away the lingering memory of her watchful eyes considering him and only now becoming aware of just how quickly his heart was beating. “I might be a rogue for all she knows. And given it is her first Season...” He trailed off, leaving the rest of the words unspoken. A debutante did not know much of society, even though she would be well aware of all that was demanded of her in terms of behavior and expectations of propriety. It might come as something of a shock to a delicate young lady to know that gentlemen could be so roguish in their behavior, to hear such whispers and gossip as never before. Quite what it was Lady Rebecca had seen in him, he did not know, but Jeffery was determined to push her from his mind. His only intention was to remain in London and within society to prove to the ton that he would not be pushed away by rumor and gossip. Being fully aware that his reputation was already damaged by what had occurred thus far, Jeffery did not want to make it all the worse for himself by running to hide—but he certainly could not pull someone such as Lady Rebecca down with him, even if she was both beautiful and intriguing.
“You are in something of a predicament, are you not?” Lord Swinton remarked, shaking his head. “I can tell that you are interested in the lady and, in truth, I do not think I have ever met someone akin to her before. To come here and speak to you in such an open and direct manner, when she has only been introduced to you the once, is quite astonishing!”
“Perhaps she felt a little guilty over what Lady Hayward said to me,” Jeffery replied, trying to shrug off any suggestion that he was fascinated by Lady Rebecca. “Although she need not do so. It is not as though it was her doing, and, if I am honest, I quite understand Lady Hayward’s need to keep her charge from me, and it is to be expected that gossip such as this is listened to.”
Lord Swinton lifted his eyebrows and looked hard at Jeffery, who immediately cleared his throat and looked away. He knew very well that his friend expected him to admit to the fact that he was interested in Lady Rebecca when he was quite determined not to do so.
“So, you are to do nothing about the lady, then,” Lord Swinton said, sounding disappointed. “You are just to continue as you are, removing her from your thoughts so that you could not even consider her.”
“What else is there for me to do?” Jeffery exclaimed, now becoming a little irritated. “I will admit that she is certainly unusual and that I cannot help but be both flattered and pleased at her remarks, but she is the daughter of a duke! And a debutante at that! If I return to her company, if she is often seen in mine, then her reputation will be tainted! And I will not allow my selfishness to have such an effect.”
“Even if you should like to speak to her again?” Lord Swinton asked gently. “Even if she is the only young lady who might be willing to consider you?”
Jeffery blew out a frustrated breath. “Consider me?” he repeated, aware of the mocking tone in his voice but doing nothing to hide it. “I am not even thinking of matrimony, Swinton, as you well know. I certainly could not choose a young lady merely because she might be the only one who would be willing to consider marriage!”
Lord Swinton shrugged. “Why not? It is not as though this rumor is going to fade easily. The curse of ‘rogue’ will follow you for many Seasons. Even when you believe it to be gone, it will still be whispered after you. Ladies will look at you with suspicion; mothers will hold their daughters back from you; worst of all, you may find that the less-than-exemplary ladies seek you out a little more.”
It all sounded very dire indeed, and Jeffery shook his head, passing one hand over his eyes as he blew out a long, heavy breath. As much as he wanted to state that there was no truth in anything that Lord Swinton had said, that he did not think there was anything for him to concern himself with for the following Season, Jeffery knew that all he had said was quite true.
“I cannot think of