Page 421 of From Rakes to Riches

The letter seemed to wander as if Mrs. Shelby needed an explanation of her point. She wrote that her daughter was trying to be a good wife to him and had even gone on morning calls the other day. Out of eleven people, only Lady Fogge would see her.

David imagined sweet Victoria waiting outside house after house, trying to make friends with people who didn’t know how tobefriends. Did she understand that the rejections were because ofhisfamily, and not her?

And then finally Mrs. Shelby explained the real reason that she’d written. Victoria had to do what she felt was best, so she’d gone to Dalton’s dinner party—without him.

David slowly crumpled the paper in his fist but felt no satisfaction. His wife had gone—alone? Didn’t she understand what might be said about her, showing up without her husband? Why was she letting herself be hurt like this?

It had started to rain, but he wouldn’t find a hack in this part of town at night. So he rode his horse and hoped his overcoat absorbed most of the rain.

When he arrived at Dalton’s, he handed his wet top hat and coat to the butler and managed to greet Mrs. Dalton with civility, even as she told him she was glad he was feeling better.

Feeling better? Victoria had told them he wasill?

He was shown to the drawing room, where various people acted surprised and pleased to see him. But he didn’t have time to exchange inanities; he had to find his wife.

He almost didn’t recognize her, though surely he’d watched her try on that gown last week. Back then he’d only noticed howattracted he was to her. But tonight he saw the confidence that had been blossoming within her.

It was the gown with the neckline Madame Dupuy had altered. Victoria filled it out so well that he was uncomfortable with other men staring at what was his. But he was proud, too. She looked…beautiful, her blond hair in ringlets about her ears, tiny diamonds glittering from the mass of her hair at the back of her head every time she moved. And she moved often, because she was freely laughing.

And it was Simon who was making her laugh. David felt a flare of jealousy that was positively…primitive.

18

Lord Wade could always make Victoria laugh. He was the only person she’d known at the party, but he’d made her feel at ease, introducing her to several women who had shown her curiosity, but no disdain.

Lord Wade’s smile turned rather thoughtful.

“Well, look who’s here,” he murmured with satisfaction. “It’s about time.”

Victoria followed his gaze, and to her shock, David was walking toward them, rain speckling his face and evening coat. He was easily the tallest, most powerful-looking man there. And he was…hers. She felt foolishly satisfied by that. Did that mean she was falling in love with him?

For a moment, she thought he was angry. How had he discovered her plan?

And then that display of his emotion was just…gone, wiped off his face as if it had never been there. He nodded to Lord Wade, took her gloved hand, and brushed a kiss on the back of it. Lord Wade was showing the open curiosity she was feeling, but David didn’t respond to it.

“Lady Thurlow, forgive me for being late,” he said smoothly.

“Nice to finally see you here, my good fellow.” Lord Wade betrayed a wicked gleam in his eye.

“Thank you for amusing my wife.”

David spoke blandly, but Victoria noticed that Lord Wade’s eyebrows shot up, and his grin became wider.

“Any time,” Lord Wade said.

Then finally David met her questioning gaze, but he said nothing. She knew he would never say anything in public, but she didn’t know what to expect when they returned home. And she welcomed their coming discussion. He had to see the logic of her position. Somehow, she would explain it to him.

Two by two, people began to press forward to speak to them. David remembered to introduce her each time.

Soon a man pulled David away, and Victoria was left with one of the wives, Lady Walcot. The woman rattled on about the lovely evening, and the beautiful painting on the wall above them. Victoria nodded at the appropriate points, but her gaze followed David as she admired the easy way he spoke with people. She was so proud of him—proud to be with him. Was this love?

The switch in topic came so suddenly that Victoria almost missed it. Lady Walcot was forced to repeat herself.

“Lady Thurlow, is Banstead House still as grand as it used to be?”

“It is a wonderful home, my lady, but I never visited it before my marriage, so I cannot truthfully answer.”

“I, of course, never attended one of those…parties,” she hastened to say.

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