Jane frowned. ‘A night spent in a barn with horses? What on earth are you talking about, Robert?’
But Sophie knew exactly what he was talking about. And the knowledge that he not only understood French, but that he remembered every word she’d said to Antoine that night at the inn, brought hot colour sweeping into her cheeks. No wonder he’d been so distant with her.
‘Come, Jane,’ Mr Silverton said. ‘Miss Vallois can send a note if she wishes to join us. For now, we mustn’t keep her and Lady Longworth from their evening.’
‘No, of course not. Forgive me,’ Jane said. ‘It’s just that I so seldom meet anyone I really like, I tend to get carried away. But now that we’ve met, I know we are all going to be great friends. Until tomorrow, then, Miss Vallois. Good evening, Lady Longworth.’
‘Jane,’ Lavinia said. ‘Mr Silverton.’
‘Lady Longworth.’ He bowed, and then turned to Sophie. ‘Miss Vallois.’
Sophie inclined her head, but refused to meet his eyes. Why should she when it was so obvious that he didn’t like her? His words had been clipped and the warmth he had shown his sister and Lavinia had definitely not been extended to her.
‘A charming pair, are they not?’ Lavinia asked.
‘The sister more than the brother, I think,’ Sophie said. ‘Imagine extending an invitation to someone she barely knows.’
‘Jane has always had a good heart,’ Lavinia said. ‘Which is why it annoys me so that she is not yet married. At times, I feel like shaking the young men for their fickleness. But I expect she will benefit greatly from spending time with you and Antoine tomorrow.’
‘And I look forward to introducing Antoine to her. In fact—’ Sophie broke off and slowly began to smile. ‘I have a feeling my brother might enjoy Miss Silverton’s company very much.’
Chapter Four
So she wasn’t a whore, a strumpet or a ballet dancer, Robert reflected as he and Jane walked away. She was an exceptionally beautiful young woman who, thanks to the kindness of Lord and Lady Longworth, was about to be launched into English society. The prospect did not please him. His own reasons aside, it meant she was fair game for the likes of Montague Oberon, and he did not relish the thought of watching the man salivate over her every time he saw her out in public.
‘Behold the prodigal son,’ Jane whispered in her brother’s ear a few minutes later. ‘And more splendidly attired than half the ladies in the room.’
Her assessment wasn’t far off. Not many gentlemen could have carried off the colourful waistcoat and elaborately folded cravat with such panache, but Oberon’s height and bearing allowed him to do so magnificently. His golden curls were swept back in a manner few men could have worn to advantage and his clothes were immaculate. Pompous prig he might be, Robert reflected, but looks, breeding and a fortune allowed him to carry it off with aplomb.
‘Evening, Silver,’ Oberon said when he came within speaking distance. ‘Jane. Lovely to see you again.’
‘Mr Oberon. What a splendid waistcoat. It is surely a modern version of Joseph’s coat of many colours.’
Oberon’s expression was blank. ‘Joseph?’
‘You remember. From the bible.’
‘Oh, yes, of course. The old fellow whose wife turned to stone.’
‘That was Lot,’ Robert said. ‘And it was salt.’
‘Salt?’ Oberon frowned. ‘What has salt to do with it? We were talking about my waistcoat.’ He paused for a moment to glance around the room. ‘Jupiter, what an appalling crowd. I vow there weren’t this many people at the—’ He broke off, his eyes frozen to one spot. ‘Good God, it’s her!’
Jane turned to look. ‘Who?’
‘The girl from the inn. Aphrodite reincarnated,’ Oberon murmured. ‘It is her, isn’t it, Silver?’
Breathing a sigh of exasperation, Robert said, ‘Yes.’
‘Splendid. Then I must be introduced.’
‘I’d like a word with you first.’
‘Later.’ Oberon’s eyes never strayed from the object of his affection. ‘After I speak to the Goddess!’
‘Now. Will you excuse us, Jane?’
‘Of course. I see Lady Jennings sitting on her own and looking rather disgruntled,’ Jane said. ‘I shall go and keep her company. No doubt she will have a few choice things to say about some of the guests here this evening.’
‘Not about me, I hope,’ Oberon said.
‘On the contrary, you are always one of her favourite topics, Mr Oberon.’ And with a smile for him and a wink for her brother, Jane left the two of them alone.
‘Impertinent minx,’ Oberon said without rancour. ‘Is it my imagination or is her limp less noticeable than it used to be?’
‘I am hardly the one to ask given that I never thought it was all that noticeable,’ Robert said, drawing the other man aside. ‘Now, would you mind telling me what the hell you think you’re doing?’
Oberon’s gaze shortened and refocused. ‘Doing?’
‘The wager. I told you I wanted no part of it, yet you went ahead and put my name to it regardless.’
‘Ah, yes, that. Yes, I did set it up because several of the lads thought it would be a great lark. All of them are in the market for a new mistress and when Mortimer wagered a month at his father’s hunting lodge in Yorkshire that he would be the first to succeed, Cramby staked a thousand pounds against him, saying Mortimer had more money than sense.’
‘There’s a lot of that going around,’ Robert muttered. ‘But I won’t have it, Oberon. Take my name off the bet and out of the book. My reputation doesn’t need any further blackening by you.’
‘Can’t do it, old boy. We all put our hand to it, you see. I personally signed for you,’ Oberon confided. ‘And when you consider what the winner stands to gain, it really makes no sense to call it off. Now, about the French girl. Who is she and how does she come to be here tonight?’
Biting back a scathing retort, Robert said, ‘I know nothing more about her than I did at the inn. Except that her name is Miss Vallois and she is here with Lord and Lady Longworth.’
‘You mean she’s staying with them?’
‘Possibly.’
‘Interesting.’ Oberon’s eyes assumed a speculative gleam. ‘She must be well born to be moving in their circle. I wonder if the fair Lavinia has taken it upon herself to launch the girl into society.’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Then I’ll find out for myself. Introduce us.’
‘No.’
The blunt answer brought Oberon’s head around. ‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I