is the foolishness of your proposition. Do you even know what you are asking?”
She arched a brow. “I have a fairly good idea.”
“Then you know what will happen to you.”
“Absolutely.” She smiled. He might not understand, but those consequences were exactly what she was hoping for.
“Sorry, I’m not interested.” He turned to go.
Elizabeth’s mouth fell open. She’d been so sure this would work.
“Why not?” She couldn’t help but ask.
He turned in the path, faced her squarely. “It may come as a surprise to you, but I’m not in the habit of seducing innocents, then failing to claim responsibility when I do so.”
“I see.” But she didn’t. Hadn’t he a reputation for just that sort of thing?
Heat flooded her cheeks. “I don’t appeal to you in that way. Well, you wouldn’t have to seduce me, then. We could simply have it whispered about—”
“I told you, I’m not interested.” He glanced over his shoulder as though he had somewhere to be.
Crushing embarrassment swept through her, and her throat grew thick with the threat of tears. It was time to accept defeat.
“In that case, I thank you for your time, Your Grace. And I would appreciate it if you did not mention this, er, conversation, to anyone,” Elizabeth said with the last scraps of dignity she could muster.
He gave her a stiff nod. She turned and fled as fast as her skirts would allow.
Alex stared at the quickly retreating redhead. The whole Medford family must be mad. It was the only way to explain it. Yes, he’d danced with her at the Peasleys’ ball last week. She’d looked quite fetching, and a bit lonely. And, of course, he hadn’t known who she was until too late.
He knew about loneliness, having grown up with it. But he’d never imagined the seemingly innocent girl he’d held in his arms had been planning to ask him to engage in an illicit liaison. Where on God’s green earth had she gotten such an idea?
Mad, entirely.
Alex knew he had a reputation, but all his affairs had been with widowed or otherwise independent women. Well, there had been that one unfortunate incident in his youth, but in that case, the young lady in question had actually been teaching him a thing or two, so he could hardly be blamed for her ruin. He knew how the ton gossiped, though.
To tell the truth, it bothered him. He’d have preferred Elizabeth held him in higher regard, if she was going to think of him at all. In spite of her family, he’d been attracted to her refreshing wit. But once again, his judgment failed him whenever the Medfords were involved.
Some men would consider ruining Medford’s daughter the perfect revenge, or, as the feckless baron himself had suggested, an appropriate repayment of debt, but Alex was not one of them. There was no satisfaction to be had in getting revenge on a dead man.
If anything, he pitied Elizabeth. Because of her father’s reckless management, she now suffered. He’d not failed to notice her brief mention of an unwanted engagement.
His pity, however, did not extend to the point that he was willing to become personally involved. In fact, he’d promised not to.
Alex blew out a breath. Fortunes were made and lost all the time, and Elizabeth’s was certainly not the first noble family to find themselves on the outs.
What would the chit have done if he’d said yes? He grinned at the idea. He’d been tempted enough. Her wildly colored hair, her slim curves, and her defiant bravery held definite appeal.
No doubt she’d have tried to back out at the last minute.
Unless, he speculated, she was using him.
Perhaps she was foolish enough to believe that if he “ruined” her, as she’d so boldly offered, he’d be forced to offer for her in return. Perhaps her father had even planted the scheme in her head before his demise. It was a far more daring approach than the coquettish looks he endured from dozens of other hopeful misses, but he was not so easily fooled. And there was nothing Alex hated more than being used.
He ground a heel into the dirt, then strode down the path that would take him out of the park.
She had his reluctant admiration for her daring, but Elizabeth Medford’s problems were her own.
“Elizabeth, a word with you,” Lady Medford said, accosting her daughter the moment she stepped through the door to their town house. Charity, whom Elizabeth had rejoined at the park before seeking the sanctuary of home, heard their mother’s tone and disappeared like mist in the wind, leaving Elizabeth to fend for herself.
All Elizabeth really wanted to do was run to her room and hide her mortification under her bedcovers, but instead she schooled her features into a polite expression. “Mother.”
Lady Medford started down the hall, and Elizabeth resignedly followed, dragging her feet over the polished wood floors. They entered the salon, a room decorated in delicate shades of rose—a room Elizabeth had always found completely uncharacteristic of her mother.
Lady Medford turned and faced her daughter like a general dressing down a private. “It has come to my attention that you were seen dancing with the Duke of Beaufort.”
Elizabeth stifled a groan. The duke was the last person she wanted to talk about right now.
“Yes, at the Peasleys’ ball,” she answered cautiously. Her mother had chosen not to attend, pleading a headache. Elizabeth had been chaperoned instead by Lady Tanner—an older lady of venerable reputation, who would surely exact a favor in return for having performed the duty of chaperone, in spite of having performed said duty in a rather lax fashion. Just one more thing Elizabeth had to look forward to.
“Is he pursuing you?”
Elizabeth’s attention snapped back to her mother. “I don’t believe so.” She nearly choked on the understatement. Beaufort had made it abundantly clear how little intention he had of “pursuing” her.
“Good. I think it would be best if you did not get involved with him.”
Now Elizabeth was truly confused, for Lady Medford’s statement surely qualified her as the only mama in the entire ton who didn’t want her daughter pursued by the extremely wealthy, handsome, and eligible Duke of Beaufort.
Reminding herself her mother had no idea of what had actually just transpired, she replied, “Mother, I assure you there was nothing untoward; it was merely a dance.”
“Nonetheless, the man has a reputation. Why, he’s practically predatory. Any involvement with him is likely to end in disappointment on your part.”
Well, that much was true. But since when did Lady Medford care about her daughter’s hopes getting crushed? That would be a new development in their relationship—if it was true.
“Also, I don’t believe your father would have approved.”
Elizabeth
