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H e’d sent word to his friends that he would collect them for this evening’s ball, as they deserved to hear the engagement news from him. Toby was first. He climbed in and took the seat across from Anthony.

“Lord, I’m fatigued. I fenced with Jamie today, and the youngest Scuttlethorpe, who is far too energetic, but I could not let him win. Where did you go? We expected you to arrive.”

“I had business to attend to,” Anthony said. His friend went on to explain details of his fencing matches, and he was happy to let him, as his mind was on other things.

When they pulled up at Jamie’s house it did not take long for him to join them.

“Is there a particular reason you felt the need to have us both arrive at the Rothersham ball with you?” Jamie asked when the carriage started rolling again.

“I am engaged to be married to Miss Evangeline Spencer,” Anthony said. “I spoke to her father today and he has accepted.” He sat back and waited for the questions.

“What? Since when have you wanted to wed, and for that matter to her? Who, and correct me if I am wrong, you told me you found excessively irritating,” Toby said. He was frowning now.

“And that she would be the last woman you would marry,” Jamie added.

“We have talked lately and have common interests. This benefits us both.” Anthony kept his expression blank.

“No,” Toby said slowly. “There is more to this, and we want the reasons now, or no one is leaving this carriage.”

“What he said,” Jamie added, hard-faced. “All of it now, Anthony.”

It had been a faint hope at best that they’d believe him. They were his brothers in every way but blood. He could not get much by them.

“Can you not just say, congratulations, Anthony, I am extremely happy for you both?”

“No,” they both said together.

“I always believed you would be the last to wed among us, so you will allow us some surprise, that you, the man who conforms to no one and has taken a vow of licentious behavior, is now engaged,” Toby said.

“You make me sound degenerate,” Anthony snapped, even if the words his friends spoke were true.

“We know you are more than what you have led society to believe, Anthony,” Jamie said. “But you don’t trust easily after what happened to us, and it was my belief you would never allow a woman close enough to hurt you.”

“My wife does not need to be someone I will share my every thought and life with. Plenty don’t,” Anthony protested. “Many barely see each other.”

“All true, but I too believed you wouldn’t wed until you were nearing your last legs and had to produce an heir,” Toby added.

“In fact, you once told us you will wait until you are at least sixty but can still perform your marital duties to take a wife,” Jamie said.

His friends had excellent memories. Now was one of those times he wished they didn’t.

“It is done,” Anthony said with a finality many would heed and not question further.

“Things can be undone,” Jamie said, not one of those people. “And while I like Miss Spencer and find her an intelligent conversationalist, I also know that neither of you like each other.”

Anthony sighed. “I told her I wouldn’t tell anyone, just as she promised she would not.”

“But there is something smokey about this betrothal?” Toby added.

“Is she blackmailing you?” Jamie demanded.

That made Anthony bark out a laugh. “You think I would allow anyone to blackmail me?”

“No, but I can think of no other reason,” Jamie said.

“I found Miss Spencer in an awkward situation—”

“What awkward situation?” Toby asked.

“Do you need all the details?”

“Every last one,” Toby said.

“Not a word of this can leave this carriage.” They both nodded solemnly.

“She was dressed as a man gambling in Hugh’s. A Frenchman. I’d seen her…him before. Mr. Renee, she called herself.”

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or outraged,” Jamie said looking dazed.

“Did she really?” Toby whistled. “Why?”

“Money, of course. She was hardly gambling in disguise for the fun of it,” Anthony said.

“How did you know that Mr. Renee was Miss Spencer?” Jamie asked.

“I saw a birthmark on the back of her neck, and then there is the way she stands—”

“What way does she stand?” Jamie interrupted him.

“All her weight on her right leg, with the left foot sometimes resting on it.”

“I didn’t even know you were aware of Miss Spencer, and yet clearly you’ve been watching her,” Toby said.

“No. As you already know, I saved her in the street one day when a horse would have knocked her to the ground. I turned back after I walked away to check all was well and she was standing like that,” Anthony said.

“Still—”

“There is no still about it,” Anthony said. “This is convenience for both of us. The Spencers have no money, and one of the daughters needs to marry. Cavendish has decided that Evangeline will be his future wife, and she has no wish to be so, but will find it hard to refuse if he persists.”

“No woman should have to wed that man,” Toby said, now angry.

“Exactly.”

“Evangeline?” Jamie asked.

“If we are to carry this off, we must at least look like we are familiar with each other,” Anthony said.

“I understand why she needs a fake fiancé, but not you,” Toby said.

“Your aunts,” Jamie said before Anthony could speak. “This will put them off hounding you to marry.”

“Exactly.

“But why the rush? Surely just showing interest in Miss Spencer for now was enough?” Toby asked.

He explained about the walk in the park and Cavendish’s outrage seeing them together.

“I loathe that man, and Calthorpe,” Jamie said.

“Amen,” both Toby and Anthony added.

“But what about when it ends? You will be all right, but not Miss Spencer,” Toby said.

“We are hoping that with her engagement to me, then more gentlemen will approach her sister. If she contracts a good match, Evangeline will retire to the country with her father.”

Why the thought of never seeing her again made his chest hurt, he wasn’t sure, but Anthony knew one thing, he didn’t like it.

“What if no match is contracted and you have taken Miss Spencer off the market when she could have married well?” Toby asked.

“It is done,” Anthony said. “We cannot go back. When the season ends, she will leave London and declare she no longer wishes to marry me.”

Toby made a scoffing sound. “Do you seriously believe anyone will think that the truth?”

“You are an earl, Anthony, for all you are one who cares little for convention,” Jamie said. “She is a nobody and is not popular. She’s too old, and her looks—”

“She is intelligent and beautiful,” Anthony snapped. He realized his mistake when both men looked at him in silence. “What?”

