Page 14 of Nothing But a Rakehell
She recoiled. “Not for me.”
She registered the skepticism and mischief in the blue depths of his eyes and the devilish curve of his mouth—and imagined that quite a few debutantes must want him in their sights. She was certainly affected, though she knew better. But there was something rebellious in him that called to the dark places in her. “Is that what you do during the Season, my lord? Hunt for the perfect wife?”
“Gads, no.” He shuddered. “I prefer to live my life without entanglements.”
“No one lives completely free of entanglements.” She might have scoffed. Just a little.
He eyed her benevolently. “Take my advice and keep them as few as possible. It greatly reduces the—” He stopped himself.
She raised a brow.
“The disappointments.”
She sighed. “That sounds like advice that would be far easier to follow, were I a man.”
“Well, yes. Everything is easier for a man,” he conceded. “And more fun, too. But London does have distractions, even for young ladies.”
“Beyond the marriage mart?”
“Definitely. I was thinking of the museums, the parks, the Tower, Vauxhall—and more, depending on your circle of acquaintance.”
Her curiosity was peaked now. “But what do the gentlemen get up to without the ladies? Gambling, I suppose,” she said, answering her own question. “And lightskirts?”
He made a disapproving noise. “And what do you know of lightskirts?”
“My brother kept one, before his marriage. I heard his valet talk about it to the other servants.”
“Listening to servant’s gossip? Never a good idea,” he admonished.
“I’d never learn any of the really interesting tidbits, did I not. And in any case, I rather hope my brother kept his mistress, if only so that he will have someone to be pleasant to him. Heaven knows his wife is not.”
He snorted. “Perhaps you would do better here in the country. Talk like that in Town and they’ll be whispering about you.”
“Do they whisper about you?”
“Always.”
“Then I won’t mind. But what do the men do without us? I’d really like to know.”
“Oh, gambling to be sure. Betting on cockfights and cards, fencing matches and sparring at Gentleman Jackson’s.”
“All of the fun, in short,” she said darkly.
“Yes. But also politics and scientific lectures. Clubs. Carriage racing, and driving. Riding.” He cast an admiring glance across at her. “I’d dearly love to take you riding in Hyde Park, just so you can show the other ladies how it is meant to be done.”
“I think I’d dearly love to go to London as a young gentleman instead of a young lady.”
He laughed out loud. “Oh, now that would be a prank of epic proportions.”
She straightened in her saddle, mind suddenly racing.
“Oh, no,” he said, abruptly serious. “Put it from your mind right now.”
“You could help,” she began.
“No. It is too wicked, even for me. You would ruin yourself and cast your family into disgrace too. Is that how you would like to repay Hope for all of her kindness?”
She slumped. “No.”
