The Rakehell Regency Romance Collection Volume 2(140)

Fitzsimmons stood up next, then Mitchell and Monroe.



Will had to admit as he watched them that these three men were just as much rivals, though in different ways.



Fitzsimmons' eyes might be flat and dead to Elizabeth, but he could see what way the man's thoughts were tending. And why not? She was a breathtaking woman, and the daughter of a Duke no less.



Mitchell turned the head of every woman who laid eyes on him. If he could only convince himself they were not all taking pity on him over the loss of his arm, he could shake down happily one day.



Monroe had a heart of gold, was fiercely intelligent, and had proven a good friend to his sister time and time again.



But none of them could sparkle compared with Parks, even though the young man was so happy to play the fool that he actually seemed unconscious of his magnetism, and the wide-eyed attention of the Lynch and Fitzsimmons sisters.



"I say, Will, your turn next. You know you have the best voice of any of our lot."



Elizabeth smiled across at him encouragingly but he shook his head. "No, really, let someone else have a go."



"You're far too modest, old chap."



Elizabeth nodded at Parks and asked him to favor them with another to spare Will embarrassment.



Will felt a pang—his chance had been lost, and Parks now looked better than ever.



He did, but not in a romantic way. Elizabeth was pleased that they all seemed to be such good friends, and that Parks did not try to score points off anyone by teasing them. No, he actually brought the others in the group out of themselves more, and was only directing his attention at Will because he admired him and wanted him to show his true colors to the company.



Which was more than kind considering some of their companions in the room still seemed to look upon him as a devil with horns. Not to mention Parks' own view of him as a near rival—but no, they seemed as close as brothers.



She commented upon this to Stewart as he came up to warn Parks to let others have a chance to entertain the guests.



"Nay, closer, they're closer than brothers," Stewart said as he sat down beside her to turn her pages. "My own brother Samuel and I were always bitter rivals thanks to my father. Samuel tried to steal my estate. We even married the same woman. He's dead now, of course," he said quickly, seeing her look of consternation.



She stared. "How very odd."



"Oh, it was not by choice, I assure you. Vevina fled before he could actually force her to consummate the marriage. He was a dreadful fortune hunter. He took the Joyces' home and left she and Will destitute. But we have all recovered our fortunes since then, Will most of all. He had quite an impressive bank account now and is working on getting their holdings back in shape. He's a very hard-working young man, our Will.



"But this is far too gloomy a subject for such a fine night. How are you, Cousin?"



"Well, thank you."



"I was sorry to hear about Jane."



She held back a sob. "I know. Thank you."



"And you?" he asked with a warm smile. "Any happiness on your horizon?"



Elizabeth smiled tightly and shook her head. "I intend to remain single for quite some time to come."



"Ah, spoken like a woman who has never been exposed to the temptations of a pair of handsome blue eyes."



"Nonsense," Parks said, returning to the instrument once more. "She has seen mine, has she not? Or Will's?"



She stared at his sparkling eyes, and then at Will's across the room. Gazing at their rich aquamarine, she could almost sense the sea, hear the surf, smell the salt tang…



"Yes, indeed. Blue is a lovely color. But so is green, eh, Brother?" she said, causing Thomas's emerald eyes to sparkle as he came up with Charlotte to take their turn to entertain the guests with a duet.



"I don't know. You would need to ask my wife."



He got a lingering kiss by way of reply.



Elizabeth blushed, thinking of her own recent kisses. One of the spectacular men in this room simply had to be the one. The question was, which?



And even more important, when could she share such delicious kisses with him again?





Chapter Nine



The afternoon flew by quickly, and Elizabeth soon rose to see about supper. She consulted with Charlotte, and they laid out a buffet on the long dining room table for everyone to help themselves.



Then, at her request, the servants lit the candelabra in the ballroom. They all stood up for some dancing, with the guests taking turns to play at the pianoforte.



Parks was in a buoyant mood, and insisted on getting some paper and some of the children's colored pencils to make dance cards for the women. He asserted that everyone should have one turn dancing with each other.