Let Love Find You (16 page)

“That’s lust.”

“They’re not the same?”

Devin chuckled. “Not even close.”

Amanda glided past them on the dance floor just then, catching both their eyes. Bad timing.

“She’s a rare beauty,” Robert said with another sigh. “Can’t deny that. I suppose if I
have
to marry, I’ll at least get some enjoyment out of it with her.”

Devin was no longer amused. The boy was talking about bedding Amanda, and Devin had the urge to pound him to pulp for even having the thought. What the hell? Was he suddenly her guardian angel? But Brigston obviously wasn’t for her. The young lord didn’t know what he wanted out of life, he just knew a wife wasn’t it. And he’d make Devin’s job a lot harder if he caught Amanda’s fancy.

“I think you had the right idea to begin with,” Devin remarked.

“What’s that?”

“Blacken your name. If you really don’t have the guts to stand up to your father, then that’s an ingenious solution to your dilemma. Because the lady in question has relatives who will tear you apart if you trifle with her feelings.”

Devin had no idea what Amanda’s relatives would do. That threat had actually been from him.

A
MANDA DIDN
’
T REALIZE HER
foot was tapping impatiently. The music had started a few moments ago and her next dance partner was late. Who was daring to keep her waiting? She gave up wondering and opened her dance card to take a peek. Devin. He’d signed twice!

She leaned up on her tiptoes to see if he and his companion were standing where they’d been earlier in the evening. They weren’t there, but she did catch sight of Blythe Pace being led out to the floor, but not by Devin. She sighed to herself. She should just suggest to Rebecca and Rupert that they all go home already. It had been a long night. The ball was almost over anyway. She’d pretty much decided to accept Devin’s dare, which she would probably end up regretting, so she ought to take more time to think about it instead of telling him tonight. But she had so hoped to have one more chance to talk to Robert before the night was over.

She’d heard the new gossip about him, of course. Her dance partners, each of them, had made a point of telling her
the viscount hadn’t come to London to marry like the rest of them. Not that that would make any difference once he fell in love with her. The men in her family had all been confirmed bachelors until they’d fallen in love with the women who would become their wives. But she wasn’t accustomed to a gentleman being as boldly risqué as Robert had been, and while she’d assumed he’d just been teasing, what if he hadn’t been? That type of boldness was characteristic of a rake. But surely Robert was too young to be dissolute. Yet all rakes had to start somewhere, didn’t they?

His invitation for a private walk in the park had prompted her to give those thoughts more credence than she might otherwise have. A ride, as Kendall had suggested, with a footman or Ophelia along, was perfectly in order. But while a maid was an acceptable chaperone for most outings, that wasn’t the case for a meeting with a man. After all, a trusted maid would keep secrets if asked to, and a private walk with just a maid trailing behind was an opportunity for a gentleman to steal kisses! Robert had even mentioned doing so!

Yes, he was delightfully handsome
and
exciting, but he’d actually made her uncomfortable a few times, too, and she didn’t like that. Another talk with him could easily clear all that up, so she certainly wasn’t scratching him off as a contender for her heart. But in the meantime, her unease with the matter made Kendall the more preferable of the two. He was handsome, charming,
and
a perfect gentleman, and she didn’t doubt her family would approve of him. She couldn’t say the same about Robert—yet.

Devin finally arrived and extended his bent arm to her so she could lightly place her hand on it. When she didn’t do so
immediately, he grinned, making her realize he was even turning another dance with him into a dare.

He might be able to help her to get back on a horse, but that would mean more contact with him, and more to the point, was it even possible to deal with him without losing her temper? Right now was a good time to find out, so she didn’t mention his tardiness and even gave him a slight smile before placing her fingertips on his arm.

Her tolerance was put to the test the moment he took her hand on the floor and began waltzing with her. “Why hasn’t your father arranged a marriage for you?”

The question was far too personal, so she just answered neutrally, “Because he promised he wouldn’t.”

“Yes, but why?”

And he’d called
her
persistent? But she was supposed to be practicing patience, a means to an end, so instead of telling him to mind his own business, she decided to simply tell him the truth.

“A few times over the last two years I actually wished he didn’t make that promise, though that was just my impatience kicking in because it was taking so long for love to find me. But my father married for love and he wanted nothing less for me and Rafe. Of course he won’t allow me to pick someone completely unsuitable, but he’s never once worried that I might. He trusted my brother, and he trusts me to make the right choice.”

“And you can’t make up your mind.”

She could feel her hackles rising. “That’s not it a’tall. My first Season was a complete waste of time in finding a husband because I spent it being so jealous of Ophelia, who’d had her
come-out that Season as well, that I was positive every single man that year was already in love with her. So I ignored them all.”

“And last year?”

She pursed her lips. “Last year I took my brother’s advice to relax and just enjoy myself. A little too literally perhaps. Before I knew it, the Season was over and I still wasn’t in love yet.”

Devin gave her a thoughtful look. “So you’re saying this is the first Season you’re actually going to take this business of getting married seriously?”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it that way, but—yes. And I don’t need your help in
that
regard, so you can forget about spending your good deeds on me. But I am curious. How d’you go about it, being Cupid?”

He chuckled. “Not by shooting any arrows!”

To her utter amazement, she actually laughed. “No? And here I thought you must have your bow hidden in the room somewhere. But, seriously, how d’you figure out who is suited to whom?”

“Methodically. To begin with, I need to know the interests of both parties. Let’s take yourself for example—”

“No, let’s not. But what has that to do with anything? Or did you mean what I, or rather, your other female clients, find interesting about these young lords?”

“No, I meant
your
interests. What you enjoy doing. What you don’t like. And then I’ll find out which of your beaus have the same interests.”

