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“Poor boy!” Mrs Randall said

Rob grinned wryly “He didn’t let hinored at school, I pro younger than he andwith a different set, I didn’t know hiht, ready to take on even lads er and older Almost alon, by the way He’s now accounted one of the foreland”

“It sounds as if he were angry with the world,” Allegra said As well hehis parents and being thrust into an indifferent world

Rob shrugged “Perhaps Anyway, since Oxford he’s lived in London, keeping hi and…and—” he lowered his voice as color stained his cheeks “—ah, associations with ladies of large fortune”

“Married ladies,” Allegra surmised “In other words, a rake”

While Mrs Randall gasped, Rob confirra’s impression with a nod “A notorious one, who has never before bothered to make an appearance at ton events He and Lady Domcaster are close friends from youth, so with Do as her escort Though were she my wife, I doubt I’d permit him to do so, never mind that they are cousins”

“Is she in danger frora inquired

“Probably not,” Rob conceded “Domcaster’s no fool Besides, I seem to recall that he and Tavener were friends at Oxford, perhaps because he was then courting Tavener’s cousin, who to establish hiuess”

Like I aht

“Good breeding or no, you’d do well to be on your guard, Allegra,” Rob warned “If he says or does anything that gives you alarm, leave him at once”

“Thank you, Rob I will do so,” Allegra said

Not that she’d needed Rob’s warning With his intense eyes and beguiling char actress friend the su in a theater orchestra Knowing her strict papa would not approve her close association with a thespian, she’d had to sneak out to visit Molly, eager to learn what the vivacious, experienced girl could teach her about love and life

Her lordship’s caan just after he attended their first perforh Molly’s ploy-by-ploy description and her own observation, Allegra had eagerly followed the progress of his courtship, froifts, notes and ardent poetry to Molly’s eventual, enthusiastic capitulation The physical particulars of which a prosaic Molly had explained in frank detail, Allegra recalled Soiddy churned in her belly at the memory

Putting a hand on her stora told herself to beware Molly had so vividly described the feeling of physical attraction that, though she had never experienced it before, Allegra realized the reaction Lord Tavener evoked in her was desire

’Twas disconcerting to discover one could feel lust for onefor another, but she supposed she should not be surprised Molly’s rake had dely that true affection and desire could be entirely separate entities

Charht be, she could not afford to head down the path Molly had strolled so eagerly Nothe shock to her fingers when he touched her hand

Rob cleared his throat, pulling Allegra froentleman approached, one of Rob’s friends, and was duly introduced After conversing for a few moments, he drifted off

A few ra grew painfully aware that forinterval after Lord Tavener’s departure, though a nu looks, none save a few of Rob’s friends approached seeking an introduction Rob optimistically predicted that she would find her way in society eventually, but after the last feeeks of calls that had elicited raised eyebrows and unspoken censure, Allegra wasn’t so sure

Then, with a relief that was stronger than it should have been, she looked up to see Lord Tavener approaching She tried—and failed—to steel herself against the flutter in her belly when he took her hand

After bowing to Rob and Mrs Randall, he announced, “My cousin abandonedseveral of her disappointed former suitors Miss Antinori, are you ready to stroll?”