Duke of Darkness (10 page)

“Your shoulder dropped to the right as you followed through. If we viewed the path of the ball, I’m sure it edged left.”

She spoke so matter-of-factly, Devlin had no immediate reply, taken by surprise for the second time in a fortnight.
A rarity, indeed
. And by the same woman. He let out a grunt of appreciation.

“You’ve an interest in golf?” Julia, wide-eyed and disbelieving, objected in a terse tone. “You didn’t tell me. Please don’t share the knowledge when we mix socially, we are trying to find you a husband.”

Leave it to little miss know-it-all to break the convivial mood and remind him of the distasteful task at hand. Aunt Min had asked him to see Lexi into a good marriage. Her letter hadn’t implored him to do it as soon as possible. Phineas pointed out recently, she was barely over twenty. She had years ahead of her to shop for a husband. Where was the damnable hurry?

He watched as the interplay continued, his eyes fixed on his ward.

Lexi turned to Julia, a bewitching smile in place. “You think so? Aunt Min hired an instructor to teach me the game. I found it difficult at first, but Aunt Min insisted I persist. I suspect she knew me better than I knew myself because soon the challenge intrigued me, especially after I mastered the form required to launch the ball with precision.”

Devlin wondered how many clubs she’d broken or rugs she’d worn thin, as his own quest to achieve the game did not come easily. But that thought was overridden by the reality she was the only female he’d ever met who played golf and considered it a worthwhile challenge.
Aunt Min insisted
… that part was peculiar. Perhaps he’d mentioned how much he enjoyed the game in a piece of his correspondence. Still, it was rather bold of his aunt.

“Show me your stroke.” It was a demand, not a request, but he could not help himself, enthralled with the very idea. He walked forward and offered her the club. She dared him a fleeting look, a twinkle in her magnificent blue eyes, before she adjusted her skirts and stood to accept the challenge.

“You can’t mean to, you aren’t possibly going to—” Julia sputtered faster than a windmill during a rainstorm. She grasped Lexi’s arm. “It’s not proper.” Her voice was a hushed whisper, yet everyone in the room heard. Then she speared him with a glare meant to cease the activity.

Proper? Nothing about the entire situation, his lifestyle, his past, was proper. When had that ever stopped him?

“Oh, do be quiet, Julia.” Phineas appeared captivated as well.

Alexandra showed no hesitation. She moved to the carpet, set a ball in place, and positioned herself to the right. Being left-handed and having to overcome the handicap, Devlin watched her alignment and the placement of her hands with interest.

He moved behind her as she prepared to raise the club. “I don’t know if your instructor mentioned this,” his body became a shadow atop hers, “but if you position your hands further towards the top of the club, like this,” his arms encompassed her slim shoulders and he placed his palms atop hers in the formation he indicated, “you’ll find the stroke much easier to master.”

The words were innocent enough, but he grew hard as he spoke them. He backed away from her skirts for fear somehow she would discover his discomfort.

The entire room fell silent except for the ticking of the ormolu clock upon the mantel. Together Devlin and Lexi raised the club in a smooth arc.

“That’s it, Lexi, now follow through.” His murmur brushed against her cheek, and as she completed the motion, her hair caressed his jaw. He inhaled sharply and stepped away.

She mastered a fairly good shot, as everyone held their breath until the ball sailed through the doorway. Then she placed the club in the case and turned with a shy smile.

Phineas applauded and Devlin joined in, but Julia’s voice rose above the accolades in a bid to gain notice. “Will you all think it terrible if I try too?”

Devlin suspected her desire to be the centre of attention warred with her female principles. He nodded his head in Phin’s direction. “Your brother will teach you.” Then he walked to the sideboard to pour the lemonade Reeston had served earlier.

“I had no idea you were so …” There was a notable pause while Julia grappled for the word she desired. “Worldly.”

Julia appeared affronted that somehow in the last four days of constant companionship she’d not managed to learn every iota of information considering her new friend, but at whom her disappointment was focused remained questionable. She regained her tone of concern and continued to demand the attention of the room.

“I don’t think an odd interest in golf should be shared with your callers. I have an idea. Let’s make a list of things gentlemen should know about Alexandra.” Julia sprung from the settee and walked to the desk for paper and pencil.

