Page 65 of Enticing the Devil

She could see the earl wished to reply but he didn’t get another chance until the song ended. As she took his arm and allowed him to lead her from the dance floor, he kept his gaze forward and his tone earnest. “Beynon can be hotheaded at times but he’s a good man.”

She said nothing. What could she say? She already believed him to be a good man—if also a difficult one. She’d suspected for some time that his harsh exterior was simply a shield against a society he had no reason to trust. Unfortunately, she was included in that society.

For a second, it looked as though the earl might say more but lost the chance as they reached the edge of the dance floor and found Mr. Bentley waiting to intercept them.

Bentley’s blue eyes sparkled as he flashed Anne a charming smile. “May I claim your next dance, my lady?”

What was this?

She glanced back and forth from Lord Wright to Bentley. Were the brothers colluding to soften her attitude toward Beynon? She nearly refused out of spite, but before she could utter an excuse, Bentley tilted his head to add, “What if I promise not to mention my brother even once?”

Seeing no easy way out, she gave a short nod and transferred her hand from the earl’s arm to Mr. Bentley’s.

Gratefully, there was very little time to talk as the dance was already starting. The lively pace reduced conversation to very brief comments and Bentley kept his word as Beynon never once came up.

But Anne could see he was dying to say something. By the end of the dance, she decided to allow him the opportunity if only to get it out of the way so she wouldn’t have to anticipate another ambush at a later time.

As he led her from the dance floor, she offered an opening. “You’ve sufficiently fulfilled your promise, Mr. Bentley. You may as well say what’s on your mind.”

He smiled at her, not at all put off by her candor. “I knew you were a clever one, Lady Anne. Which is why I wanted to be up-front with you. Though I don’t know the details surrounding your sudden betrothal to my brother, I’d like to make it clear that, in marrying him, you’ll be joining a large—and still growing—family. And that we’ll all be there to support you in any way we can.”

The words were shockingly earnest and totally unexpected.

A family. A supportive family.

She could barely comprehend the concept.

Then Mr. Bentley chuckled. “I’ve no doubt you’re going to need it. My brother is coarse and tactless most of the time and can be downright boorish at others. And that’s when he’s not being insensitive and rude.”

As he spoke, Anne slowed her steps to stare at the man with a deepening astonishment that shifted quickly into affront. “Mr. Bentley, you grossly misrepresent Mr. Thomas with such comments. He is...a difficult man to understand, perhaps, but your words are decidedly overharsh.”

The man shrugged. “Perhaps, but no one would argue that he’s not at all a proper match for a gentle lady with delicate sensibilities to protect.”

Anne narrowed her gaze. “You underestimate me, Mr. Bentley, and do me a disservice in the process.”

His black brows arched. “Do I?”

Seeing the tug of a smile at the corner of his mouth, Anne stiffened. Lifting her chin, she gave him a stern look. “I know what you’re doing.”

He grinned. “I’m not surprised.”

“If you’re trying to make me feel better about marrying your brother, I’m afraid your aim is quite off the mark. His rough manner or perceived social inadequacies do not bother me in the slightest.”

“No...” he noted thoughtfully as he tilted his head. “But something does.”

“Something that happens to be none of your concern,” she said with a tempered smile as she turned to face him. “Thank you for the dance, Mr. Bentley.”

“Of course,” he said with a polite bow, thankfully allowing the matter to drop. “It was my pleasure.”

“If you’ll excuse me.” With a nod, Anne walked away, then immediately wished she’d had a destination in mind as she found herself winding rather aimlessly through the crowd once again. Every covert glance cast her way and every whisper caught on the breeze made her more and more self-conscious.

After three years of being an invisible wallflower, the sudden curiosity and attention was more than she could handle. Suddenly desperate to escape the crowd, she turned toward the refreshment room and was brought to a swift halt as Lady Mayhew stepped into her path.

The other woman had a stiff smile plastered to her lips, but the look in her eyes was anything but amiable. “Lady Anne, how exquisite—and flushed—you are this evening.”

Anne forced herself to respond in kind though the urge to escape had only intensified with the unexpected encounter. Her smile was tight as she replied, “You’re looking fine, as well, my lady. And you’re quite right, I am feeling a bit heated and was just about to seek some refreshment.”

When she tried to gracefully step away, Lady Mayhew grasped her wrist in a shockingly tight grip. Anne blinked in surprise as the other woman sneered in a lowered voice, “I know your game, Lady Anne. You play all innocent and harmless until the moment you steal the man I want right out of my hands.”

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