Seeing him smiling down so warmly at Lady Denise, Brie ground her teeth. For some unaccountable reason, the sight infuriated her. Just then, Dominic glanced up and caught her frank stare, and when his eyes locked with hers, Brie felt herself blushing furiously. His look of amusement told her clearly that he knew what she was thinking. Angrily, Brie pressed her lips together and turned away.
She would have been even more angry had she heard Lady Grayson's next remark, for Denise's sharp eyes had missed none of the interchange. "I see now why you have been avoiding me, darling," she observed to Dominic. "You have already found a new amour. She is very beautiful, but hardly your type, I should think. Now if you had me . . ." Denise left the sentence unfinished and smiled provocatively up at him.
Dominic grinned and flicked her chin with a forefinger. "But I've already had you, chérie. And you know what they say about greener pastures."
Denise forced a gay little laugh. Having been Dominic's mistress once, she knew him too well to misunderstand him. She had held the position longer than most, but when she had begun to spend his money a bit too freely and then unwisely pressed him about marriage, he had terminated their relationship.
That had been several years ago. Now, looking at his tall, very masculine body, Denise very much regretted letting Dominic slip through her fingers. He had been an exciting lover and a stimulating companion, taking her with him sometimes on his frequent travels to the Continent. She wanted him back, even if she had long given up the hope of trapping him in marriage. She had followed him to the country with the express purpose of luring him into her bed again.
It hadn't taken her long to realize that Dominic had no interest in resuming their previous relationship, but she wasn't about to give up easily. "Darling," she said, keeping her voice low and husky. "Surely you remember the wonderful times we shared. I certainly have not forgotten. But perhaps you no longer find me attractive?"
"Fishing for compliments, Denise?"
Her lips curved in a pout. "Of course not, darling. But you could at least pretend you are glad to see me. To think that I travelled all this way just to be near you, and you aren't even grateful."
Dominic raised a mocking eyebrow. "I don't imagine that you will lack company for very long, my sweet. You'll soon have a dozen admirers vying for your attention. Now, if you will excuse me? My new 'amour', as you put it, is no doubt growing impatient with my lack of attention." Dominic turned away, leaving Denise with a frown marring her beautiful features.
A moment later, Brie was startled to hear Dominic's voice in her ear. "I missed you this past week, chérie," he murmured. "You haven't been avoiding me, by any chance?"
Brie turned to give him a quelling glance, but catching the curious looks of the other guests, she made herself smile sweetly. "Indeed, I have, Lord Stanton. I want nothing further to do with you. Ever."
He held his hand over his heart with a mock grimace. "I am desolated. But I'm afraid you'll have to suffer my company for a few hours at least. It seems I am to take you in to dinner. Don't look so dismayed, my girl. Our hostess thinks she is doing you an honor."
Brie made no move to accept the arm he held out to her. "I would have thought Lady Grayson would be your partner."
Dominic's grin flashed charm along with white teeth. "Harcourt won out—his title ranks higher than mine. Come now," he chided, his eyes showing amusement. "These charming people will begin to wonder if there isn't something between us. They might be interested to learn just what happened in a particular cottage during a particular rainstorm. . . ."
"You wouldn't dare!"
He laughed and drew her arm through his, then bent to whisper in her ear. "Never, chérie. I told you I intend to be discreet."
Brie clenched her teeth, not deigning to reply, but as he led her into the dining room, she wondered despairingly how she would ever survive the evening.
Dinner turned out to be even worse than she had expected. She found herself seated between Dominic on her left and an elderly gentleman on her right, with Rupert Umstead directly opposite. As usual, Rupert was determined to make a fool of himself, and before the soup was even served, he had leaned across the table and loudly dedicated a toast to Brie's beauty. Acutely aware that Dominic was observing her discomfort, Brie managed a polite smile. But by the time second course was brought in, she was finding it hard not to grimace.
It was obvious Rupert had been drinking too much for he slurred his words as he recited a poem about the cruelty of the fairer sex. He might have continued indefinitely had not Dominic quietly signaled a footman to remove the boy's wine and directed a soft but curt remark across the table that caused Brie to blush. His intervention had the desired effect, though; Rupert sputtered a bit, turned quite red, and was silent. Brie couldn't help but give Dominic a grateful look, but when she saw the warm lights dancing in his eyes, she quickly turned her attention back to her plate.
The rest of the dinner progressed in comparative harmony, at least outwardly. Inwardly, Brie was far too aware of Dominic's presence. Once, when he was speaking to her, he rested his hand on the back of her chair, his fingers just brushing the bare skin of her shoulder, and Brie was dismayed to feel the tingling current that just this brief contact elicited. She was extremely glad to escape his close proximity at the conclusion of the meal.
After dinner, the ladies removed to the drawing room, leaving the gentlemen to their port. Since the dancing would not begin for another hour when the rest of the guests were to arrive, the ladies amused themselves by entertaining each other on the pianoforte. Brie was beginning to feel the onset of a headache, so when the tea tray arrived, she took her cup and went to sit on a sofa, as far away as possible from the chattering women but where she could still keep on eye on her cousin.
r /> She had only just settled herself when Denise Grayson took the seat beside her. "I hope you do not mind the interruption, Miss Carringdon," Denise said airily, "but I wished to speak to you. And you did look a little forlorn, sitting here by yourself. Now why could that be?"
Brie was taken aback by the malicious gleam in the woman's blue eyes. She murmured a polite reply about having a headache, which brought a cold smile to Lady Denise's lips. "That excuse will serve as well as any, I suppose, even if it is untrue. He is handsome, is he not?"
Not caring at all for the woman's tone, Brie arched an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"
"Why Dominic, of course. Do you not find yourself attracted to him?"
"Whatever makes you think that?"
Denise's smile turned brittle. "Of course you wouldn't care to admit it. But I understand perfectly, my dear. Few woman can resist Dominic when he puts himself out to be charming."
"You are mistaken, my lady. I have not found Lord Stanton to be irresistible. In fact, I think him odious and overbearing—" Brie broke off, realizing she was protesting far to vehemently. "But I fail to see how it concerns you."
Denise leaned toward Brie, assuming a confidential air. "I am relieved to hear you say that, my dear. For although Dominic is quite handsome and charming, he sometimes is not very . . . nice in his actions. Or perhaps honorable would be a better word. I only seek to warn you. Surely you are not offended?"
Brie wanted to tell Lady Grayson to go to the devil, but she bit her tongue instead. "He means nothing to me, I assure you.