With irritation Devlin interrupted her path. “I don’t believe we need to write anything down. It will make Alexandra uncomfortable.” He glanced in Lexi’s direction. She sat in a demure pose, sipping her lemonade. He was not a betting man, but he perceived she was not thrilled with the idea of listing her attributes aloud.

“Well, we will do it in secret then. Everyone must take a slip of paper and write the qualities we admire most in Alexandra. It’s a grand idea and it will only serve to boost her confidence.” Julia could not be deterred and thrust a small piece of paper at him. She brushed passed and foisted one in her brother’s direction as well as Alexandra’s, before settling with the last for herself. Pencils were distributed and Devlin shot a murderous glare in Phin’s direction, as he dropped into a chair and concentrated on the blank scrap.

Julia adopted an authoritarian tone and instructed everyone of the rules, all of which she invented along the way. There were to be no more than five items on each list, all positive.
As if there would be anything negative
. Julia instructed Alexandra to list things she would prefer gentlemen discover of her own personality. The whole exercise bespoke of Julia’s competitiveness. Even though the ladies had become fast friends, Devlin sensed a rivalry for attention that bespoke of Julia’s temperament. He considered her a younger sister, albeit aware of the infatuation she entertained. Perhaps now with Alexandra at her side, she would at last let go of the notion. It only followed that Lexi’s show at playing golf grabbed everyone’s attention. Now Julia vied for a moment to shine. A quick scan of the room revealed everyone’s discomfort with the idea, except Julia. She peered at him as she finished her extensive explanation, a broad smile on her lips.

He shot another glare in Phin’s direction, but his friend threw up his hands and shrugged. Exactly what did Julia mean to accomplish? The whole activity rankled. He’d noticed something unreadable in Julia’s eyes as he’d stepped away from shadowing Lexi during the golf lesson. Perhaps he should allow Julia to conduct her little game, if it made her feel better.

He shifted his attention to Alexandra seated on the settee, her pencil poised against her lower lip and his expression softened. Did she enjoy kissing? Her lips were made for hot, heated kisses, shaped like a perfect little heart, although her bottom lip was just a tiny bit too round.
How intriguing
. He’d like to run his tongue along her mouth, taste her, devour her in a long, languid kiss. He swallowed audibly.

She must have sensed the heat of his stare because she glanced up with an expression of bemusement, and that dimple peeked out to remind him how enchanting she was.

There.
Enchanting
. He scrawled the word as the first item on his list. Now if he could just write beautiful, sensual, passionate and desirable he would be finished. He stifled a chuckle.

Phin folded his paper and flipped it on the tea table. Anything his friend wrote would be considered innocuous. Perhaps Devlin laboured over his list unnecessarily. If nothing else, he didn’t want to be the last one to finish the task and give the impression he had deliberated over every word.

He completed the page, folded it twice, and tossed it among the other two on the table. Only Julia remained thoughtful, but eventually she finished and gathered the papers to move to the mantel. By damn, she enjoyed being the centre of attention. He’d never noticed it as much as in the last few days. But then again, she usually was the only female present. Lexi’s arrival brought about a change in everyone. He shifted on his chair.

“All right, let us begin.” Julia stood in front of the fireplace as if to call her classroom of students to order. Devlin watched as she opened the first piece of foolscap. “Remember, these are the things we want suitors to notice in Alexandra.”

He had no idea why she made such a big show of things. She should read the damned papers and get it over with. He knew what he’d written, but a part of him remained concerned for what might be written on everyone else’s page. He didn’t wish to see Lexi embarrassed. And what had he been thinking to be so bold in his comments? There were only four people in the room. It wouldn’t take much thought for Lexi to realize which list was his.

“This paper says kind, lovely, cheerful, friendly and polite. I bet that’s yours, Phineas.” Julia tossed her head towards her brother where he leaned against a bookcase. He returned a curt nod, discomfited by his sister’s acknowledgement.

Devlin interjected. “I don’t believe it’s necessary to point out whose list you are reading. You stated it was an anonymous game and you’re making this more uncomfortable than needed.”

