Page 11 of The Earl and the Vixen
“I will get you to tell me what this is about,” Juliet said as they exited Eliza’s chamber.
“I told you…”
“And I don’t believe you.”
Eliza couldn’t be all that irritated since her friend was right. She would tell her about Nick later when she was ready to speak of the matter. Juliet would be introducedto him sooner or later, so she couldn’t keep her secret for much longer.
They made their way to the breakfast room in silence, their arms looped together. Eliza’s heart stopped when she saw Nick sitting with some of the other gentlemen at the table. She glanced away as soon as he noticed her, not in an attempt to play some sort of game of hard-to-get, but to ensure Juliet didn’t take notice.
Going straight to the sideboard, they each prepared their breakfast plates. Eliza wasn’t all that hungry, but she wouldn’t give the liar sitting at the breakfast table the satisfaction of thinking for even a moment that he had affected her to such an extent.
When they had finished making their selections, Eliza nudged Juliet to the other end of the table, taking their seats as far away from Nick as she could get them. Viscount Duncan followed them and took the seat on the other side of Juliet.
The upside to the gentleman joining them was that he spoke to Juliet and kept her friend’s attention. Anything to keep Juliet from asking her why she pushed her food around on her plate or why her mood hadn’t improved.
“I do hope you won’t mind my company, my lady,” a man’s voice said from her right.
Lord Irvine dropped into the empty seat beside her.
“Not at all, my lord,” she returned, shifting her full focus to the broad-shouldered, attractive man. If she were going to consider taking another to her bed, he would certainly be a pleasing option.
“You look lovely this morning if you will allow me to say so,” he said, the words rolling off his tongue smoothly.
She fought a smirk, smart enough to know that he was employing his rakish charms on her. Instead, she flashed him a demure grin. “I would hardly turn down a compliment from a handsome gentleman.”
He had a cocky air to his response, and she contemplated deflating the man’s ego just a bit. But it would suit her if she decided to entertain more physical things with him. The man would at least have enough experience to make it worth her while. Her cheeks reddened at the thought of such wicked things, and she hated how her thoughts flashed back to Nick.
It was a wise choice on her part to ensure they sat on the same side of the table as him, if not she might have looked down the table to catch a glimpse of him. But if she attempted to do so in their current seating arrangement, all she would see would be Juliet and Lord Duncan.
Lord Irvine droned on about some of the lateston ditabout some of their mutual acquaintances until it was time for all the guests to make their way out to the yardfor games. Once they had all assembled, everyone shifted their focus to their hostess.
“I want everyone to pair off in teams for a game of Pall Mall. There will be a prize for the winning team,” Lady Ockham explained to everyone who had formed a circle around her in the grass.
Unable to stop herself, Eliza glanced at Nick out of the corner of her eye, half expecting him to be watching her as he had done the previous evening. She fought the twinge of jealousy when she noted he was in conversation with Lady Preston.
She was a beautiful blond widow, and Nick already appeared far too familiar with her. Not that she cared. He was nothing to her, and he could do whatever he wished. It was of no matter to her if he took up with the lady.
In a moment that she refused to admit was jealousy, Eliza noted Lord Irvine standing nearby and caught his attention with a sultry grin.
“Would you do me the honor of partnering with me, my lady?” he asked, stepping closer to her.
She almost laughed out loud at how easy it had been to lure him in.
“I would be delighted, my lord.” She grinned up at him through her lashes.
She glanced back at Lord Irvine and caught him staring at her chest. Deciding to toy with his notice, she inhaledslowly, causing her chest to rise. Eliza smiled to herself when he licked his bottom lip. It wouldn’t be the least bit difficult to hold the man’s attention if she should want it.
Lady Ockham caught everyone’s attention again. “Everyone line up here and select your mallet. You will share with your partner, taking turns for each swing. The first team to get their ball through the final wicket shall be the winners.”
“Please, select for us, my lady,” Lord Irvine said, motioning towards the stand of mallets. There were eight total couples playing, while a group of spectators watched from under the cover of tents.
Eliza noted that Juliet had been paired with Lord Duncan and wondered if her friend might have an interest in the gentleman. Eliza would speak with her about the man later. She didn’t care for the way he ogled her friend when she wasn’t looking, and she heard many rumors about his gambling debts. He wasn’t for her friend if she thought to make a match with him.
Stepping up to the rack, she looked over the mallets and grabbed the red one, right as Lady Preston selected the purple one from beside her.
“I hope you won’t mind purple, Nick, but it is my favorite color.”
Eliza did her best not to scoff and roll her eyes at the lady, noting that Nick had already given her leave to usehis given name. In truth, she took no issue with Lady Preston, normally, but she struggled to tamp down her desire to wipe the smile off the lady’s face.
