Free A Study In Seduction by Nina Rowan

without Jane—and couldn’t. She had her work, yes, but almost everything she’d done for the past eleven years had centered around her sister.
    She couldn’t lose Jane. Not yet. Not even if Jane
wanted
to go.
    Talia’s hand tightened on Alexander’s arm, her fingers digging in hard as they descended from the carriage into the cold night air. He ignored the pang of regret as he turned to his sister. In a pale blue silk gown, her chestnut-brown hair perfectly coiffed, she looked lovely and brittle.She’d applied a slight excess of rice powder, which gave her a cold, masklike expression.
    He put his hand over hers. “Talia, it won’t do any good to look as if you’re heading to the gallows.”
    “Five hundred pounds, Alex. I told Mr. Sewell of the Ragged School Union to expect your bank draft on Monday.”
    “If you act as if you’re enjoying yourself, I’ll add a hundred pounds to that.”
    She flexed her fingers on his arm as if making an effort to relax. “If Lord Fulton is here, I’m leaving straightaway.”
    “What about Fulton?” Sebastian asked, clambering out of the carriage after them.
    “Last week, Alex suggested to his lordship that I would be amenable to a marriage offer,” Talia replied.
    Sebastian let out a noise that was a half snort, half laugh. “Fulton? Good God, Alex, what are you trying to do? Send our Talia running to a nunnery?”
    “A far more attractive prospect than Fulton, I daresay,” Talia agreed, turning to Sebastian. “Your brother took it upon himself to make the suggestion to Lord Fulton before discussing it with me.” She threw Alexander a withering glance. “Likely because he knew what my response would be. So I found myself the object of some great joke since everyone at the theater knew about it except me. It was humiliating.”
    “You could do worse,” Alexander muttered.
    “Oh, could I? Did you know Lord Fulton believes no one else will offer for me because of my Russian blood? That
he’s
the only one willing to overlook such a travesty?”
    Alexander frowned. “He said that?”
    Talia gave Sebastian an exasperated look. He winked at her.
    “You’re the one who’s got to say yes, old girl. Not him.”He nodded in Alexander’s direction. “Though I do hear Fulton’s sister is getting a bit desperate. Long in the tooth, you know, and wide in the hips. Muddled in the head, too, no doubt.”
    “Sounds an ideal prospect for
you
, Alex.” Some of Talia’s tension eased a little as she and Sebastian exchanged wry grins. “Considering you’re thirty-two, perhaps you’d do well to focus on your own marital prospects rather than attempting to control mine.”
    Alexander turned away as they entered the foyer, not knowing whether his irritation was a result of his siblings’ behavior or Fulton’s alleged comments. He sighed. Bribing his sister to attend a ball with him was not the way he wished to move about in society, but the stubborn chit gave him no other option.
    After the butler greeted them, they entered the ballroom, which was crowded with well-dressed men and women circling the room like ships in a harbor. Music, laughter, and conversation mingled in the air.
    “Why, Lord Northwood. Lady Talia and Mr. Hall as well.” The Marquess of Hadley, who was the president of the Royal Society of Arts Council, and his wife approached. “We weren’t expecting you.”
    “The Society did intend some of the ticket proceeds to fund the educational exhibition, my lord.”
    Hadley coughed, and his wife’s smile wavered a bit.
    “Yes, of course,” Hadley replied. “It’s just, you know, this dreadful business with Russia. Seems to be coming to a head now.”
    Lady Hadley waved her hand and stretched her smile wider. “But never mind all that. It’s so nice to see you all here. Do enjoy yourselves.”
    Not likely
, Alexander thought. “Go along with Lady Hadley, Talia,” he suggested.
    His sister gave him a mild glare but, along with Sebastian, accompanied