to establish himself than to marry a woman of substance, acquire some land through her and even some social standing, before his popularity ran out or something unsavoury was discovered? Percivale was confident in one thing: the Prince would dig his own grave as so many who didn’t truly belong in society did. It was the circle of tonnish life. Under no circumstance would he panic over the Kubanian upstart.

Percivale looked around the club, listening to the rising conversations of discontent. It was always intriguing to him to watch society work and it was definitely at work now, an organism recognising a foreign subject and labouring to expel it. Did the Prince understand London’s gentlemen had just declared war on Illarion Kutejnikov?

CHAPTER NINE

Apparently Percivale hadn’t taken his dismissal at the Academy well, Illarion mused from his place on Dove’s left side as her court gathered during intermission at the Hamptons’ musicale. Since the Academy art show, Percivale had been glued to Dove. The young scion spent copious amounts of the evening flashing dagger glares in Illarion’s direction. Not that such looks intimidated Illarion. It wasn’t the first time Illarion had made an enemy over a woman. Neither was it the first time ballrooms had become battlefields where a pretty one was concerned. Illarion knew how to play that game. Too well. It would take more than thunderous stares from an ego-bruised young nobleman to send him scurrying in the other direction.

Tonight, Percivale was going on about an upcoming debate in Parliament. Percivale caught his eye, his raised eyebrow an attempt to call attention to his superiority as if to say here was a man who cared about England, who spent his days pursuing the work of his country, as opposed to Illarion, a prince from a foreign land who spent his days doing who knew what?

Illarion met Percivale’s gaze with a broad, easy smile. Percivale had guessed wrong if he thought such tactics would succeed in driving him from Dove’s side. In fact, Percivale’s tactics had done just the opposite. Illarion was determined to stand his ground.

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