“Stop using me as an example. Besides, I highly doubt any of these young men like needlepoint!”

“Actually . . .”

He was just teasing. The amusement in his eyes and his
smile told her so, and she actually found herself laughing again. “I don’t believe it!”

“What else besides needlepoint?”

She didn’t remind him this time that he wasn’t her matchmaker, she was merely annoyed with herself for drawing a blank at a simple question like that. “I’d have to give that some thought—if we were actually discussing me.”

“No, you don’t. For instance, you like dancing.”

“I don’t, actually.”

He raised a brow. “Then what are you doing here?”

She grinned. “Are you joking? This
is
the marriage mart, on a grand scale.”

“Touché. Croquet?”

“I love it—well, I love beating my brother at it.”

“Then you’re competitive?”

“No, not really, just with him.”

“Sibling rivalry?” He shook his head. “Not exactly a typical interest, so let’s move on—”

“Stop right there.” She gave him a reproving look. “Really, I do not make a good example, and you’ve already satisfied my curiosity.”

“You know, Amanda, you can’t actually remove yourself from being the recipient of a good deed just by saying so. I’ve already taken you under my wing, which means you get my help regardless of your druthers.”

“The devil you have!”

“So you might as well tell me if any of these men here tonight strike your fancy—or if Lord Goswick is still your prime candidate?”

She clamped her mouth shut. He raised a brow at her, but then he grinned, drawing his own conclusions. “Goswick it is,
then, and you know where my farm is. You’ll laugh at yourself for even hesitating, once I get you back in the saddle.”

“I am considering that.”

“I had a feeling you might.”

She ground her teeth at his smug tone. He knew she would because he’d made it a
dare
. She couldn’t resist adding, “I said considering, not that I’ve made up my mind about it yet. It’s not as if I’ve ever regretted not riding. My father keeps a lot of carriages and coaches at Norford Hall, so I much prefer to do my riding with a comfortable seat beneath me. But you’ve made your . . .” Her words trailed off.

His amber eyes suddenly turned lambent, a slow smile curving his lips. His hands even tightened slightly at her palm and her waist. She drew in her breath sharply, her pulse beginning to race. What the deuce was that feeling suddenly flipping about inside her? Her face and neck even felt flushed with heat when she wasn’t embarrassed over anything.

She tore her eyes off him. What just happened?
Think! No, don’t think of that, think of something else.

“I’ve made what?” he said.

She latched onto his question almost desperately, but she kept her eyes averted from his as she replied, “You’ve made your case to give it a try. But how’s that going to work then, when they’re saying you just breed racehorses, which won’t do a’tall? I might like betting on the races, but I’m not about to try riding a horse that fast.”

He didn’t answer immediately, which brought her eyes back to his to see that she’d actually surprised him. “You go to the races?”

She didn’t mind answering, since she enjoyed it. “Yes, with my Aunt Julie when I’m in town.”

He gave her a skeptical look. “I’ve never seen you there and I miss very few races.”

“Well, of course you wouldn’t notice us. We watch from the comfort of my aunt’s coach, and she sends a footman off to place our bets. It’s the only thing she loves to gamble on, and I quite agree, it’s very thrilling when our picks win.”

“D’you often pick accurately?”

“More’n I lose!”

“You’ve amazed me. That’s one interest I wouldn’t have expected of a young lady.”

“Whyever not? We gamble at whist, we gamble at croquet, though that’s not nearly as much fun as winning at the races. But you know, I never would have thought of that as an interest of mine, probably because I’d never been to the races prior to my first Season in London. Now about my concern,
do
you have a suitable mount for lessons?”

“Already taken care of. I’ve had an ideal mount brought down from Lancashire.”

That rubbed her the wrong way. He’d been so sure she’d come to him for lessons that he’d arranged a mount in advance? “Well, if it doesn’t work out, at least Robert Brigston gained my notice tonight. And
he
doesn’t require me to ride a horse.”

His disapproval was immediate. She actually felt him tense. But he said rather tepidly. “He looks as young as he is, fresh out of school. Are you sure you want to further that acquaintance?”

“Well, he’s very handsome.”

“That’s an important criterion for you?”

“Not really, it just means I won’t be indifferent while getting to know him.”

“Has that been part of your problem? Most of your beaus bore you?”

He was a little too good at figuring things out. He’d nailed that one right on the head. No, Robert hadn’t bored her, neither did Kendall. For that matter, she hadn’t spent a single bored moment in Devin’s presence, either, though
he
certainly wasn’t in the running, so what difference did that make?

She tsked. “Are you still working on your good deed? Don’t expect me to cooperate when I’ve asked you not to.”

“I can tell you already that Brigston won’t suit you.”

“You’ve been listening to gossip, haven’t you?” she guessed. “You know he’s too young to be a rake yet, but even if that’s his goal, it’s not a good reason to discount him—yet.”

“Of course it is.”

She chuckled. “No, it’s not. I’m quite familiar with rakes, have them in my family—well, I did. My own brother, Rafe, was definitely giving it a try before he married. And my cousin Rupert, there was no trying about him! Such a skirt chaser he was, but he’s settled into marriage, too, just this year. That just leaves his brother Avery, though actually, I’m really not sure if he’s trying to follow in his brother’s footsteps. It’s not exactly a proper subject to discuss with one’s cousin.”

“But perfectly fine to discuss with me?”

She managed not to blush. “I’m telling you why I’m familiar with rakes and why I don’t think Lord Robert is one. If anything, he’s just pulling the proverbial leg, to give himself a little risqué allure. The rest of the gossip is just jealousy gone awry tonight.”