Dante tapped James on the shoulder, and when he finished the hand, he held his palms up, facing the players, and stepped back. Lydia moved in front of him and nodded at the group of three men and one woman.
He grew a bit uncomfortable when the Ambassador spent too much time studying Lydia. She ignored him and dealt the cards.
“You look familiar, miss, have you worked here before?” he said.
Lydia looked over at the Ambassador and smiled. “Pardonnez-moi, mais je ne parle pas anglaise.”
He tapped his finger on the table. “Ah. Too bad. I thought you looked familiar, but the woman I know speaks English.”
She shrugged and offered him the grin that people used when they had no idea what the speaker was saying.
Well done, Lydia. Now let us see if we get some information.
9
“I don’t believe this musicale will be so ear-shattering. I’ve attended prior ones at the Price home. Both Miss Amy and Miss Margaret are quite talented.”
It was the night after Lydia had dealt cards at the Rose Room. She still felt the excitement at being in those surroundings and actually working. Father would be aghast, of course, had he found out, but no one had recognized her, and speaking French all evening discouraged most of the conversation that would have made her uncomfortable.
Except for the young man, who she didn’t know, whose French was as good as hers. He’d introduced himself as Mr. Peter Manning. She, of course, did not introduce herself, but offered him a pleasant smile.
When he continued to question her identity, Dante strolled up to the table and stood next to Lydia and glared at the young man. It had amazed her that Dante picked up on the fact that she was uncomfortable because he admitted later his French was meager, at best.
After a few minutes and losing two hands, young Mr. Manning departed the table.
Dante viewed her across the carriage as they made their way through London to the Price townhouse. “I truly do not know how you keep your brain so very sharp with all the events you
attend. Please understand I am not disparaging you, but wondering how you tolerate it since you are so very different from everyone I’ve met at these gatherings so far.”
“Were it not for the fact that I have very little else to do, I would most likely not bother with most events. Some of them I do enjoy because they are entertaining, like the house party we will be attending starting this Friday. However, most events—”
He held up his hand, panic in his face. “Stop. Did you say a house party?”
She grinned at the distasteful face he made. “Yes. Lord and Lady Battenberg’s home for a five-day house party. The Ambassador himself told me he will be attending. With all the time we will spend there, I think this is our best opportunity to learn who is passing him information.”
Lydia had to admit she was a tad reluctant to attend the party herself. Not that she minded five days away from the city with entertaining activities and large grounds to ride and walk. Her main concern was being under the same roof with Mr. Dante Rose.
She’d been attracted to the blasted man from the time she’d entered Sir Phillip’s office. She knew in advance who her partner was to be and what was required. Sir Phillip always made sure she was comfortable with any man he wanted her to work with.
What she’d known of Dante was his reputation as a flirt, rogue, and rake. She might as well throw in libertine, as well. Although he did not move about in Society, his name was well known among its members.
Despite being the late Earl of Huntington’s by-blow, he’d been raised right along with his half-brothers. Once she’d heard the tale, she’d oftentimes wondered how Lady Huntington had felt about that.
The man was too good looking for his own good. That and his well-developed expertise with flirtation drew women to him like a dog to a bone.
Before the initial meeting at Sir Phillip’s office, she’d assured herself she was more than ready to take on the assignment and have absolutely no reaction to Mr. Rose.
She tried her best to treat him like any other partner, even to the point of arguing with him and slapping him when he kissed her. Nothing worked. The more time they spent together the more she felt herself falling under his spell.
Cursed man.
He was a true flirt, there was no doubt about that. But she’d also found a hard-working, intelligent man under the shell of libertine. He had also been protective of her the night before when the one young lord had begun to annoy her.
She’d tried over and over again to ignore the women—not ladies—who had draped themselves all over him while he worked. He was pleasant and friendly, but she could honestly say he did not seem to encourage any of them.
Once again the idea of an affair with Dante teased her mind. With his reputation there was no doubt he knew how to prevent conception. As far as she knew—and she had asked around when she had first learned about the assignment with him—he had no by-blows himself.
The most distressing thing about their arrangement was the fact that she had also begun to think in terms of husband, marriage and children. For someone who’d been so adamant against the wedded state, it was a chilling thought. Her biggest concern had been being under a husband’s control.