"With the recent rains, the roads must be a nightmare. What was the errand that brought you to London, lord Dare? Simply to remind me of what I owe my guardian?"
"I had intended to retrieve my missing wife," Dare said.
"Then perhaps I should be the one to ask why that is a "fool's errand"," Elizabeth said.
"I understood that you were here to prepare Miss Darlington for her entry into society. I had thought that by now that instruction must be complete. I see I was mistaken."
"That's quite enough, Val," Ian ordered, imbuing his voice with an amusement he didn't feel. "Forgive my brother's manners, Annie. Perhaps we can persuade Elizabeth to undertake his training in the social graces."
"She has been attempting that since our marriage," the Earl said. "I take it you consider that she has failed."
"Perhaps with you, but believe me, Elizabeth's work here has been quite successful. The proof stands before you."
Ian had left instructions with Dare's major-domo that he should usher Annie into the library as soon as she returned from the afternoon's musicale. She was still wearing the pale blue gown she had chosen for that.
It was a shade that both accentuated and complemented her colouring. Since the dress had been fashioned in the latest style and cut by the master hand of the modiste whom Dare himself had recommended, Ian believed his brother would be hard-pressed to find fault with Annie's appearances.
And, despite her willingness to match the Earl barb for barb, there had really been nothing about her manners that his brother might legitimately criticize. Annie had held her own without becoming rattled by Dare's obvious attempt to intimidate her.
The Earl's eyes remained on Ian's face long time before he turned back to Annie. The corners of his mobile mouth had moved into a smile, and he gave her the same small half-bow he had just made to his wife.
"My compliments to you all," he said. "Miss Darlington is indeed a diamond of the first water."
"I may forgive you after all," Elizabeth said. "Annie, would help me pack?"
"Of course," Annie said, smiling at her. "I hope I shall see you again before you leave, my Lord."
"Do you? Perhaps you truly are a paragon. Please forgive me if I've offended you, Miss Darlington. I confess to being overprotective of my brothers. I only have the two, you know, and both are prone to reckless acts of valour. It's very wearing on the nerves."
"I should never have thought that a nervous disposition was an affliction from which you would suffer, my Lord. Although I quite understand your concern," Annie said.
For the first time since she had entered the room, she allowed her eyes to rest on Ian's face. And at what was in them, his pulse accelerated. There was no physical contact this time to explain the sudden rush of blood into his groin. Aware of the potentially embarrassing consequences of his reaction, he pulled his gaze away, focusing it on his sister-in-law's face instead.
At the same time, he commanded his mind to concentrate on something else. Anything else. Anything other than what he had just seen in the eyes of his ward.
"We shall miss you," he said, smiling at Elizabeth.
"It has been my pleasure to be of service in this cause, but I truly think my work is done. Anyone who can successfully exchange sallies with Dare is ready to take on the ton. Annie?" Elizabeth said, reminding her of the task that awaited them.
When the two of them had left the room, Ian could no longer avoid Dare's eyes. And the Earl, of course, wasted no time in commenting on what had just happened.
"You're quite right. She does have speaking eyes."
Despite himself, Ian laughed. "Annie seems to have taken you into dislike. Do you suppose it could have been because of your rather obvious baiting of her?"
"I wasn't talking about that," Dare said.
Ian should have known that his brother was too astute to have missed the look Annie had just given him. Or his reaction to it. He sincerely wished Dare were not so astute, but his brother had always been able read him like an open book.
"Gratitude," Ian said tightly.
"I wasn't talking about that, either," the Earl said.
The blue eyes fell to examine the fit of the skin-tight pantaloons his brother was wearing. Ian could feel a different rush of blood, this one staining his face and neck.
"I can't ever remember seeing you blush," Dare said. "Surely you are a little old for such... schoolboy antics."
"Go to hell," Ian said softly, watching his brother's lips move into the familiar mocking smile. It was not one he usually employed en famille, and never, that Ian could remember, to him.
"I thought you were very quick to champion your ward when we last talked. At the time, I put it down to the effects of fever. I see now that your knight errantry has progressed in a rather... interesting direction."
"Let it go, Val," Ian warned, his voice cold and hard. At the tone, the Earl's head tilted. "If you're worried about what I said, don't be. If Darlington's daughter is the woman you want, I'll make no objection. You know what they say about those who are happily married."