‘Miss Marchment! Yes, of course!’ Lord Philip had regained Sophia’s side in less time than it had taken Jane to suggest it. She saw him speak earnestly in Sophia’s ear, saw her friend look dubiously towards her and gave them a little smile and a nod of encouragement.

‘I am so sorry, Lord Blakeney,’ Jane said, turning to the young peer, ‘you will have to make do with me rather than Miss Marchment! All in a good cause!’

It had indeed been Lady Winterstoke’s intention that Lord Philip should escort Miss Verey in to dinner and she was mortified by the social disaster that had so nearly occurred.

When she saw Philip tenderly seating Sophia beside him, saw Jane with Blakeney and realised that the place cards were all in the wrong order, she could only bless the strange fate that had led the girls to accept the wrong escorts. No doubt the maids had jumbled the cards, which was irritating for she had given them the strictest instructions! Such social ineptitude would have been death to her reputation as a fashionable hostess!

Heaving a sigh of relief, Lady Winterstoke applied herself to the watercress soup. She cast a look at the Duke of Delahaye, bearing in mind that it had been his express wish that Lord Philip escort Miss Verey. She saw that Alex was also watching Jane Verey and there was a look of mingled exasperation and amusement on his face.

Jane was also aware of Alex’s scrutiny. She knew that he had guessed that she had engineered the change of placements and had also exchanged escorts with Sophia. Thinking back, he would remember meeting her in the dining-room and immediately realise that she had told him yet another falsehood. The thought made her feel more miserable than she would have expected. She set her jaw firmly. She had warned him that she would do everything in her power to avoid Lord Philip. If the Duke thought badly of her, it would only reinforce his existing opinion that she was a liar and cheat.

After dinner there was impromptu dancing in the salon, which the older guests watched indulgently whilst the younger took part. Jane, whirling around the floor in Lord Blakeney’s arms, decided that she had enjoyed the evening very much. A moment later she caught sight of the Duke of Delahaye talking to the elegant blonde woman again, and changed her mind. The evening had been a sad bore after all.

‘Lady Francine Dennery,’ Blakeney said, in answer to Jane’s unspoken question. ‘She’s the widow of the Eleventh Earl of Dennery and the scourge of the Twelfth Earl! He don’t approve of his wicked stepmother! Not sure where she came from, but we can all guess where she’s going! She aims to crown her career with ducal strawberry leaves!’

It seemed that Lady Dennery had her quarry well within her sights. Her blonde head was bent close to Alex Delahaye’s dark one and there was a provocative little smile on her red lips. As Jane watched, Lady Dennery brushed her fingers swiftly across the Duke’s hand, an intimate little gesture full of meaning. Jane hastily looked the other way.

The last dance of the evening was a quadrille and Jane had promised it to Henry Marchnight. She was not a little taken aback to find the Duke of Delahaye approaching her instead.

‘Marchnight has asked me to present you his apologies and myself as a poor substitute,’ Alex said, smiling at Lady Verey in a manner that Jane was annoyed to see made her poor mother melt completely. ‘His sister has torn a flounce and twisted her ankle, and demands to be taken home at once! I promised him that I would try to make amends!’

‘I am sure that Jane is greatly flattered, your Grace,’ Lady Verey said, when Jane had singularly failed to provide any response of her own. ‘Come, Jane,’ she added sharply, ‘thank the Duke for his condescension!’

Jane thought that she saw Alex wince. ‘I assure you that the privilege is all mine, ma’am,’ he murmured, ‘but if Miss Verey does not care for my company…’

Jane met his eyes. She had been expecting to see mockery there and was taken aback that he was not even smiling. For some reason she felt a need to hurry in and reassure him. It seemed ridiculous-he was a Duke and had all the assurance that his fifteen years’ seniority could give him. Surely he did not need a green girl to convince him that she appreciated his company! And yet…

‘Thank you, sir,’ she murmured. ‘I should be very glad to dance with you.’

Alex took her hand and looked so genuinely pleased that Jane felt her heart leap. She almost drew back, appalled to find her pulse racing at his touch. It was shocking to feel so vulnerable to him, both mentally and physically, and she had no notion how to deal with her feelings. She only knew that she was becoming involved in something too complex to handle.

‘The evening has been quite a triumph for you, has it not, Miss Verey?’ Alex said quietly, so that only she could hear. ‘I did appreciate your manoeuvre at dinner-a masterful piece of strategy! I find that I have to admire you for that!’

