Free Dancing With A Devil by Julie Johnstone Page A

accuse Lord Davenport of giving the same compliment to another woman that he just gave to me.”
    “ I do apologize,” Thortonberry said, his tone bitter and leaving no room for doubt that he was anything but sorry.
    “ I expect no less from a man of your caliber,” Trent replied.
    “ Gentlemen, if you cannot behave nicely to each other, I am going to make one of you leave,” Audrey threatened.
    Wanting to say more but believing Audrey might just do what she had said, Trent sat back. What he really wanted to do was reveal Thortonberry’s proclivity for sleeping with a different demirep every night, but then he would also need to explain why he had been at the hellfire clubs all those nights. He had a sinking suspicion once he did that it would make what he had to say about Thortonberry seem less credible or possibly false. Women could be unpredictable in their temperaments.
    As Audrey relaxed back into her seat and trained her gaze on the play, Trent studied her and tried to plan the best course of action. He could not let her be seduced, or worse, end up married to Thortonberry. When she suddenly bursts out laughing at a scene in the play, his heart jerked and an odd warm feeling infused him. What the hell was that? Lust? No, not lust. He felt…happy. Damnation. Her laughter made him happy. When had that become possible?
    She leaned forward in her seat and peered intently at the stage. Her face, filled with delighted rapture, made his blood warm further. Her emotions showed in a delightful display of half smiles, dimples and grins.
    Gwyneth had rarely laughed and her face had exposed little of what she felt. Whitney had been partially right last night―Audrey seemed nothing like Gwyneth, yet that still did not mean he would ever want to allow himself to be vulnerable to her. One could never be certain what secrets a woman concealed behind her smile. What he did know was those secrets could be sharper than any blade he had ever felt when they cut into you.
    Thortonberry drew close to Audrey and whispered something in her ear. She tilted her head back, a smile gracing her lips and her chest shaking with her laughter.
    Trent tensed. He did not like seeing another man make her laugh. He frowned, crossed his arms and waited for Thortonberry to try to speak with her again. It took less than a minute.
    Thortonberry leaned near her and Trent spoke up. “Do you like the play so far, Lady Audrey?”
    She turned to him. “Yes, very much.”
    He eyed Thortonberry, gratified to see the man’s lips twitching. Ten minutes later, when Thortonberry shifted his body as if he was going to attempt to speak with Audrey again, Trent launched a countermove. He tapped her on the arm. When she looked his way, he said, “I particularly like this actress. I think she commands comedy very well. Tell me, who are your favorite actresses and why?”
    “ Oh, that’s easy. I adore Sarah Harlowe. She has wonderful comedic timing. I also love Miss Maria Foote. She is wonderful. Do you care for either of them?”
    He did actually. He nodded slowly. “I like them both a great deal. I think they are excellent at what they do and true ladies.”
    Thortonberry snorted. “No true lady is an actress.”
    Trent frowned. “I disagree. I find it small-minded to say a woman is not a lady merely because she is an actress.”
    He stiffened when Audrey gaped at him. Belatedly he realized he had freely spoken an opinion he had never voiced. “I realize I’m in the minority.”
    “ The minority,” Thortonberry exclaimed. “I’d say you are the only one in the entire ton that holds that opinion.”
    “ No, he is not. I too do not think an actress can not be considered a lady in the sense that being an actress means she is worth less than me. To me, she is the superior woman. She has a talent, whereas I have none.”
    Shock rendered Trent unable to speak for a moment, but then a deep admiration filled him. “You are a constant surprise.” He meant it