An Unexpected Gentleman (44 page)

“I’ll not.”

“But if you should, I promise you that cottage in the country.”

A small smile curved her lips. “And the hound?”

“And the hound.”

“And why would you do that, Lord Dane?”

“Everyone should have at least a piece of what they want.” And the longer he sat there, staring into Miss Rees’s fae eyes, the more he realized that what he wanted most at the moment was her. “I like the way you smile. It’s tremendously sweet. And that little eyetooth, there on the right. It’s a bit crooked. I find that beguiling.”

“Beg your pardon?”

He realized he was yawning again. “Beguiling. Your tooth is beguiling.”

“An entire ballroom of charmers just like yourself, did you say? I’d no idea what delights I was missing.”

Suddenly he didn’t like the idea of her mingling with other gentlemen. Particularly not the sort of gentlemen to be found downstairs. “I may have exaggerated the allure of the ballroom. You’re far better off up here.”

“I have always suspected.”

“You’re best off in my company.” He wanted to prove it, but it seemed too much of a challenge at present. “I shall call on you tomorrow.”

“You may have other duties to attend to tomorrow, my lord.”

“Right. Next week, then. I’ll call on you next week.”

She made a humming noise in the back of her throat that he easily recognized as the sound of a woman humoring a man. His sister had been fond of employing it when they’d been younger and he would air his intent to defy their father.

“Got round to it eventually,” he heard himself mumble.

“What was that?”

“I’ll get round to it,” he stated more clearly. “After this business with my brother.”

Another noise, this time accompanied by a patronizing smile and slight inclination of the head. It mattered little to his mind. Next week would be soon enough to prove himself. Just now, he was too exhausted to even think about attempting to prove something. And too drunk. And much, much too angry at his brother for his last attempt at trying to prove something to someone.

“Do you know how he died, Miss Rees? My brother?”

She shook her head.

“A duel. A damned duel. And not even over a woman. Some ridiculous puppy accused him of cheating during a game of cards, and my idiot brother called him out. He’s left a wife and four daughters alone, and the estate to a ne’er-do-well. And they’ll say he died with honor . . . or defending his honor, I’ve forgotten which. At any rate, honor will be bandied about like a child’s ball while the puppy abandons his ailing mother to run off to the continent, my nieces wail into their pillows, and the Dane estate crumbles into ruin.” He tried lifting his hand for a toast before realizing he hadn’t a glass, or the energy to lift it.

“To honor,” he muttered.

“Lives are ruined in less savory pursuits than honor.”

“No.” He sighed and leaned back in his tiny chair. His head was so damnably heavy. “No, I don’t think they are.”

“Haven’t you honor?” Miss Rees asked quietly.

He allowed his tired eyes to close, just for a moment, and sighed heavily. “To be honest, Miss Rees . . . I don’t much care.”

NEARLY A LADY
AN UNEXPECTED GENTLEMAN