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Guests fro counties would attend the ball, as well as faruntleerly accepted by a eable circumstances And as the lord of the manor, his duty was to act as host and dance with asyou’ve ever done to me," he told As to you"

Leo considered that, running through a long list of reht But to be clear … I’ this to humor you"

"Yes, I know I do hope you’ll humor me further, and find someone to marry so you can produce an heir before Vanessa Darvin and her ave his sister a narrow-eyed glance "One could almost infer that the house means more to you than my future happiness"

"Not at all Your future happiness means at least as much to me as the house"

"Thank you," he said dryly

"But I also happen to believe that you’ll be et married"

"If I ever fell in love with so her"

The guests began to arrive early in the evening Wolittering at low rounded necklines, hands covered rist-length white gloves Many fe bracelets in the new fashion

Gentlemen, by contrast, were dressed with severe si creaseless trousers, and cravats in either white or black The clothes were tailored with a touch of welco natural arh rooold satin nearly creaked beneath pyraetables, sweetbreads, puddings, joints of h the circuit of public rooars and liquor to ne to the card roo room was crowded, with clusters of people all around the sides and couples dancing in the center Leo had to ad women present They all looked pleasant, normal, and fresh-faced They all looked the same But he proceeded to dance with ascare to include wallflowers, and he even persuaded a dowager or two to take a turn with hiliown, the saht in a snon at the back of her neck She watched over Beatrix while reround

Leo had seen Catherine do the saers and chaperones as girls only a little younger than herself flirted and laughed and danced It was absurd that Catherine should not be noticed She was the equal of any woround be daaze on her She turned and glanced at him, and she couldn’t seeer captured Catherine’s attention, asking a question about so, and she turned to the dratted woht at his sleeve

"My lord," she said tensely "We have a situation Not a good one"

Glancing at his sister with instant concern, Leo saw that she wore a false s "I had despaired of anything interesting happening this evening," he said "What is it?"

"Miss Darvin and Countess Ramsay are here"

Leo’s face went blank "Here? Now?"

"Ca to them in the entrance hall"

"Who the devil invited them?"

"No one They prevailed on uests And we can’t turn them away"

"Why not? They’re not wanted"

"As i without invitations, it would be even worse for us to reject theracious, and to say the least, it wouldn’t be good ood manners stand in direct opposition to what I want to do"

"I know that feeling well"

They shared a grim smile

"What do you suppose they want?" A her his ar rooazes attended the to a pair of woowns

The older, presue appearance, a bit pluer wo beauty, tall with an elegantly turned figure and a lavish bosoreen tried in a perfect mass of pinned-up curls Her mouth was small and full, the color of a ripe plum, and her eyes were sultry, dark and heavily lashed

Everything about Vanessa Darvin advertised sexual confidence, which Leo had certainly never held against a wo Probably because she looked at hi like a pug dog with a respiratory ailment

With Amelia on his arm, Leo approached the pair Introductions were made, and he boith impeccable politeness

"Welcome to Ramsay House, my lady And Miss Darvin What a pleasant surprise"

The countess beamed at him "I hope our unexpected arrival does not inconvenience you, my lord However, when Lord and Lady Ulstera ball--the first at Ramsay House since its restoration--we felt certain that you wouldn’t mind the company of your nearest relations"

"Relations?" Amelia asked blankly The kinship between the Hathaways and the Darvins was so distant as to hardly warrant the word

Countess Ramsay continued to smile "We are cousins, are we not? And when my poor husband passed on to his reward, e that the estate would pass into capable stewardship as yours Although…" Her gaze flickered to Cam and Merripen "We had not expected such a colorful variety of in-laws as you see the unsubtle reference to the fact that both Cam and Merripen were part Gypsy, A it is," Leo interrupted, trying to stave off an explosion, "to finally be able to coree, my lord," Countess Raarding Ramsay House quite complex, have they not? But we are only woht over our heads Isn’t that right, Vanessa?"

"Yes, Mama," came the demure reply

Countess Raaze encoroup "What matters most is the bond of familial affection"

"Does that mean you’ve decided not to take the house away from us?" Amelia asked bluntly

Ca squeeze

Looking taken aback, Countess Raarded Amelia ide eyes "Goodness alities--my poor little brain fairly collapses when I try"

"However," Vanessa Darvin said in a silky voice, "as we understand, there is a chance we may not be entitled to Ra within a year" Her gaze slid boldly over Leo, traveling from head to toe "And he seems well equipped to do so"

Leo arched a brow, amused by the delicate emphasis she placed on the term "well equipped"