Page 8 of Enticing the Devil

Lily shook her head, a small frown marring her brow. “That is a blatant exaggeration, Bethany.”

“Is it?” the other woman asked with obvious surprise. “You saw how he just treated our dear Anne, yet you’d defend him?”

“I believe Mr. Thomas is misunderstood,” Lily noted. She had always been one to give people the benefit of any doubt. “I’ve had a few conversations with him and found him to be kind and well-spoken.”

“That’s hard to imagine,” Bethany retorted and Anne was tempted to agree.

“The truth is,” Lily continued with firm conviction, “Mr. Thomas is not the menacing figure everyone so enjoys making him out to be. And I happen to think he will make Anne a perfect partner.”

“I suspect this is one time your eternal optimism will fail you,” Bethany insisted.

“It’s all right,” Anne interjected. “Truly. There’s no need to make an issue out of it. I’ll be fine.”

“He’s really not what everyone says,” Lily insisted. “Give him a chance.”

Anne smiled. “Of course. Please, think no more of it.” It was far more embarrassing to have her friends worry over such an inconsequential thing than it was to be slighted by the man in the first place. Her pride might have been bruised a bit by his attitude and sudden dismissal, but it was taking a far more brutal beating at the insinuation that she couldn’t handle a little adversity. She was her father’s daughter, after all. Adversity had been her nursemaid.

She could certainly handle a grouchy partner for the handful of days assigned to the games.

Gratefully, the issue was dropped as Bethany leaned toward Lily to whisper conspiratorially, “Since it’s just the three of us, how about you give us a few tips on what to expect this year?”

Lily widened her eyes in shock then had to press her lips together to hide her mischievous grin. “Not a chance. That would be cheating.”

“And Lady Harte is far too noble to consider such a thing.”

The last was declared loyally by Lily’s husband as the tall, dark-haired gentleman came up beside his wife. Though he remained back a step from their trio, his intense presence immediately altered the atmosphere of their conversation.

As she had many times before, Lady Anne wondered at the unexpected union between her open-hearted friend and the enigmatic lord. There had been a time when Anne had been convinced Lord Harte would never have been capable of making Lily happy, but her friend had been utterly infatuated with the earl from the first moment she’d seen him. And, as Lily tilted her head to flash a smile at her husband, Anne had to admit the couple was undeniably and very deeply in love.

“I apologize, ladies, but I must steal my wife away for a moment.”

Though the lord’s words were contrite, his tone was anything but.

Bethany’s lashes fluttered. “Of course, my lord. She’s all yours.”

Lord Harte bowed as Lily promised to chat with them both more later, then the couple walked away. Though they didn’t touch—not even with a hand on his arm—the connection between them was clear to see and had grown even stronger since their wedding.

Bethany sighed dramatically, drawing Anne’s quick glance.

Seeing her friend’s questioning expression, the lady gave a short laugh. “Don’t mistake me, dear Anne, I love my husband deeply.” She paused to lean closer. “But there’s just something about men who emanate such”—she narrowed her eyes as she seemed to search for the right word—“wickedness that honestly makes my toes curl.”

Anne shook her head in a way she often did when in earnest conversation with this particular friend. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

Bethany flashed a condescending smile as she patted Anne’s hand. “I know. You’re still such an innocent,” she lamented. “But I hope you figure it out soon, darling.” Her gray eyes brightened as something seemed to occur to her. “You know, I might have to consider agreeing with Lily’s assessment, after all. Mr. Thomas, with all his broody intensity, could prove to be exactly what you’ve been so desperately lacking these last few years.”

And with that oddly cryptic and slightly insulting statement, her friend walked away and once again Anne was left standing alone in the middle of the room.

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