She gathered up all her reserves of dignity and faced him with a studied calm. ‘You are indeed fortunate.’
‘I think so, Miss Tallis. And I trust that you too will know such good fortune.’
‘You are all kindness, sir.’
His answering bow was mocking. With a kiss of her hand, he turned around and walked across the room to Domino, who greeted him with a shy smile and outstretched hands.
‘Well!’ Sophia was at her elbow. ‘You’re a sly one. You seem to make a habit of meeting Richard Veryan—you must have known he would be here, but you never said a word. And to see you dancing with him! It was shameless! What would Sir Julian say?’
‘It really is none of your business,’ Christabel snapped.
‘It will be if you disgrace the family again by breaking a second engagement,’ her sister retorted.
‘There is no second engagement,’ she muttered though clenched teeth, ‘and rest assured that you would be the last person I’d ask for advice on my conduct.’
‘You could do worse. At least I haven’t made myself an object of scandal.’
She had an insane desire to scream at Sophia for her spitefulness, but, constrained by the hallowed portals of Almack’s, she kept silent, biting her lip so hard that she drew blood.
‘What were you thinking of, Christabel?’ Her mother was at her side, throwing more coals on a fire which was already burning brightly. ‘To dance in that fashion with a man, and with Richard Veryan of all people. What would Sir Julian have said?’
Her mother’s echo of the earlier taunt breached Christabel’s iron control. She broke free from Lady Harriet’s clasp and said in a stifled voice, ‘I’ll not wait for the carriage. I will walk home.’
‘But you cannot …’ Her mother’s words were lost in the distance as she turned swiftly and made for the door.
Richard watched her go. He had been badly disturbed by their dance. It had thrilled him to take Christabel’s glacial beauty in his arms and mould it to his desire. The feeling of her body against his still resonated. While they’d danced, the ardent girl of yesterday had broken through that frozen surface—and he had been the one to melt her. She was a magnificent creature and he had gloried in the moment. What was she doing contemplating a mediocre marriage with a milk-and-water nonentity? But he must think objectively, he told himself, and objectively his plan was working. He should be pleased. He had stirred the embers of passion in her and soon he would awake such a frenzy of feeling that she would be desperate to know his love. He would have proved her inconstancy and be free to walk away. That moment was a little way off, but he should be satisfied with what he’d achieved that night. He wasn’t sure why the victory felt forlorn.
‘It’s time I took you home, Domino.’
Richard’s tone was decisive. Once Christabel had left, he had no inclination to remain at Almack’s and was anxious to return the girl to her aunt’s care. Loretta Blythe had been suffering from a chill for some days and this evening had finally succumbed to a fever and taken to her bed. It was inconvenient. He’d hoped to dispense with his escort duties before now, not least because Domino showed no sign of tiring of his company. He’d expected that once fully launched into the delights of London society she would cease to have an interest in him. Instead, the wider she spread her acquaintance, the more she seemed to cling.
Having reached Lady Blythe’s house, Richard stepped into the hallway and made ready to wish Domino goodnight, but instead of taking the hand he held out, she raised herself on to her toes to reach his cheek and planted a gentle kiss. Seriously disconcerted, he remonstrated with her.
‘You mustn’t do that, Domino. Remember that I stand in your aunt’s place. You must think of me as a friend—an elder brother, if you will.’
‘I don’t see why,’ she exclaimed rebelliously. ‘You’re by far the most attractive man I know!’
‘I thank you for the compliment, but I’m not a suitable partner for you.’
She shook her head as if to block out his words. ‘I don’t believe that. You think me too young to love truly, but you’re wrong.’
‘I am eleven years older than you and my situation is not a happy one.’
‘You mean that you’re still in love with Christabel Tallis.’
Surprise rendered him silent.
‘You see, I have her name at my fingertips. How could I not? She is a truly beautiful woman and I can’t blame you for caring for her still.’
There was a sparkle of tears and her voice was that of a chastened child. He felt a deep sympathy for her.
‘My relationship with Miss Tallis should not concern you,’ he rebuked her gently. ‘The situation I referred to was my father’s death. In a very short while I must return to Cornwall. My mother needs support and I have to get to grips with the management of the estate. It’s been allowed to drift since my father’s death and that can’t continue.’
‘I understand,’ she breathed eagerly. ‘Of course you must go to your mother. But I can wait until you’re settled. Then perhaps you’ll invite me to Madron Abbey. I would love to see your home.’
‘It will be a great pleasure to show both you and your aunt around. But you will come as a guest, Domino, not as a future bride.’
The girl lowered her head, a mulish expression on her face. Baffled by her obstinacy, Richard spoke more bluntly than he intended.
‘I am truly sorry that you have feelings I cannot reciprocate, Domino, but you must be sensible. You’re no longer a child. You have built a fantasy and started to believe in it. For your own sake, you must dismiss it from your mind. In time you will find the man that is right for you.’
‘I have found him,’ she said, gulping down unshed tears, ‘but he is too stupid to see.’
He strode to the front door, but before he could open it, she called out to him from the marble balustrade above, ‘Will I see you at Richmond Park tomorrow?’
‘Richmond? Ah, yes, the Wivenhoes’ alfresco lunch, otherwise known as a picnic.’
‘I believe the Park is charming—such a large space of countryside and so near the city. You are coming?’ she asked anxiously.
He didn’t answer directly. ‘I’m sure you’ll find your aunt a great deal better in the morning and she’ll be looking forward to accompanying you to Richmond.’
He felt too unsettled by their conversation to return immediately to his hotel. He had decided from the outset that he would put up at Brown’s rather than opening the house in Grosvenor Square. A solitary stay amid its lonely expanses did not appeal and the few days he planned to be in London would have meant unnecessary disruption for its skeleton staff. But tonight the hotel looked just as uninviting and he needed to clear his head. He would walk a while in the evening air and then look in on one of the gentlemen’s clubs that lined St James’s Street.
He’d been scrupulous never to suggest that he could be more than a friend to Domino, but he still felt guilty for causing her unhappiness. It hadn’t helped that he’d been her constant escort since they’d arrived in London. If he’d not spent so much time with her, what had been an incipient affection on board ship would have been nipped in the bud. But Lady Blythe had shown herself only too willing to delegate her duties whenever possible and now the wretched woman had taken to her bed. Surely she would be better in the morning.