Page 36 of Project Duchess
“The only thing I’m calling for, Sis,” Thornstock muttered, “is brandy.”
Gwyn drew Beatrice closer to the piano. “If you want to be foxed by noon, go ahead.Iwould like some tea, and I’m sure Mama and Bea could use some, too.” She made a shooing motion. “Go, both of you. Give us a while to ourselves. No woman wants a male audience when she’s just learning a dance step.”
Grey glanced at Beatrice, then grabbing his brother forcefully by the arm, he led him out the door. Beatrice released a long breath.
With a rueful smile, Gwyn patted her hand. “How does it feel to have two dukes fighting over you, my dear?”
“If they weren’t using me merely to provoke each other, I might enjoy it.”
Gwyn shot her a considering look. “I’m not entirely sure that’s the motivation ofbothof them.” Her expression turned enigmatic. “But we’ll see.” She turned to her mother. “Mama, can you play the first bars of that piece very slowly?”
Nodding her approval, Aunt Lydia did so. And thus began Beatrice’s first minuet lesson.
Chapter Ten
As soon as Grey left the ballroom, he released his idiot brother and gave instructions to a footman to have refreshments brought for the ladies. Then he headed for the study to see what Sheridan was up to.
Thorn followed him. “Sheridan mentioned that you might have an interest in Miss Wolfe, and I didn’t believe him. Apparently, I was wrong.”
“You’re both wrong.” Grey fought to keep his temper in check. “My interest in Miss Wolfe is the same as I’d have for any relation of Maurice’s.”
He only wanted to make sure she wasn’t hiding something concerning her uncles’ deaths and thus determine if her brother was the murderous fellow Sheridan had made him out to be. It was purely a matter of doing what Sheridan had asked him to. Nothing more.
“Then why are you so eager to dance with her? And to keepmefrom dancing with her?”
Grey lifted an eyebrow. “I merely wish to make sure you don’t toy with her. She’s not your mouse to bat around like a tomcat before he goes in for the kill.”
Thorn cocked his head. “Has it occurred to you I might actually be looking for a wife?”
“No, it has not.” Grey faced his brother. “You see women merely as conquests to add to your score. You ought to respect the fact that she’s Sheridan’s cousin and stay away from her, if only for his sake.”
“ForSheridan’ssake?” Thorn laughed. “That’s not why you want me staying away from her. Actually, I seeMiss Wolfeas an entertaining way to drive you mad. Admit it, you fancy her.”
“Don’t be absurd.” The last person to whom Grey would admit his fascination with Beatrice was Thorn, who would try to seduce her just to get Grey to acknowledge that he wanted her. And while the woman was obviously hiding something concerning her uncle, she was doing it poorly enough to convince Grey that she wouldn’t know the first thing about fending off a determined philanderer like Thorn.
Best to ignore Thorn’s remark and proceed with caution by appealing to the man’s reason. “You must understand—Miss Wolfe isn’t worldly wise, and your tactics aren’t in her limited experience of men. I’m merely doing what any true gentleman would—protecting an innocent and respectable woman from a blackguard like you.”
All Thorn’s amusement vanished. “A ‘blackguard’ like me.” He advanced on Grey. “‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.’Iam not the one with a reputation for dissolute cabals.”
“You can’t be serious.” Grey snorted. “Dissolute cabals, indeed. You know damned well that the gossips will say anything to get a rise out of me.”
“You don’t see that they do the same to me?” Thorn bit out. “I swear, you’re such a bloody arrogant prick sometimes. You think you’re the only man in this family with any decency.”
“That’s not true—I think Sheridan has plenty of decency,” Grey said, deliberately taunting Thorn out of some perverse urge to punish him for daring to toy with Beatrice.
Thorn’s hands tightened into fists before he caught himself. “You almost had me there, Brother. But I will not engage in this tug-of-war with you, especially when it’s merely your attempt to distract me from the real issue—that you desire Miss Wolfe and won’t admit it.” He started to march off, then paused. “And incidentally, I wouldneverruin a woman, no matter who her relations were.”
Belatedly, Grey realized he’d stepped over some invisible line with Thorn. “Glad to hear it.”
“One more thing.” Thorn regarded him with a steady stare. “I suspect that Miss Wolfe is more worldly wise than you think.”
Grey found it suddenly difficult to breathe. He’d spent enough time with “worldly wise” women to know that they tended to be schemers, at least around a duke. And he hated schemers more than anything.
Though he would never admit that to his brother. Forcing nonchalance into his voice, he said, “You’d best not speculate on Miss Wolfe’s character around our mother, since Mother seems to think the young woman hung the moon.”
Thorn let out an exasperated breath. “I’m not casting aspersions on Miss Wolfe’s character. I’m saying she’s not the starry-eyed fool you assume. For one thing, she’s intelligent enough to tell the difference between a man who’s merely flirting and one who actually has designs on her virtue.”
Like me?God, he didnothave designs on her virtue. “I never thought her a fool. She’s an innocent.” As long as Grey kept telling himself that, perhaps he’d keep his mind on his task for Sheridan instead of wanting to touch her, taste her mouth, take her to—
