She shrugged. "I may as well admit that though Mama tried to raise me to be a lady, I fall short in many areas."
Suddenly, Lady Upworth's gaze shifted to Drake. "What do you think? Does my niece fall short in any way?"
Thea tensed and slid a sidelong glance at Drake's impassive profile. She wished her aunt had not put him on the spot like this.
"She ignores the conventions, talks with sailors like they are gentlemen, harangues most everyone she meets about the issue of abolition, puts herself at risk without the least thought, is stubborn enough for five women, argues over every trifle, and has far too much consideration for her maid to be a typical English lady."
Thea gasped. She hadn't expected him to sing her praises, but he certainly didn't need to list her every flaw aloud to her aunt. She tried to unobtrusively scoot away from him by shifting slightly toward the arm of the fainting couch. He moved with her until she was pinned between him and the arm.
She glared at him and hissed, "There doesn't seem to be enough room on here for both of us. Perhaps you should move to the chair."
He shrugged. "I'm comfortable."
"Well, I'm not." She made to rise.
His hot gaze pinned her in place. "Yes, you are."
How dare he argue with her? She knew if she were comfortable or not. "I assure you, I am not."
He turned to her aunt. "You see? She is difficult."
Thea made a garbled sound and tried discreetly to shove him off the fainting couch. He didn't budge and that only seemed to infuriate her more. Her spine was so rigid, no one would ever know she wasn't wearing a corset.
He couldn't resist pushing her just a bit farther. "She doesn't act like a proper lady on most occasions."
"I see." Lady Upworth's smile and voice told Drake that she found her niece's reaction to his comments amusing.
He was glad. He'd pushed Thea into responding with her usual open emotion immediately, wanting to see her aunt's reaction. If Lady Upworth had responded with disapproval, Drake would have protected Thea from her.
He also wanted Lady Upworth to know what she was up against in presenting her niece to Society. Thea would not be a shy maiden, easily assimilated into the ton. She was an
Original and needed to be respected as such.
He smiled at the obvious approval in the older woman's eyes when she looked at Thea. "I believe you do see."
Lady Upworth nodded. "Yes, indeed. It will be a pleasure introducing you to Society, my dear."
Thea's shocked gaze flew to her aunt. "You can't be serious. Didn't you hear what Drake said?" She sighed and shifted her gaze to her clenched fists in her lap. "It's true, you know. I'm not a very proper sort of person at all. In fact, by some standards, I'm a little outrageous."
Lady Upworth laughed again. "Nonsense. You are a delight. I do believe you have found quite the champion in Mr. Drake as well."
Thea's hands fisted more tightly in her lap. "Now I know you are jesting. He didn't champion me, he pilloried me with his low opinion."
He took her hand and squeezed it. "I hold you in the highest regard."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "That is why you listed all my faults for my aunt like a hawker selling his wares?"
He rubbed her palm with his thumb, feeling pleasure at the slight touch. "I was warning her."
"Warning her?" Thea's voice rose until she was almost shouting. "I am not the plague that you need to warn my aunt about me."
"Nay, you are a headstrong female who will find her place amongst the ton if you are protected and presented in the right fashion."
"I don't care about my bloody place in the ton."
"Your aunt does." He indicated the woman now watching them with avid fascination. "Ask her if it is important to her if you are accepted in all the best drawing rooms."
Thea turned her stormy gaze to her aunt. "Is it important to you?"