Hearts Entwined (Victorian Love #3) - M.A. Nichols Page 0,94

divergences between mother and daughter, but staring at the same lovely features that had sneered at Mina in her youth made it hard to remember those differences.

Mina slipped her arm through Simon’s, and she felt the tension in his muscles. But even as her thoughts reeled at the surprise of Miss Banfield’s appearance, Mina forced herself to recall the young lady she’d come to know.

“It is of no matter, dearest,” murmured Mina.

Simon nodded. “Of course not. It is just a shock. That is all. I never realized just how much she looked like her mother.”

“Who is she?” asked Tabby, glancing between the younger pair by the doorway and the elder standing beside her.

“My daughter and their son’s sweetheart,” said Mrs. Susannah Banfield in that sultry tone that set Mina’s stomach in knots.

Chapter 33

When the group turned to face Mrs. Banfield, those cold eyes of hers raked up and down Mina, stopping on every flaw with calculating disdain. Having lived to three and sixty years, Mina was far too mature to feel belittled over that silent snub, but her heart pricked nonetheless.

Tabby glanced between the woman and Mina, her brow furrowing.

“She is so very like her mother, don’t you think?” asked Mrs. Banfield, nodding at her daughter, who moved to greet Mina’s son. “The resemblance is quite striking.”

A challenge flashed in Mrs. Banfield’s eyes as she turned her cool gaze on Mina, and again, Mina was transported back to yesteryear and all those little triumphs that woman had scored again and again. Was even her daughter a pawn in her machinations?

“No one desires your company, Mrs. Banfield, so leave us be,” said Simon.

Mrs. Banfield’s brows rose, and she shifted her shoulders in a subtle move that made the already low neckline of her gown slip into scandalous territory. Though Simon’s gaze never left her face, his eyes narrowed until Mrs. Banfield straightened her shoulders, drawing the décolletage back into its proper place.

“You think no one desires my company?” Her smile became cloying sweet as she attempted to hold Simon’s gaze, though he dismissed it by looking out at the dancers.

“Our husbands are not desperate men looking for a quick romp,” said Tabby with narrowed eyes.

Mina sputtered at that, while Graham and Simon’s eyes widened, but their reaction paled to that of Mrs. Banfield, who dropped the mantle of seductress to gape at Tabby’s audacious statement. Mina didn’t know if she’d ever seen the woman so discomposed, but she stood there like a landed carp, gasping for air while wondering what had just happened.

Straightening, Mrs. Banfield collected herself and turned an appraising eye to Graham, who merely gave a huffing chuckle and dismissed her with a casual glance away.

Though Mrs. Banfield had altered some over the years, growing more overt in her lures since her youth, Mina was startled to realize that gone was any subtlety. Every word and movement left her companions in no doubt that she would welcome either Graham or Simon into her bed. For a moment, Mina wondered what had wrought that change in her.

“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” said Mrs. Banfield, turning a tight smile to Tabby.

“Nor do I wish to be.” Tabby’s tone and smile were so sweet and genteel it was a long moment before Mrs. Banfield’s gaze darkened, her eyes narrowing. “I suppose I could stand here exchanging subtle jabs, meeting each biting comment with a parry of my own, but I’ve no patience for such ridiculous posturing. I lost my pretensions long ago, and being married to a naval man, I’ve found I prefer a more direct approach. So, I will simply warn you that Mrs. Kingsley is not without friends, and I will not stand by and allow you to treat her shabbily. If you wish to spar, then I am more than willing to go a few rounds, but it will not end well for you.”

Mrs. Banfield looked Tabby up and down, her brows pulled together as though trying to decide if the lady spoke figuratively or literally and calculating her chances of victory. Then, giving a haughty raise of her head (as though that would save her dignity), Mrs. Banfield turned on her heel and swanned away, leaving Mina all the lighter for her absence.

“Well done, my love,” said Graham, placing a kiss on Tabby’s knuckles.

***

This wasn’t her first evaluation of the ball’s gentlemanly offerings. Nor the second. Victoria stood to one side, scouring the crowd once more for any option to pursue. Yet not a one held any