“I know my brother, that’s all.” Julia appeared annoyed rather than contrite and she pitched the paper into the fire and turned to open the next one.

Leave it to Phineas to write such a neutral list of qualities. Never one to rock the boat. Meanwhile, Alexandra offered him an appreciative smile and thank-you.

“This list says intelligent, friendly, intuitive, caring and trustworthy.” Julia spared everyone her speculation, but she stared in his direction as if she was certain he’d written the words. Pity she was wrong. Surely she would know soon enough. Across the room, Julia tossed the paper towards the coals and reached for the third list.

He watched as she opened the scrap. This should be the worst of it as Julia unfolded her own note and of course he knew what was on his own.

“This list says lovely, friendly, smart, witty and kind.” Julia flipped the page into the fire before anyone could react, but Phineas pushed away from the bookcase with an objecting comment.

“Tell me again why we are doing this. Anyone who meets Lady Alexandra will be instantly charmed. I detest parlour games, especially one so ridiculous.”

Julia ignored her brother’s objection, not to be stopped. She held the stage and would never relinquish it. She unfolded the last note with a determined swish of her arm.

Devlin watched and his smile begged for release. Julia’s eyes flared. Her smiled dropped, perplexed at how to proceed, but only for the span of a heartbeat.

“My brother’s right. Game over. Let’s all have lemonade.” Julia refolded the note and dropped it into her skirt pocket, before she picked up her glass and settled beside Alexandra. An awkward pause followed until Julia reassembled and produced yet another paper from her skirt.

Across the room, Devlin watched as the motion caused the smaller paper, his list from the previous game, to flutter to the floor and fall at Lexi’s feet. If she were to look down, she would see it at rest near her left slipper.

Damn it all to hell. He attempted to shirk the uneasy feeling that everything would go to Hades unless he reclaimed that slip of paper. How foolish of him to list his true feelings. Even worse, Julia had read the page. He imagined the tiny wheels in her head turning with fervour although she sat there smiling at his Lexi. Something needed to be done.

Chapter Thirteen

“This is the list of bachelors I’ve assembled for Alexandra.” Julia waved a piece of paper in the air above her head.

“Another game? Pray tell you did not put me on that list. While I would be honoured to be considered worthy of the beautiful lady,” Phin paused to offer Alexandra a dramatic bow, “I refuse to get married. And you know that.” He pointed an emphatic finger in Julia’s direction and moved to the sideboard to refill his glass with brandy instead of lemonade. Devlin itched to follow his lead and do the same.

A clumsy silence ensued. Instead of the anticipated jovial afternoon with friends, Devlin noticed a forced veneer of pretentiousness that worked to wear his patience thin. And still the scrap of paper waited on the rug beside Alexandra’s slipper.

Placing his glass on the writing desk, he walked to where the ladies reclined and slipped the bachelor list from Julia’s fingers before she knew what he intended. Sure a ready objection would follow, he folded the paper in half and offered it to Lexi before he bowed in a gracious gesture, the opportunity to retrieve the scrap of paper near her slipper never easier.

“Alexandra will read the list on her own, Julia, thank you.” He eyed Phineas and his friend collected his sister. There was a comfortable affability that came from knowing someone for so long, one communicated with nothing more than a glare or a raised brow. Thankfully, his friend marked the cue.

As the two drove away in their carriage, a definite ease whipped across the room akin to the summer sunlight that whispered through the terrace windows.

“I regret to admit it, but I am happy for the reprieve. Julia proves a fine friend, although she takes to a task with vigour. I feel as if I’ve joined the Royal Army.”

Alexandra leaned on the couch and eased her right slipper off. She made a little show of fixing her shoe and Devlin knew she’d seen the scrap of paper earlier and now attempted to retrieve it. He gave his pocket a protective pat. Ridiculous game. Good thing he’d recovered the list. Considering the ramifications of the attributes he’d assembled, having it read aloud would have proven disastrous. A better rein on his lust would be necessary if he intended to succeed at this guardianship business. Damn, he was caught in a damnable paradox. If he managed to see Lexi married off with expedience, the matter would be solved, but he would never see her again. If she lingered around the house, he held no doubt their odd attraction would intensify and he didn’t know how much longer he could keep it in grasp.