Free Regency 03 - Deception by Jaimey Grant Page A

emerged from the duke’s mouth had
mothers all over the ballroom clapping their hands over their
daughters’ ears. Nervous giggles were heard throughout. Levi threw
his hands up in surrender, retreating from the contretemps for fear
of making matters worse.
    “ As I was saying before I was so
rudely interrupted,” the duke began again, moving further into the
room to stand before the silent Baron Weatherby, “this will be your
last party for some time. No one will want to entertain your
daughter when she is no better than she should be.” Leaning closer,
he added in a stage whisper, “Trust me, I know.”
    A wave of horror swept the crowd. Levi could just
imagine what was being said.
    “ What was that?”
    “ What did he say?”
    “ He knows?”
    “ Miss Weatherby and Lord
Derringer?”
    “ Can it be true?”
    “ It must be. The duke himself
admitted it.”
    “ Oooh, she’s so lucky.”
    Levi swiveled his head to see a young girl, barely
out of the schoolroom, being reprimanded by her mother. Good Lord,
if girls that age were daydreaming about Derringer, his dangerous
reputation was becoming highly romanticized.
    The baron’s florid countenance paled. As a loving
father, he should have challenged Lord Derringer. At the very
least, he should have insisted the duke marry his daughter. He did
neither. He just stared mutely while his only child dissolved into
horrified tears. Her reputation was irreparably damaged, destroyed
beyond redemption. She would never marry well now.
    Levi sighed. Derringer ever was one to settle a
situation to his own satisfaction with little regard for others.
Perhaps he’d found the Weatherbys a nuisance and wanted them out of
Society.
    “ How terrible,” Aurora murmured,
the disgust she felt apparent in her tone.
    The Weatherbys made their way out, the haughty
glances of the patronesses letting everyone know the truth of
Derringer’s threat.
    Before Levi knew what Aurora was about, she’d left
his side. He followed, knowing with a sinking feeling that Suzanne
was not the only one who would lose her reputation this night.
    She marched over and looked up at the Duke of
Derringer with righteous indignation. “That was very ill-done of
you, your grace,” she reprimanded in a harsh whisper. “That young
lady now has no chance of marriage because of you. How could you be
so…heartless?”
    Derringer looked down at the little pixie-fury and
almost smiled, truly smiled. Instead, he shrugged. “That lady, and
I use the term loosely, is a spiteful witch with less morals than a
cat. She needed to be put firmly in her place.”
    “ And who deemed you judge,
advocate, and jury? Have you no honor?”
    Any shred of amusement the duke might have felt
disappeared. His eyes glittered dangerously. Levi felt a need to
intervene.
    “ Hart, she means well.”
    “ Levi, you are like a fly, buzzing
in my ear. Take yourself off.”
    Levi released a frustrated sigh, knowing it would
not do to lay hands on a duke in the middle of Almack’s. Even if he
did deserve a sound thrashing.
    Aurora sucked in a breath, visibly outraged. “I know
you are capable of insensitivity but this goes beyond the pale. How
can you treat your own friend so shabbily?”
    “ Take care, my dear. I anger
easily,” he growled for her ears alone. “One word of what I know
about you and you would be treated worse than Suzanne Weatherby
could ever dream.”
    Levi’s brows lifted, having heard just enough of the
duke’s words to arouse his curiosity. What had he heard? And why
was he even looking?
    Miss Aurora Glendenning’s complexion paled, her
voice dropping to an agonized whisper. “I don’t know what you are
referring to, your grace.”
    Derringer glanced around, his face forbidding anyone
to come closer. Levi ignored the expression, choosing to take his
life in his hands instead.
    “ That is quite enough, Hart. You
have made your point. Cease baiting Miss Glendenning and find some
other sport to relieve your