Fifteen

Edward leaned down and smiled.

That wasn't so difficult, now was it?

She glowered at him.

If I had a pitchfork, I swear unto God I would run you through.

He only chuckled.

A pitchfork?

It must be your country upbringing.

Most women of my acquaintance would have chosen a dagger.

Or perhaps a letter opener."

"She is going to have my head,Sarah hissed, watching as the other couples promenade into the dining room in order of rank.

Since Edward had swapped places with

Mr. Horn he would be the last to enter the dining room and would sit at the lower end of the table.

A disrupted seating arrangement is not the end of the world,Edward said.

"To Lady Fairy it is, "Sarah retorted.

I may know you for the cretin you are, but all she sees is a lofty Billionaire."

"It does come in handy on occasion, he murmured.

That earned him yet another furious glare.

She has been boasting about your

presence at the house party for the past two days,Sarah added.

She will not be happy that you will be sitting with the governess."

Edward shrugged.

I sat with her last night.

What more could she want?

"I didn't even want to sit with you in the first place!

I would have been perfectly happy with Mr. Horn.

I would have been even happier with a tray in

my room.

I find the lot of you despicable.

"Yes, you have said as much.

"I will be lucky if she only dismisses me.

I am sure she is fantasizing about some other more painful form of torture even as we speak."

"Chin up,Dior.

It's our turn.

Edward took her arm and led her into the dining room, where they took their places.

The other guests looked startled to see

Edward at the end of the table.

He smiled blandly and said,

Lady Fairy granted me a boon.

Miss Sarah is an old childhood friend, and I wanted to sit with her.

The other guests nodded furiously, clearly relieved to be provided with an

explanation for this egregious breach of etiquette.

"Miss Sarah" barked a portly middle-aged man.

I do not believe we have met.

Who are your people?

"My father is the Carpenter in Silicon Valley, in America."

Edward added.

We were children together."

Victoria barely suppressed a snort.

Children, indeed.

They had done things no child should do.

While she was sitting there fuming, Edward introduced her to the people at their end of the table.

The man on Sarah's left was Captain Nichols Pays, of His Majesty's thought he was rather handsome in a non-Edward sort of way.

The portly man was Mr Alex, and the lady to his

right was Miss Lucy , who, Sarah was quickly informed by Captain Pays, was a great heiress looking to snag a title.

And finally, across from Edward was Mrs. Harry , a widow who had wasted no time in instructing Edward to call her Celia.

Sarah rather thought that Mrs. Harry was looking at Edward just a trifle too intently, which seemed reason enough for Sarah to turn her attention to Captain Pays.

Not, she reasoned, that she was the least bit jealous. Still, there seemed some justice in it, and it required that she turn her back on Edward which was appealing in and of itself.

"Tell me, Captain Pays,"she said with a smile, have you been in the navy very long?

"Four years, Miss Sarah.

It is a dangerous life, but I enjoy it."

"If you enjoy it so much," Edward cut in, "why the devil aren't you on the continent doing your job?

"Seething,Sarah turned to Edward and said, Captain Pays is in the navy, which implies that he serves on a boat.

It would be quite difficult to steer a boat

on the continent, my lord.

Boats tend to require water.

And then, while everyone was gaping at her for speaking to an Billionaire as if he were a lackwit, she added, "Besides, I wasn't aware that you were included in our conversation."

Miss ford choked so hard on her soup that Mr. Whistle Down was moved to whack her on the back.

He looked as if he enjoyed the endeavor.

Sarah turned back to Captain Pays.

You were saying…"

He blinked, clearly uncomfortable with the way Edward was glowering at him over Sarah's head.

I was?"

"Yes," she said, trying to sound like a sweet, gentle lady.

She soon discovered, however, that it was difficult to sound sweet and gentle through clenched teeth.

"I would love to hear more about what you do."

Edward was having similar problems with his temper.

He was not finding Sarah's flirtations with the handsome captain amusing.

It didn't matter that he knew she was doing it to rile him—her plan was working like a dream.

It left him unpleasantly jealous, and what he really wanted to do was fling a forceful of

peas at Captain Pays.

He probably would have done it, too, if they weren't still on the soup course.

Instead he stabbed at the soup with his spoon, but it didn't offer much resistance

and thus did nothing to reduce his tension.

He looked over at Sarah again.

Her back was resolutely turned to him.

He cleared his throat.

She didn't move.

He cleared his throat again.

If anything, she leaned even closer to Pays.

