An Earl by Any Other Name(19)

         
       
        

Owen nudged his elbow. "Don't leave a man out to dry, Hampton. I want to meet this lady."

Leo shot his friend a cool look as they walked through the throng of guests, murmuring greetings until they reached Ivy and her father.

"Welcome to Hampton, Mr. Leighton. May I present my good friend Mr. Owen Hadley to you and your daughter? Mr. Hadley, this is Mr. Leighton and his daughter Miss Ivy Leighton."

"Good to meet you, my lord. I've heard much about you from Lady Hampton." Mr. Leighton offered a hand, the intimate gesture catching Leo off guard, but he shook it regardless and then Leighton was doing the same to Owen. Owen then turned the full weight of his charm on Ivy, whose blush made her slightly olive skin turn a beautiful dusky rose.

Leo had to force himself to focus on Mr. Leighton and not on his personal desire to throttle his friend, who was pressing kisses to Ivy's gloved knuckles.

He directed his gaze to his guest. "I understand you own the London News Weekly?"

A knowing smile flitted across Leighton's face and he rubbed his chin.

"I take it you are not a frequent reader of the Weekly? It's not traditional like the Post, I know, but I believe people should enjoy what they read and be entertained. Not everything in life must be dull and boring. Some reading ought to be for pleasure."

Leo laughed, genuinely surprised. Leighton seemed to be more agreeable than he had expected. The man knew of his paper's reputation and wasn't the least bit offended that Leo wasn't an avid reader. It spoke well of Leighton that he could view his enterprise with an unbiased eye.

"Ivy says you rescued her when the Hudson gave out on the road? I thank you for the services you provided my daughter." Leighton's eyes twinkled with a fatherly merriment as though he'd had to face trouble his daughter had gotten into before.

Leo had to bite his tongue at the sudden image of offering other types of services to Ivy, primarily those best conducted in bed. He'd love to service her all night … Damn! How had the young woman gotten beneath his skin so quickly? He hadn't been this affected by a woman since he'd been a lad.

"I was happy to help. Apparently, there was a problem with the petrol. My mechanic should have the motorcar ready for you tomorrow should you have need of it."

"Thank you." Leighton turned to his daughter and placed her hand on his arm. "Ivy, it's nearly time for supper. We should go change."

Leighton's smile was more a baring of teeth and directed at Owen, who was gazing like a moonstruck calf at Ivy. But Leo knew his friend. Owen was more dangerous than he appeared. He was not a young beau swooning over his lady. He and Leo could both have predatory tendencies where beautiful ladies were involved. One smile from a willing woman and either of them would seduce her right out of her gown. But not Ivy-Owen could not have her. Leo wouldn't allow it, especially not under his roof. It was a good thing Leighton was protective of his child. 

Leo and Owen watched the newspaperman and his bewitching daughter ascend the stairs. When they were out of sight, Owen chuckled. The sound was grating on Leo's nerves.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this party." His friend smirked. "You can have fun with Mildred. I plan to enjoy Miss Leighton." He walked off, leaving Leo gaping and furious. Owen would bed the girl before the party's end and move on to the next woman who caught his eye and leave poor Ivy ruined. She deserved better than that. She deserved a man who would respect her. Of course, she deserved wildness in bed, but out of it, complete respect. She wasn't like other women of his acquaintance. He wouldn't have cared overmuch if his friend had been out to seduce them. Ivy … was different.

And he couldn't seem to stay away from her.

* * *



Supper at Hampton was an unexpected pleasure for Ivy. As the daughter of a lady's maid, she had always dined in the downstairs hall with the other servants. Tonight, though, she was a guest, decked out in a blue gown with a yellow chiffon underskirt visible beneath the parting folds at the front of her gown. Her sleeves were made of fine netting and fell to her elbows in a kimono-like fashion she adored. The gown hugged her curves and flared at her ankles in a train, creating a lovely S shape that was all the rage in London.

Her hair was pulled back and up in a loose collection of waves about her face and gathered into a soft roll at the top of her head. Nestled just over the crown of her hair was a glittering band of stars, a piece of jewelry her father had bought during a trip to India a few months ago. Against the darkness of her hair, she knew the stars glinted and shone like the night sky. When she had come down for the evening, Leo's lips had parted and his eyes had widened.