Page 24 of Undercover Duke

He shook off whatever he was thinking and smiled at her. “Because, my dear, sometimes I like to live dangerously.”

She caught her breath. So did she.

Offering her his arm, he said, “Shall we?”

“Of course,” she responded.

As they headed to join the others on the floor, he muttered, “Poor William Bonham.”

“Who is that?” she asked.

“Just a fellow who will be very disappointed that your uncle is flirting with my mother, and that my mother is flirting back.”

“And areyoudisappointed?”

“Not disappointed so much as . . . concerned.”

She laughed. “It’s only one dance, Sheridan. I doubt it will lead to anything serious.”

“You may be right.” He seemed deep in thought as he led her to the end of the line of dancers. When he caught her staring at him, he broke into a decidedly false smile. “Never forget, my mother has had three husbands. I wouldn’t put it past her to try for a fourth.”

But despite his attempt at joviality, she sensed something else going on beneath his smooth exterior. He was back to being a sphinx. And that worried her.

Chapter Six

Sheridan spent half of his and Vanessa’s dance watching his mother. Surely it was no coincidence that the only man Mother had danced with this evening was Lady Eustace’s brother. Mother had said she would help their investigative efforts, and they’d all insisted she not do so. What if this was her helping? She wasn’t good at subterfuge; nottheirmother. She could very well destroy Sheridan’s own efforts.

By the time the dance was over and they were headed toward the supper room, Sheridan was already imagining all sorts of scenarios where Mother blurted out something that gave Sir Noah pause.

“He’s not going to hurt her, you know,” Vanessa murmured. “Heisa gentleman, after all.”

“Who?” Sheridan asked, playing dumb.

“My uncle, of course. You look as if you want to take him aside and give him a stern warning. Or a good thrashing.”

He forced his attention back to Vanessa, who wore her worry on her sleeve. “That’s absurd. For one thing, you’re right—heisa gentleman. For another, my mother is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.”

“Oh, good. Then we agree.”

Sheridan chuckled. “We probably agree on a great many things, if you will only admit it.”

“Really? Like what?” Her sparkling eyes entranced him as she and he stood in the line forming at the entrance to the supper room.

“That you look lovely in that gown.”

She didn’t appear as flattered as he’d expected. “Thank you,” she said thinly. “Although it would be rather vain of me to agree with you on that.”

“True.” He cocked his head. “Then we can both agree thatIlook dashing in my theater attire. I don’t mind being considered vain in the least.”

She clearly fought a smile. “But I mind your assumption that I will agree.”

“How could you not agree?” He grinned. “I’ll have you know my valet worked very hard to make me a man of fashion for this evening.”

“He can work as hard as he likes, but you will never be a man of fashion.”

He blinked. “Why not?”

“You’re too . . . too obviously unconcerned about your appearance. You’re the very opposite of vain.” She reached up with both hands to fool with his cravat. “For example, our dancing seems to have set this askew. A man of fashion would already have noticed that in a mirror and straightened it.”