The figure of the dance separated them at that moment.

‘Thank you, your Grace,’ Jane said when they came back together again.

Alex gave her a broad smile that Jane found deeply disturbing. ‘No pointless denials, Miss Verey? I admire that too!’ The smile faded and his gaze became as brilliant as a sword thrust. ‘You are ahead on points, I cannot deny it, but the game is not yet over! We shall see who triumphs in the end!’

Jane’s heart skipped a beat but she gave him a look of limpid innocence. ‘No doubt we shall be seeing a great deal of you then, sir.’

‘I expect so.’

‘Do you attend Lady Aston’s masquerade on Thursday? I believe that your brother is invited!’

‘A masquerade!’ Alex looked quizzical. ‘Such potential for dissembling, Miss Verey!’

The dance ended. Jane dropped a little curtsy. ‘Indeed, sir! We are all looking forward to it! I have a pink domino that I am told is all the crack!’

Alex took her hand and kissed it, his eyes laughing at her. ‘Giving secrets to the enemy, Miss Verey?’

‘Perhaps so, perhaps not!’ Jane withdrew her hand before he could feel it tremble and realise his effect on her. That was one secret she did not intend to give away. She was not at all sure why she had mentioned the masquerade, for it would have suited her plans better for Alex not to be present. Yet the urge to see him again had been a powerful one, a dangerous one. She did not like to examine the reasons for it too closely. As he escorted her back to Lady Verey’s side, Jane saw Lady Dennery catch his eye with a significant little glance. At once, Jane felt young and naïve to have succumbed to the charm of a man who evidently preferred more sophisticated company. No doubt he would deliver her to her mother, then forget all about her. It was foolish to expect anything else and she had only herself to blame for being such a starry-eyed innocent.

Simon was alone in the Breakfast Parlour when Jane came down the following day. He was dressed for riding and was flicking through the Morning Post, but cast the paper aside with a smile when his sister slid into the seat opposite.

‘Good morning, sis! How are you?’

He poured her some chocolate whilst Jane helped herself to a large portion of kidney and bacon.

‘I am very well, I thank you.’ Jane fixed him with a businesslike eye. ‘Simon, I need to ask you something. How is it that you and the Duke of Delahaye are become such firm friends so quickly? It is particularly unfortunate, because I need your support against him in this ridiculous plan to marry me off to Lord Philip!’

A slight frown marred Simon’s brow. He was accustomed to his sister’s painful directness, although several years away from her company had lulled him into a false sense of security. He looked at her critically as she despatched her breakfast with an efficiency that argued a hearty appetite, if a certain lack of delicacy. He was forced to admit that Jane had grown into a strikingly attractive girl, with her jet black hair and the flyaway black brows that seemed only to emphasise the bright intelligence in those green eyes. Jane was no country mouse, nor could he imagine her playing the part just to find a husband in the marriage mart of ton Society. As for the suggestion that she make a marriage of convenience to Lord Philip, well, it seemed absurd. Except that he knew that his mother’s heart was set on it and Alex Delahaye seemed insistent…He sighed unhappily.

The impatient drumming of Jane’s slender fingers on the tablecloth reminded him that she was still awaiting his reply.

‘Alex and I are not particular friends-’ Simon prevaricated.

‘Alex!’ his sister interrupted, investing the word with scorn. ‘You seem to be on first-name terms, at the very least!’

Simon sighed again. The martial light in Jane’s eyes suggested that this was going to be difficult. ‘Alex Delahaye is a friend of Harry Marchnight’s,’ he said carefully. ‘He asked Harry to introduce us because he was concerned to avoid any…difficulties…that might have arisen as a result of Lord Philip’s behaviour towards you. The trip to Ambergate and the rumours…’ He could feel himself floundering.

‘Difficulties?’ Jane was momentarily distracted. ‘Simon, what exactly did Lord Philip say about me?’

Simon shifted uncomfortably and avoided his sister’s eye. He had no intention of stirring up the malicious gossip again. ‘Why, nothing much to the purpose! It’s better to forget it all now that everything is smoothed over! But Alex was anxious to avoid misunderstandings, or the possibility of me calling Philip out-as though I would waste my time on such a silly young cub!’

‘I see.’ Jane stirred her chocolate slowly. ‘Then as you think him of so little account, you will understand my rejection of his suit! I may count on your support!’