Edward looked down and watched his knuckles grow white from gripping his

spoon too hard.

He didn't want Sarah, but he damn well didn't want anyone else to have her.

Well, that was not entirely true.

He wanted her.

Badly.

He just didn't want to want her.

He forced himself to remember every humiliating and pathetic moment of her betrayal.

She was the worst sort of adventuress.

And still he wanted her.

He groaned.

"Is aught amiss?

Inquired the merry widow from across the table.

Edward swung his head around to face Mrs. Harry.

She had been making eyes at him all night,and he had half a mind to take her up on her unspoken offer.

She was certainly attractive enough, although she'd probably be more appealing if her hair were darker. Black, to be precise.

Like Sarah's.

It wasn't until he looked down that he realized he'd torn his napkin in two.

His cloth napkin.

"My lord?"

He looked back up. "Mrs.

I must apologize.

I have not been

appropriately sociable.

He smiled devilishly.

You should give me a scolding.

He heard Sarah mutter something under her breath.

He stole a glance in her direction.

Her attention was not as single-mindedly focused on Captain Pays as she would like him to believe.

A footman appeared on Edward's right, holding out a plate of—could it be?—

peas.

Sarah helped herself to a spoonful, exclaiming, "I adore peas."

She turned to Edward.

If I recall, you detest them.

Pity we weren't served pea soup."

Miss ford coughed again, then lurched to her left to avoid Mr. 's blows to her back.

"Actually," Edward said, beaming, I have developed a sudden fondness for

peas. Just this evening, as a matter of fact.

Sarah harrumphed and returned her attention to Captain Pays.

Sarah slid some peas onto his fork, made certain that no one was looking, took aim, and let fly.

And missed.

The peas went flying in every direction, but none of them managed to connect with either Sarah or Pays.

Sarah grunted in disappointment.

That was the sort of evening he was having. And it had started so nicely, too. Torturing Sarah and Lady Fairy. in the drawing room had been

such great fun.

The meal wore on.

No one enjoyed themselves, with the possible exception of Me harry, who seemed oblivious to the barbs being hurled back and forth. Indeed,once the food was served, he seemed oblivious to everything.

By the time dessert was cleared away, five of the six guests seated at the end

of the table looked exhausted.

The sixth, Mr. Harry, just looked full.

Sarah had never been so thankful for anything when Lady Fairy suggested that the ladies retire to the drawing room.

She had no desire for close contact with her employer, who was surely already deciding the best way to dismiss her.

But even Lady Fairy. was preferable to Edward, whose last contribution to the general conversation was, It is indeed difficult to find good help.

Governesses especially."

In the drawing room the ladies gossiped about this and that.

Sarah, as a governess, had not been privy to "this" or "that," so she remained silent.

The frequent glares sent her way by Lady Fairy further convinced her to hold her tongue.

After about half an hour, the gentlemen rejoined them for more conversation.

Sarah noticed that Edward was not present and breathed a sigh of relief.

She simply did not feel up to sparring with him any longer.

As soon as she could politely excuse herself and retire to her room, she would.

An opportunity presented itself a few minutes later.

Everyone except Sarah had settled into little conversational groups.

She edged toward the door, but when she was but three steps away, a male voice brought her to a halt.

It is my pleasure to meet you again, Miss."

Sarah turned around, her face burning a dull red. "Lord Joy."

"I did not know you would be gracing us with your presence this evening."

"I was a last minute replacement."

"Ah, yes, Miss Enton's putrid stomach."

Sarah smiled tightly and said, "If you will excuse me, I must be getting back

to my chamber."

With the briefest of nods she slipped out of the drawing room.

From across the room, Edward narrowed his eyes as he watched Lord

Joy sweep his body into a vaguely mocking bow.

Edward had been late returning to the drawing room, having stopped in a bath chamber to relieve himself along the way.

When he arrived he had found Joy cornering

Sarah.

And the way he was looking at her made Edward's blood boil.

Captain Pays, for all his dashing good looks, was relatively harmless. Joy was completely

without morals or scruples.

Edward started to cross the room, wanting to rip Joy head from his shoulders, but deciding to try a word or two of warning instead.

But before he could reach him, Lady Fairy stood and announced the evening's entertainment. Singing and playing in the music room and cards for the gentlemen should they desire to gamble.

Edward tried to pin down Joy as the crowd dispersed, but Lady Fairy descended on him with an expression that could only be called purposeful, and he found himself trapped in conversation for the better part of an hour.