Page 55 of Three Weeks with a Princess
“It’s very close, isn’t it?” she replied. “You, however, don’t seem at all discomposed, Mr. Sinclair.”
A few minutes ago she’d felt positively woozy from the heat and the odors of perfume, bay rum, candle wax, floral arrangements—heavy on the lilies and roses—and at least three hundred bodies packed into the confined space of a few rooms. She swore she could almost see a scented miasma floating over the dance floor.
“I spent most of the last ten years in India,” Sinclair answered. “As bad as it is, this ballroom cannot begin to compare to Bombay during the monsoon season. There it’s hard to draw a fresh breath for months at a time.”
“I’d love to hear about your adventures in India,” Lia said. “It seems like such a fascinating country, albeit one with challenging weather.”
Of all the men she’d met tonight, she liked Sinclair the best. According to Aunt Chloe, he was the youngest son of an impecunious baronet. He had been shipped off to India when all but a boy and had made his fortune there. He was tall and handsome, with wheat-colored hair, startling green eyes, and a friendly manner that seemed entirely natural. Unlike some of the other men, he didn’t appear to regard her as a tempting morsel just waiting to be gobbled up. He spoke like a sensible, well-educated man, and listened with interest whenever she ventured an opinion.
He shrugged. “One gets used to it.” Something in his tone suggested he hadn’t had much choice in the matter.
“I envy your fortitude, Mr. Sinclair,” Chloe said, vigorously fanning her face. “I’m all but ready to expire. I’m amazed Gillian found so many people left in Town, given that the Season is long over. Perhaps too many, to tell the truth.”
“I suspect not all of them are actually on the guest list,” Dominic said sarcastically.
Lia frowned. “You mean people came without an invitation? Why would they do that?”
Chloe and Dominic exchanged glances.
“I suppose they came to gawk at the latest Notorious Kincaid.” Lia grimaced. “How very rude to inflict themselves on the Levertons with such annoying disregard.”
“One can never go wrong in anticipating bad behavior in the Ton,” Dominic said. “In fact, it’s generally better to expect it, so one can be pleasantly surprised when the opposite occasionally occurs.”
“That’s certainly squares with my experience,” Sinclair said. “Since my return to London a few months ago, I’ve been treated to the most impertinent questions about everything from my encounters with the exotic women of India to the size of my fortune.”
“That’s awful,” Lia said. “How do you stand it?”
He winked at her. “By inventing the biggest whoppers I can think of, especially regarding the state of my wallet.”
Lia and Chloe laughed, and even Dominic cracked a smile.
It was the first sign of good humor he’d displayed all evening. Her uncle-in-law had thus far spent his time scowling at the men who’d spoken with her, doing his best to frighten them off. Chloe finally had to remind him that the entire point of the exercise was for Lia to meet eligible suitors. Dominic had replied rather tartly that he was only scaring away the ineligible ones, of which there seemed to be an inordinate number.
That such was the case illustrated Lia’s belief that it was a fool’s errand to introduce her into society. Only a few respectable bachelors had asked her to dance, and that probably had more to do with the mothers than the gentlemen themselves. She’d been introduced to a number of aristocratic ladies, and although none had snubbed her outright, they’d made no attempt to converse with her beyond a few coolly polite words. To expect that they would wish their sons to court someone like her was too much to ask.
“That’s an excellent tactic, Mr. Sinclair, but I don’t think telling whoppers will work in my case,” Lia said. “My background is shocking enough as it is.”
“Nonsense, my dear,” Chloe said. “You are a kind, beautifully mannered girl with a great deal of common sense. There is nothing at all shocking about you.”
“Tell that to the guests,” Lia said wryly. “I don’t think most of them would agree with you.”
“Is that because you appeared on the stage last week or because your mother and grandmother were courtesans?” Sinclair asked.
Lia blinked, surprised by his forthright manner.
Sinclair gave them all an apologetic smile. “Forgive me for speaking so bluntly. Living rather roughly these last ten years has obviously had a deleterious effect on my manners.”
Lia smiled at him. “It’s so much easier when people speak plainly instead of twisting their meaning up with pretty, flowery phrases—especially the snubs.”
Chloe nodded. “How true. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been insulted at a social event and didn’t even realize it until some hours later.”
“The next time that happens, I want you to tell me,” Dominic all but snarled. “I won’t have anyone insulting my wife and getting away with it.”
She patted his arm. “You’re a darling, but I can’t have you frightening people half to death over a little snub every now and again.”
“I don’t see why not,” Dominic said. “What’s the use of having influence if you can’t use it to scare people into good behavior?”
“Or bad behavior, as the case may be,” said Sinclair with a grin.
