Lady Allerton's Wager by Nicola Cornick Read Free Book Online Page A

Suddenly she was acutely aware of him; of the smooth material of his sleeve beneath her fingers and the hard muscle of his arm beneath that, of the warmth of his body so close to hers and the disturbing look in his eyes.
    ‘Just tell me your name,’ he said softly, persuasively.
    ‘Beth, my dear! There you are!’ Beth jumped and swung round, tearing her gaze from Marcus. Lady Fanshawe was bearing down on them, her good-natured face wreathed in smiles. Her gaze moved from her goddaughter to the Earl of Trevithick and her smile faltered slightly in surprise, but she recovered herself well.
    ‘Oh! Lord Trevithick, is it not? How do you do, sir? I had no notion that you knew my goddaughter!’
    Beth was aware of a sinking feeling as she watched Marcus bow elegantly over Lady Fanshawe’s hand. She knew that her godmother, voluble as ever, was about to give her identity away completely.
    ‘It is so delightful to see that the younger generation has ended that tiresome estrangement between the Mostyn and Trevithick families!’ Lady Fanshawe burbled. ‘I have never quite understood the cause ofall the trouble, for it was an unconscionably long time ago and over some trifling matter such as a lost battle—’
    ‘Or perhaps a lost island, ma’am!’ Marcus said smoothly. Beth felt his dark gaze brush her face and deliberately evaded his eyes. ‘In fact, I was hoping that your charming goddaughter—’ there was just a hint of a query in his voice ‘—might tell me more about our family feud, for I confess it fascinates me!’
    Lady Fanshawe beamed, accepting Marcus’s other arm as they strolled slowly back towards the box. ‘Oh, well, Beth will be able to tell you the whole story, I dare say! All the Mostyns are steeped in family history from the cradle!’
    ‘I see,’ Marcus said slowly. Beth could feel him moving closer to his goal, but for some reason she felt powerless to intervene and direct the conversation into other channels. And Lady Fanshawe was so very good-natured, and seemed pleased that the Earl was showing such an interest…
    ‘You must know the family extremely well, ma’am,’ he continued.
    ‘Oh, indeed, for Davinia Mostyn, Beth’s mama, was such a dear friend of mine, was she not, Beth, my love? It was such a tragedy when Lord and Lady Mostyn were killed in that horrid accident! But then Kit inherited the title and Beth married Frank Allerton…’
    Beth felt Marcus’s arm move beneath her fingers. She caught her breath.
    ‘You did not tell me that you were Sir Francis’s widow, Lady Allerton,’ Marcus said gently, smiling down at her. She could see the triumph in his eyes. ‘He was a fine man and a great scholar. His treatiseon hydrostatics formed part of my university studies. I remember his work well.’
    ‘Thank you,’ Beth murmured, looking away. ‘Sir Francis was indeed a fine academician.’
    They had reached their box now and discovered that the second act of the play was about to start. Kit was already in his seat and looked up, startled, to see both his cousin and Lady Fanshawe escorted by the Earl of Trevithick. The two men exchanged a stiff bow, and then Marcus took Beth’s hand in his.
    ‘I should deem it an honour to call on you, Lady Allerton,’ he murmured, his gaze resting on her face in a look that brought the colour into her cheeks. ‘I understand that you are staying in Upper Grosvenor Street?’
    Beth hesitated. ‘We are, but—’
    ‘Then I shall look forward to seeing you shortly.’ He bowed again. ‘Good evening, ma’am.’
    Beth bit her lip as she watched his tall figure make its way back to the party in the Trevithick box. It seemed that the Earl was difficult to refuse. And now that Lady Fanshawe had told him everything he needed to know, his position was well nigh unassailable. With a sigh, Beth tried to direct her attention back to the play. She wondered what his next move would be.
     
    ‘I am not at all sure about these newfangled artists,’