Last Dance in London (Rakes on the Run #1) - Sydney Jane Baily Page 0,44

situation, as he looked from Lady Daphne to the bracelet between his fingers, then to Julia’s pale face. He could take the blame, which made him appear to be the worst slithery blackguard, or blame Julia, which could end with her going to trial. Or he could try to talk his way out of it.

“This is not what it looks like, Lady Daphne.” Those were the words he’d hoped Julia would say to him. And they sounded ridiculous.

Their hostess’s anger didn’t diminish one whit.

“No? Then why don’t you explain why you and Miss Sudbury are loitering in my chamber, with you holding my bracelet.” With those words, Lady Daphne held out her hand, palm up.

Quickly, Jasper deposited the jewelry onto her palm. He’d been acquainted with Lady Daphne for years, although they’d never had a romantic liaison. Their parents knew each other, and her brother had been at All Souls College with him. Because of this, she knew he had an eye — and more — for the ladies, and he decided to rely upon that.

“It’s true I’d hoped to have a moment alone with Miss Sudbury. You know me,” he added.

“I’m not sure I do know you,” she countered.

He smiled. “I simply wanted to kiss the lady. We breached your private floor and were about to enjoy a moment in the hallway.”

He had Lady Daphne’s interest, but Julia was listening to his tale with an expression of horror upon her face.

“A servant came near so I opened the first door and drew my lovely quarry in here. Can you blame me wanting a single kiss?”

Julia groaned with humiliation.

“I heartily doubt you would have stopped at a kiss,” Lady Daphne said. “You rakes never do. I would have come in here later to find my bedlinens rumpled.”

She sounded a little less peeved, however.

“Gentleman’s honor,” he said, offering her a grin. “Nothing but a kiss.”

“The bracelet?” Lady Daphne asked, jangling it in front of him.

“It was on the floor, right there,” he said, gesturing behind him toward the dresser. “I had only just picked it up to replace it. Miss Sudbury, whose reputation is spotless, was about to leave, so I grabbed her arm, and then you came upon us. The blame is all mine, but the crime was passion, not theft.”

“Hm.” Lady Daphne passed him by to examine her dresser. Apparently seeing nothing else amiss, she dropped her bracelet atop the rest of the jewels. “I suppose it’s possible I swept it off by mistake,” she allowed.

“After all,” Jasper reminded her, “I am the Earl of Marshfield, and have no need to steal your baubles, no matter how pretty.”

“Normally, I would say that was undeniably the truth. However, I had heard whispers of your being unable to afford a horse at Tattersall’s.”

His jaw dropped. Such rubbish belonged in the dust-bin! Someone had started a vicious rumor and slandered his good name. He would rip them limb from limb.

“From whom did you hear such a thing?” he demanded, feeling as if his cravat were suddenly tied too tightly.

Lady Daphne was known to gossip. If she thought this to be a juicy tidbit — true or not — the rumor would be everywhere. It was probably already too late.

The lady merely pursed her lips. “The who is unimportant, and I shall say nothing more. But my bracelet would have fetched a pretty penny.”

“I promise you,” Jasper ground out, trying to unclench his teeth, “I didn’t need a pretty penny, nor a bloody pretty pound!”

Although Lady Daphne nodded, he wasn’t certain she’d accepted his vehement assertion. Then she spared Miss Sudbury a withering glance.

“You are a foolish girl to come up here with him.”

Jasper waited. He’d never seen Julia Sudbury behave submissively to anyone. To his amazement, his blonde bandit looked sheepish and compliant.

“Yes, my lady,” she said quietly.

“I think it best if you both leave my home,” Lady Daphne added.

Jasper had never been thrown out of anywhere in his life.

“Come now, don’t be like that. No harm was done.”

“Her ladyship is correct,” Miss Sudbury began. “We should go.”

“No,” Jasper said, more forcefully than he meant to. “I know how rumors begin. If someone noticed our absence from the ballroom, and then also sees us both leave at the same time, your name will be dragged through the mud before morning.”

He offered Lady Daphne a beseeching look.

“You both should have thought of that,” she snapped.

“My lady,” he began, stepping closer to her, until he could practically peer down her décolletage. Gazing into her