Page 68 of A Relentless Rake

“St James?” Irritation edged Sir George’s voice.

Alec’s attention snapped back to the conversation. “What is it?”

“The canals, sir! Have you no care for what’s best for England?”

Alec pulled in a deep breath to keep from slamming his fist into Sir George’s face. He muttered as he placed his empty glass on the tray of a passing footman and snatched up a fresh one, “You have no idea what lengths I’m willing to go to for England.”

He turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Sir George gaping openmouthed after him.

Elizabeth stood beside Arthur Mullins with a group of their friends, all of them chatting and laughing and having a grand time. Jealousy panged in Alec’s gut as Beth rested her hand lovingly on Mullins’s arm. The only time Alec had ever experienced such casual affection had been with Olivia.

“Elizabeth.” He stopped at the edge of the group and gestured toward the side of the room. “May I have a word?”

Her smile dulled with sudden concern, and he bit back a curse. Leave it to Beth to notice how on edge he was tonight. She quickly gave her apologies to her friends and allowed him to lead her away so they could speak privately.

“Is something wrong?” she asked. “You’re looking a bit—”

“You knew she was going to be here and didn’t tell me.”Nota question.

“Whomever do you mean?” She feigned ignorance, but her expression came a beat too late to be believable.

For the first time in ten years, he was tempted to toss her over his knee and spank her. “Don’t dissemble with me. You know who.” He ground out her name, the very sound of it stinging, “Miss Everett.”

“Of course she’s here.” She smiled with smug satisfaction. “She was invited to chaperone Lady Gantry’s niece. As a relative, the girl was obligated to attend, so we thought Miss Everett would—”

“We?” He should have known that Beth was behind this not-so-chance meeting.

Yet his sister wasn’t embarrassed at all to have been caught meddling. Again. “Lady Gantry asked Mama whom she thought should serve as Miss Smith’s chaperone for the evening, and Miss Everett was the perfect choice. Surely, you realized she’d be here, given her position.”

“No,” he half snarled, “I didn’t realize that.”

“How fortunate, then, that you have the chance to see her again.” Her knowing gaze pinned him with a sideways look. “And make a better impression upon her. After all, you two seemed to have a rocky start to your acquaintanceship at the ball.”

“It was a pleasant enough meeting,” he corrected and took a healthy swallow of wine. Good Lord, he needed fortification. “We even waltzed.”

“You had Captain Reed douse her with punch,” Beth corrected bluntly. When Alec shot her a surprised look, she scolded lightly, “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that.Andyou’ve not yet explained why you would do such a thing.”

Nor would he ever. He directed the conversation back to the disaster at hand. “You knew she would be attending tonight and didn’t tell me.” He shot her a look that made grown men quake in their boots but that only seemed to amuse her. “Stop meddling in my personal life.”

The stubborn imp had the nerve to look offended. “Why, I wouldnev—”

“She is a schoolmistress, and I’m an earl.” He reminded himself of that as much as her. “You know I can’t marry her.”

“Notmarry, for goodness’ sake!” she corrected defensively, her eyes widening in surprise. “Who said anything about marriage?”

No one. Apparently, all those thoughts of Olivia and elopement had sneaked into his head.

“Just spend time in her company, that’s all,” she explained. When he began to give that scheme the opinion it deserved, she cut him off. “It’s for your own good! You have a terrible reputation.”

He rolled his eyes.Not this again.“I’m reformed.”

“You have a better chance at convincing society that unicorns exist.” She shook her head. “Mama, Auntie, and I know you’re not the wicked person those gossipy old harpies make you out to be, but no one else knows that.”

Wicked?Exactly what rumors were circulating about him now?

“But Miss Everett has a sterling reputation,” Beth rushed on. “If you spend more time in her company, everyone might think you truly have turned a new leaf and left your old pre-army days behind.”

So that was it. Because Olivia had a sterling reputation. But he knew the truth. She had afalseone. “You’re wrong.”