Page 48 of Evidence of Evil
He almost laughed at his own wit as he said seriously, “As well as any man who admires a beautiful woman.”
“I see,” Mrs. Grey murmured, and just for an instant he had the uneasy feeling that she did. Her eyes were damned perceptive as well as mysterious. He would have to step more carefully.
“Believe me, I am atyourfeet. Nothing compares to my first sight of you,” he said. “I have never laid eyes on a woman more beautiful. Please tell me I may see you again.”
God, that smile, at once enticing, knowing, and veiled…
“You know where I am. Should you have information to impart that your wife might not understand.”
He wasn’t quite sure what she meant by that, but it was far from a no. “What of Mr. Grey? Thereisstill a Mr. Grey?”
“Very much so.” She smiled dazzlingly. “He is on his way to London. I expect you danced with her at your ball.”
“Who?” he asked, gazing into her eyes. “Oh, Frances? Yes, I did, of course.”
She gave a teasing slap to his wrist. “Did you flirt with her, Mr. Darby?”
“Of course I did. Frances loved to flirt.”
“Did you perhaps give her a secret gift? A bracelet?” she asked.
“Never,” he said, amused, wondering if she was jealous or merely grasping for gifts of her own. “Actually, I think India changed her.”
“What gives you that impression?”
“Well, she flirted at the ball, probably for old times’ sake, but never after that. Or, at least, not with me.”
“Are we still talking about mere flirting, sir?”
He allowed her to see the strength of his desire. “I am a man of deep passions, madam. Yet neither Frances nor anyone else has ever affected me as you do.” The horses were trotting briskly onto the terrace. He had only a moment more. “We will meet again, very soon. I have to believe you feel something too, even if only a pale reflection of my own—”
“Goodbye, Mr. Darby,” she interrupted with a smile and a curtsey. Just as well, for Annabelle and Lady Maule were almost upon them. “It was a pleasure to meet you. And you, Mrs. Darby. Thank you for your kind hospitality.”
Darby made a fuss about handing both ladies into their carriage and closed the door. Standing back beside Annabelle, he watched them drive away, fresh fire in his belly.
*
“What a revoltingman,” Constance said.
“Mr. Darby?” Elizabeth said in surprise. “Well, he is very flirtatious, certainly, but quite open and charming about it.”
Constance raised an eyebrow. “Because he behaves so in front of his wife? Doyoufind him charming?”
“No,” Elizabeth admitted, “but I have Humph. And you know, you did flirt back just a little.Youcan’t help it either.”
For some reason, this observation annoyed Constance. “It is the only way a man like that will speak to women. Please don’t tell me how alike we are, or I shall be sick. He more or less admitted to having been more intimate with Frances than he should, but then implied this had ended when she came back from India, apart from one encounter at the Shelton Hall ball.”
Elizabeth’s mouth fell open. “You got him to tell you that in so short a time?”
“He wanted me to know how in demand he is, such a very dashing man about town.” Something had begun to curl and cringe inside Constance. Was that how she appeared to Solomon? A female equivalent of Darby? Only more disgusting because she took money for it? She liked to think she was honest, but to a decent man was she simply repellant? Why in God’s name was he friends with her?
Focus, idiot. “Tell me about the ball. Darby said he danced with Frances. How did she behave that night?”
“She was lively and fun, as I recall. Very popular with both the gentlemen and the ladies. But then, she and her family were the guests of honor. She never overstepped the mark, if that’s what you mean.” Elizabeth frowned. “At least, not in public.”
“Go on.”
“She did vanish for a little while, for I remember John looking for her. Then she reappeared with some tale of a torn hem and an emergency repair. Something that could easily happen.”
