‘Perhaps if I had chosen Voltaire or Socrates you would have been more impressed. Usually I read for enlightenment, for knowledge, but yesterday I fancied something light. I cannot see why you should pour scorn on my choice of reading. It just so happens that I like birds and horses.’
‘You speak French and Greek?’ Alex asked incredulously, with surprise and doubt.
‘You seem surprised,’ said Angelina.
‘I confess that I am. There are few ladies of my acquaintance who are familiar with the classics—and I am hard pressed to think of any one of them who is conversant in any language other than their own native English, and perhaps a smattering of French.’
Now it was Angelina’s turn to be surprised. ‘Then I can only assume that your experience with the female sex is somewhat limited, Lord Montgomery.’
A gleam of suppressed laughter lit Alex’s eyes, and Angelina could only assume, correctly, that her remark about his inexperience with women had not been taken in the way she had intended.
‘Angelina also plays an excellent game of chess,’ Henry championed, giving Angelina a conspiratorial wink to remind her of all those times they had played together on board ship, when she had more often than not finished the victor. ‘She can swim like a fish, outshoot most men, and handle a horse better than any female I’ve ever seen.’
Alex arched a sleek black brow in mock amusement when his gaze met Angelina’s. ‘I’m impressed! And to add to all these admirable attributes the cut and thrust of her tongue is sharper and deadlier than any rapier,’ he drawled.
‘I’m glad you’ve noticed,’ Angelina replied with an impudent smile and a delicate lift to her brows, taking a sip of her wine.
Alex lost the battle to suppress his smile. The girl had spirit, he had to give her that. ‘As you can see, Uncle, Miss Hamilton’s opinion of me is far from favourable. Earlier she accused me of being rude, overbearing, dictatorial—and she told me that I have the manners of a barbarian.’
‘And I fear I have to agree with her.’
‘Really, Uncle! Where’s your loyalty?’ Alex demanded with mock severity.
‘Forgive me, Alex. But that’s a difficult dilemma.’
‘I can’t see why it should be.’
‘I find my loyalties torn asunder. You see, they lie with you both. You are both family. Angelina is my ward—my cousin’s daughter—and you are my nephew. Surely you can understand the pressure I am under.’
‘Lord Montgomery is the other half of your family, Uncle Henry. Not mine,’ Angelina pointed out forcefully.
‘Noted for our obstinacy,’ retorted Alex.
‘Much good may it do you, my lord. I am no less obstinate, I assure you.’ The smile Angelina turned on Henry was full of sweetness. ‘It’s a pity one can’t be more selective with one’s family as one can be with one’s friends, don’t you think?’
‘I couldn’t agree more, my dear. But I am going to ask you both to lower your swords as a favour to me—at least until after dinner so that we can do justice to Mrs Price’s excellent cooking. It wouldn’t do for all three of us to end up with indigestion, now, would it? However, I grant Alex can be a touch overbearing at times, Angelina.’
Angelina raised a sceptical brow, tempted to say that Lord Montgomery was a complete and total ass, but instead she said, ‘Only a touch, Uncle Henry?’
‘Well, perhaps a little more than a touch.’
Angelina caught Lord Montgomery’s silver gaze that seemed to slice the air between them, warning her not to overstep the mark. She met his gaze calmly, with a defiant lift of her chin. ‘And Lord Montgomery has no need of a sword, Uncle. He can accomplish as much with his eyes as he can with the point of a sword. I swear he could slay a man at twenty paces.’
‘And you, my dear, have the unique distinction of putting his back up.’
Henry smiled indulgently and pulled out a chair for her at the table. Alex would sit opposite her and he would sit at the end—to act as referee if they were to continue sparring with each other. The air crackled and sparked between his nephew and his ward, and their looks and conversation were like daggers being hurled back and forth. It was better than he could have hoped for.
‘But you must forgive Alex,’ he continued. ‘The ladies of his acquaintance are usually more languishing. He can be quite charming.’
Angelina favoured Lord Montgomery with a look of pure mockery as he took his seat across from her. ‘Is that so?’
‘Most ladies do find me charming and pleasant—and some actually enjoy my company.’
‘And no doubt live to regret it,’ she bit back.
With a mixture of languor and self-assurance, Alex started to relax and lounged back in his chair, absently fingering the stem of his wineglass as his gaze swept over her in an appraising, contemplative way.
His instinct detected untapped depths of passion in the alluring young woman across from him that sent silent signals instantly recognisable to a lusty, hot-blooded male like himself. The impact of these signals brought a smouldering glow to his eyes. So much innocence excited him, made him imagine those pleasures and sensations Miss Hamilton could never have experienced being aroused by him. The lazy, dazzling smile he bestowed on her transformed his face.
Angelina found herself staring at him, momentarily captivated by it, unaware of the lascivious thoughts that had induced it. It was the most wonderful smile she had ever seen and full of provocative charm. Oh, yes, she thought, feeling her heart do a little somersault, when he smiled like that and spoke in a soft-as-honey voice and looked at a woman from under those drooping lids, he could make a feral cat lie down and purr.
Angelina found hot colour washing her cheeks under his close scrutiny and she hated herself for that betrayal. Alex saw it and smiled infuriatingly. His strategy had worked. Little Angelina Hamilton was just like all the rest of her sex when it came to the matter of seduction. It would not be too difficult a task demolishing her pride and cold resentment and have her melting with desire in his arms, and the idea of conquering her appealed to his sardonic sense of humour—if that was what he had a mind to do, for he must remember that, for him, she was untouchable, being his uncle’s ward.
‘I’m sorry. Do I unsettle you, Miss Hamilton?’ he asked with a slight lift to his sleek eyebrows.
‘You don’t unsettle me in the least.’
‘Come now, you’re blushing,’ he taunted gently, being well schooled in the way women’s minds worked.
‘I am not.’ Her unease was growing by the second, but she tried not to show it, attempting to maintain a façade of uninterest and indifference.
‘Yes, you are. Your cheeks are as pink as those roses,’ he said, indicating the lovely bowl of deep blush-coloured roses on the table between them.
‘Good gracious.’ Angelina laughed. ‘If that’s the kind of melodramatic rubbish you engage in with the ladies of your acquaintance, I’m surprised they don’t vomit.’
‘I assure you they don’t.’
‘No—well—perhaps if they’re all vacuous peahens unable to see further than your impeccable credentials, they wouldn’t, would they?’
Alex was so astounded by her reply that he almost threw back his head and burst out laughing. ‘No,’ he replied his smile widening. ‘They wouldn’t dare. Now,’ he said when a footman came in carrying platters of food, ‘shall we accede to our uncle’s request by lowering our weapons and agree to a truce while we eat?’
‘Very well—but only while we eat,’