Lady Bianca was a year older than Emma, yet so much more unworldly.
He reasoned the difference might be attributed to the fact that Emma had older sisters. But Lady Bianca had an older sister. Or perhaps being raised in the country was the cause, yet Emma had also grown up in a rural village, raised with her sisters by an aunt and uncle after her parents had died.
It must be Emma’s artist’s eye that gave her a maturity beyond her years. That and her wicked sense of humor. Her clever tongue could keep any situation from becoming too dull.
Sebastian continued to study Lady Bianca. Her beauty was without question, but her overt innocence was a distraction. He had never understood the appeal of an untutored, inexperienced female. The idea of trying to coax a kiss from her rosy, plump lips made him feel like a lecher of the worst kind. Yet he would have to at least kiss her in order to create the scandal.
“Might I beg a moment of your time, my lord?”
Sebastian glanced down at the gloved hand resting on his forearm, then up into the face of Lady Eleanor. Her features were void of any specific emotion, yet Sebastian sensed an undercurrent of anxiety. It made him wary, yet it would have been impossibly rude to refuse. They set themselves off to the side, away from the boisterous group.
“Are you enjoying the afternoon, Lady Eleanor? Walking in the park, breathing in the fresh, crisp air? Or is it the society that interests you more than the grass and the trees?”
Her expression grew wooden. Lady Eleanor, it appeared, was not a woman who appreciated small talk.
“I am interested in you, my lord,” she said. “Or more specifically I am interested in discovering why a man of your years, reputation, and experience is being so attentive to my sister.”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“Not to me.”
Sebastian frowned. “You do your sister a disservice with that remark,” he said, with a tad more fervor than he intended. “Lady Bianca is a unique, remarkable young woman. A man would be a blind fool if he wasted the chance to win her heart.”
She flashed him a cool look. “Do you mean to tell me that you have conceived a genuine affection for my sister after a single dance?”
He smiled charmingly, yet avoided her eyes. “You are forgetting the walk she and I just took. That makes it two meetings.”
“I’m sure there are many who find your sarcastic wit a great delight.” She lifted her chin, her manner, remarkably, even stiffer than before. “I, however, do not.”
Well, that certainly put him in his place. Sebastian considered her quietly. He knew deception was essential to his plan, but whenever possible he hoped to avoid a direct lie. “No one can prevent a man’s heart from going where it chooses.”
She went very still. “How can a heart choose something it does not know?”
Her steady gaze made him want to twist and squirm. There was no way to answer her question without sounding like a besotted young fool. “The mysteries of the heart have confounded people through the ages,” he said solemnly. “I fear I am at a loss to explain it.”
“Well, this is all very sudden, very unexpected.” She turned her face away abruptly, taking in a sharp breath. “I want only the best for Bianca. Her happiness is the most important thing to me and I will do all within my power to see her achieve it.”
Sebastian frowned. Lady Eleanor’s loyalty to her sister was commendable, yet her tenacity worrisome. This proper, virtuous chaperone could be a serious obstacle to his plan.
“Forgive me, Lady Eleanor, but how can you possibly know what will make your sister happy?”
“I know what will make her unhappy, Lord Benton.” She turned her face to his. “A known womanizer with no sense of propriety, faithfulness, or restraint.”
“And what does that have to do with me?” he asked softly.
She had the grace to blush, but she did not lower her gaze. “From what I have been hearing, that appears to be the essence of you, my lord.”
Her insulting remarks should have incited his anger, but he found himself unable to dispute her claim. And admiring her for having the courage to confront him.
“I’ll own that my reputation is not untarnished. I’ve hardly lived like a monk, but neither am I the villain you seem determined to make me,” Sebastian said. “‘Tis often said that a rake has no chance at redemption unless he has the love and guidance of a good woman to keep him from falling into infamy. Would you deny me that chance?”
“A man’s redemption seems a monumental task for any female and even more so for a young, impressionable lady,” she replied.
“Yet well worth the effort.”
“You will forgive me if I hold my judgment on that opinion.” She continued gazing at him, her expression unyielding. “After all, not every man can be saved.”
“True.” Sebastian felt his lips starting to curl into a smile. “Nor should they be.”
She tilted her head, a hint of suspicion forming in the depths of her eyes. “Are you mocking me, my lord?”
“Quite the contrary, Lady Eleanor. I applaud your honesty. A trait I despair is sorely lacking in most women.”
Though he suspected she was trying to prevent it, he saw the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It scarcely made her beautiful, but the softening of her expression showed him that she was, surprisingly, an attractive woman. Not stunning like her sister, but a decent-looking female.
She was tall, possessing the womanly curves he preferred in a woman. Her features were plain, yet soft. Her hair was a rich shade of brown, her eyes a twinkling hazel, with long, dark, lush lashes.
She was the type of female who looked best in vibrant colors, deep shades in jewel tones that set off the richness of her complexion and the sparkle in her eyes. Unfortunately, she did not choose to wear the colors that would enhance her appearance, but instead elected to dress herself in dull grays and serviceable browns. He wondered why.
“If your intentions are serious, Lord Benton, then I expect you to call upon us like a proper suitor. And if they are not …”
Sebastian gave her a startled look. “Surely you are not questioning my intentions?”
“I do not know you, my lord, but I know my sister. She is a sweet and kindhearted young lady who has led a very sheltered life. Though possessing a keen intelligence, Bianca is incapable of realizing when a man is trying to take advantage of her.” Her prim voice grew even more forceful. “After all, ‘tis a well-known fact you have an aversion to marriage.”
He raised his brow.
“A fear of marriage?” she amended.
“Indeed?” Sebastian felt his muscles draw up tight. “My reputation isn’t all that impressive, based mostly on my wild-oat-sowing youth. I daresay it makes a gentleman a more dashing, attractive catch.”
“For whom? An impressionable