“You are defending her.”

“We have talked, she is not as irritating as I once believed.”

Toby smiled.

“Why are you looking like that?” Anthony demanded.

“No reason at all, and Miss Spencer is a very nice woman. She will be good for you.”

“It is not a real engagement.” Anthony felt he needed to reiterate that point.

“Have you told your aunts? They will be ecstatic.”

“They are visiting friends for a few nights. I will speak with them upon their return tomorrow, if the news has not already reached them.”

Toby clapped his hands together. “Well then, I foresee far more excitement in the remainder of the season than we’ve had in years.”

“We, of course, will help you in any way we can,” Jamie said. “I’ve always enjoyed anything that sits society back on their heels, and I think tonight will be exactly that.”

“It is not real,” Anthony said again.

“So you’ve said,” Toby added. “She’d be good for you, though. Miss Spencer would not let you continue on with your licentious ways.”

“No, please, tell me exactly what you think of me,” Anthony drawled.

“She’s intelligent enough to keep you on your toes, too,” Toby said.

“I think she could outwit him in all honesty,” Jamie said.

“If you are both quite finished,” Anthony snapped.

“For the first time in a long while I find I am excited,” Toby said.

“As you can imagine, I am happy to have given you a reason.”

“I can’t believe she dressed as a man to gamble,” Jamie said.

“She was quite good at it too,” Anthony had to concede.

The carriage slowed then, and minutes later drew to a halt. All conversation ceased and soon they had joined the other guests lined up to enter.

“I believe congratulations are in order, Hamilton?” These words came from Mr. Reginald, who stood with his wife and two daughters in front of them.

“Thank you,” Anthony said.

“Prepare yourself, my friend. Those that have always been terrified of you will now see you as someone they can talk to,” Toby said.

“Why?”

“Because they will want an invitation to the wedding of the year,” Jamie whispered, laughter in his voice.

“Miss Spencer though?” Mrs. Reginald added. “Imagine our surprise.” Mrs. Reginald’s pursed lips and narrowed eyes told Anthony she was not happy about his choice of future wife.

“I am a very happy man,” Anthony said forcing his mouth into a smile.

“And so it begins,” Jamie said grinning.

“For the entertainment value alone, I thank you,” Toby said.

“Earl, allow me to congratulate you.”

And so, it went. Every person in the waiting line seemed to want to speak to Anthony.

“Surely not all these people want to come to the wedding, if there were to be one?” Anthony said. “I’m the man no one speaks to for fear I will debauch their daughters.” He felt extremely uncomfortable with this sudden popularity.

“It will stop soon. You’re just not used to people actually wanting to speak to you,” Jamie said.

“We will, of course, tell everyone how happy we are about your engagement to Miss Spencer,” Toby said as they reached the ballroom. “And we are never far away, should all this sudden popularity overcome you.”

“Dance with both Spencer sisters,” Anthony snapped. “Also, watch Cavendish. If he approaches them, I want to know.”

“Consider it done,” Jamie said.

They were announced as they entered the ballroom, and suddenly all eyes were on him. Anthony kept his face expressionless. He cared little what anyone thought of him.

“Right, three o’clock.” Toby said when they moved into the crowds.

Anthony looked to his right and found her. People surrounded Evangeline. Her sister was also there, but not Heathcliff Spencer. Evangeline’s expression was polite, lips curved in a small smile.

“I wonder if her well-wishers were as polite as yours were,” Jamie said.

“My guess is not. She looks ready to commit murder.”

“How can you tell?” Toby asked.

He didn’t answer, just made his way toward her.

She was beautiful in a pale blue dress. The neckline exposed the swell of her breasts, and beneath was a bow of emerald satin. Her hair was styled with ringlets around her face, and an emerald ribbon circled her head.

Nudging his way into the circle, he overheard Miss Lambeth say, “But the shock, Miss Spencer, that you could become engaged to such a man, when to my knowledge you barely know each other!”

“Good evening.” Anthony moved to her side. He then took Evangeline’s hand and tucked it into the crook of his elbow. “You were saying, Miss Lambeth?”

“Oh… ah, well, I was offering my heartfelt congratulations, my lord.”

He stood as the discussion dwindled, and suddenly everyone had somewhere else to be and left.

“Well,” Prudence Spencer said. “Your arrival was timely, my lord. You scared them all away.”

“Prue!” Evangeline was clearly scandalized by her sister’s words.

“I’ve had years of practice,” Anthony said as he heard the first strains of a waltz. “Will you honor me with this dance, Miss Spencer?”

She nodded but didn’t speak, and Anthony thought that was because she wanted to breathe fire. He placed her hand on his arm.

“Good evening, my sweet,” Anthony said when he had her in his arms.

Her eyes shot up to his from his necktie. “Why did you call me that?”

“We are in public.” He bent to whisper in her ear.

“I don’t think couples call each other that, and I don’t think I want to do this anymore,” she whispered back in a furious tone.

“Too late,” Anthony said.

“People are rude.”

“It’s taken you this long to work that out?” he said looking around them. Prudence Spencer was dancing with Mr. Landon, and Toby the widow Lady Blake, who Anthony knew he’d spent several nights sharing a bed with recently.

“No, I knew that before, but no one usually bothers with me. Now, apparently, I am worthy of their attention and probing questions about why someone like you would want to marry someone like me.”

“I too have noticed people want to speak with me, when normally they run the other way,” he said. “I’d hate to think I was becoming respectable,” he drawled.

“I doubt even I could make you respectable, my lord.”

He snorted, then looked down into her face, and there it was again, that fiery feeling in his chest. Why did this woman chase away the cold? But Anthony knew it wouldn’t last; nothing ever did.