Lady Lilias and the Devil in Plaid - Julie Johnstone Page 0,31

rather cool, but perhaps it was Nash’s imagination. What he did not imagine was catching Carrington’s wife discreetly elbowing her husband. What was that about?

Carrington cleared his throat as he caught his wife by the elbow and angled his body to cover the gesture, but it was too late. Nash had seen it. “I’m glad ye changed yer mind and came to the ball,” Carrington said. “Ye remember my wife…”

She offered him a polite, albeit seemingly forced, smile. “I told you, darling. I’ve known Greybourne since we were much younger. I’m surprised you are not dancing, Greybourne.”

“Are you?” Nash glanced away for a breath and located his sister dancing very near him. He should have turned back then, but he found himself searching out Lilias once more to ensure she was not being mauled by the man she was dancing with. When he looked back to the duchess, he had the distinct feeling she’d been watching him. “I beg your pardon,” he said. “I was ensuring my sister is still safely on the dance floor.”

“Hmm,” the duchess said, the sound dripping with disbelief. “You appeared to be scanning the ballroom for someone other than your sister, given I noted you looking at her as she is right there.” The duchess tilted her head toward Adaline. He could see why Lilias was friends with Carrington’s wife. She was bold like Lilias.

“I was actually looking for Blackwood,” Nash said smoothly, using Owen’s title instead of his familiar name.

“Oh,” the duchess replied, her mouth parting in a surprised O.

Beside her, Carrington tried to cover a chuckle with a cough without much success.

His wife elbowed him good, and she did not bother to disguise it. “I believe I saw him near the terrace doors caught by Lady Tindall and her daughter, Lady Camille. The woman is in search of a husband for Lady Camille, and I think Blackwood is her prime candidate.”

“Surely the woman must know she’s wasting her time,” Nash muttered, looking toward the terrace doors and finding Owen leading a frail girl away from it and toward the dance floor with an unhappy look on his face. Nash noticed that Owen was walking without his cane, but the uneven gait was there and guilt pricked him.

“Why would she be wasting her time?” the duchess inquired, frowning at him.

Did the woman not know that Owen had been courting Lilias and that Lilias had told Owen she loved him? Nash recalled what Owen had said yesterday about Lilias being so independent, and Owen wanting to give her time to settle into her lot. Was that what the duchess was referring to? Did she know something? Such as Lilias confessing she did not wish to wed Owen? Oh, happy thought. No. Devil take it. That could not be allowed to make Nash happy.

“As far as I know, Blackwood has not offered marriage to anyone,” she said, studying Nash.

Was that it? Was she vexed on Lilias’s behalf because Owen had not made his intentions clear enough to Lilias?

“But the night is young,” the duchess continued, surprising Nash. “Why, at balls such as this, shocking offers are given all the time. Take, for example, my dearest friend Lilias and the man she’s dancing with, the Marquess of Kilgore. He may be a renowned rake, but Lilias is so beautiful, so warm and special, that I wouldn’t be surprised if Kilgore declares himself for her this very night.”

“The devil you say,” Nash bit out before he could stop himself.

He saw the swift look that was exchanged between Carrington and his wife, and Nash supposed he’d offended her somehow with his crude statement. But he didn’t give a damn. All he cared about was Lilias. He found his gaze on her again. The marquess had his hand on Lilias’s back, too low for propriety and for Nash’s liking. What the devil was Owen thinking letting Lilias dance with a rake?

Nash wanted to be involved with aiding the match between Lilias and Owen as much as he wanted to be at this ball. Not. At. All. Penance was bloody trying. If he thought he could live with himself without staying this course, he’d deviate off it now. Owen needed to take the reins and tell Lilias exactly how he felt and that he wished to wed her immediately. The time was now! Before she slipped out of Owen’s grasp. Owen was, as usual, too busy worrying and not doing enough seizing of the moment. He’d have to have a talk