Page 24 of To Pleasure a Prince
Still, she refused to let the woman’s efforts be ruined. She moved to the pianoforte, where she murmured to Louisa, “Can you play ‘Chastity, Thou Cherub Bright’?”
Louisa nodded, then said in a decidedly cool under-tone, “Forgive me, but I didn’t realize you would object to singing with Marcus.”
“I don’t. I simply don’t know the other song well enough to perform it.”
Though Louisa looked skeptical, she said nothing as she played the introduction. Regina began to sing, but even her favorite tune couldn’t raise her spirits. If Louisa didn’t believe Regina’s protest, her brother surely wouldn’t. Nor would anyone else. They would assume that she’d deliberately insulted him.
But honestly, it wasn’tallher fault. He hadn’t even given her a chance to think of something else.
Frustration wound a knot in her belly. Since she refused to give up on Simon and Louisa, she must persist with his thorny lordship. Somewhere in that thick head of his, hemustknow how to be a gentleman. She simply had to appeal to his better nature. She knew he had one; no man could sing that soulfully without having a soul.
Chapter Six
Let your charge have her head from time to time. It will teach her to value your judgment all the more.
—Miss Cicely Tremaine,The Ideal Chaperone
Marcus fought to restrain his temper as he strode down the hall after Katherine. The strains of Lady Regina’s sweet soprano followed him, a siren’s voice to match her siren’s cold heart.
Damn her. “So where’s this messenger?” he bit out.
Katherine stopped short to face him. “You know perfectly well there’s no messenger. I had to remove you before you embarrassed dear Louisa any further.”
“Me?” He snorted. “Louisa’s harpy of a female friend is the one embarrassing her.”
“Because she didn’t want to sing with you? Can you blame her? You’ve been a perfect monster all evening. Lady Regina has done nothing but—”
“Scheme with her brother to ruin Louisa.”
Katherine blinked. “What?”
“You don’t know the situation, so stay out of it.” He turned back toward the drawing room. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must return—”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Katherine moved to block his path. “You are not going back in there.”
It was like a mouse facing down a bear. He ought to laugh. But having his brother’s wife angry at him was unsettling. “Are you trying to send me off to bed without my supper, Mother Katherine?” he tried to joke.
She colored. “Don’t be silly. I merely want you to stay out of the drawing room until the concert is over. Then you can come insult people at dinner if you please. At least there you’ll be limited to the people sitting on either side of you.”
“Fine.” He couldn’t believe sweet little Katherine was taking Lady Regina’s side. “I’ll sit in Iversley’s study until dinner. Assuming he has something decent to drink in there.” He headed off that way.
She followed him. “Getting foxed will only make everything worse, you know. Lady Regina already thinks you’re a rude lout—do you want to make her think you’re a drunk as well?”
He shot her a cold glance. “I don’t give a farthing what Lady Lofty thinks. I will damned well get as foxed as I damned well please. So trot on back to your guests before I change my mind and decide to embarrass those harpies after all.”
She looked as if she might retort. Then, pursing her lips into a line, she pivoted and marched back to the drawing room.
He strode into Iversley’s study and headed straight for the whisky decanter. After pouring himself a generous splash, he drank it, savoring the hot burn.
Lady Regina’s voice wafted to him from the drawing room, as pure and high as his sister’s was throaty and low. A pox on that confounded female. The night wasn’t half-over, and she was already balking at their agreement.
He ought to be ecstatic. His plan was working beautifully; Lady Regina wanted nothing to do with him already. She’d actually snubbed him in front of Louisa, which would surely anger his sister. It was exactly what he wanted. So why was he annoyed?
Because he’d seen the look on her face when Louisa had suggested she sing a duet with him. A love song, of all things—what delusion had possessed his sister? Lady Regina’s horror had been unmistakable. She’d quickly tried to hide it, but it had been too late. He could only imagine what she was thinking: Sing a love song with the oafish Dragon Viscount? What will people say? It might lead people to think they were courting, and she would never allow that.
Why did he even care? This wasn’t a real courtship. It was a bargain, pure and simple. And the more his presence mortified her, the better it was for his plan.
Behind him the door to the library opened, and he scowled. No doubt his sister-in-law had returned to make sure he didn’t drink too much.
