“Will you come?” Owen repeated, snapping Alex from her thoughts.
She wanted to go with him, but she was no longer the ready little wallflower she’d been mere days ago. Thanks to Owen, she understood the rules of the game now. And she intended to play by them. She gave Owen her most practiced coquettish smile and turned to the side to blink at him over one shoulder. “Ah, but someone quite wise once told me never to go alone somewhere with a man who might try to take advantage of me.”
Owen lifted a brow, giving her a skeptical look. “What if I promise to behave myself out there?”
She pressed the tip of her closed fan to her lips. “Where’s the fun in that?”
Both his eyebrows shot up this time, and Alex couldn’t help but feel a bit silly for her flirting. He’d taught her how, after all. He had to know what she was about.
“Come with me and find out,” he replied in a tone that made Alex’s knees turn to honey. He flashed that charming dimple when he said it. She swallowed, trying desperately to still the pounding of her heart.
“Very well,” she said simply, walking past him on her way to the French doors that led to the balcony. She tried to ignore his rugged manly scent as she walked past.
Owen followed close behind her.
As soon as the door to the balcony closed after them, she turned to him. “So, what is it you wanted to say to me? Alone.”
Owen shoved a hand in his pocket and took a few steps to be nearer to her. “Lord Berkeley?” He allowed the name to hang in the air as a question with no further elaboration.
Alex kept her eyes downcast so Owen couldn’t read her thoughts. This “being demure” business was actually quite difficult. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You said you enjoyed your dance with him immensely,” Owen replied. “Is he the man you fancy?”
She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t bring herself to say the lie about her affections outright. Cass and Lucy had instructed her on this point. “Let him think you fancy Berkeley. We’ve spoken to him. Christian will play the consummate suitor. He’s the perfect choice.” It had been nothing more than pure, perfect coincidence that Lord Berkeley just happened to possess the physical qualities she’d already mentioned to Owen.
Alex pressed her lips together. “You knew I had a fancy for someone.…”
There. That wasn’t quite a lie, but it also wasn’t telling the truth. Oh, God help her for being so awful.
A muscle in Owen’s jaw ticked. Was he angry? “I had no idea it was Viscount Berkeley.”
“You never asked. I never told you.” More prevaricating. “What does it matter who it is?”
Owen slapped his hand against his thigh and paced away from her. “It doesn’t. I simply—” He turned back sharply to face her. “Do you think it wise to spend time with him? While we’re still trying to make Lavinia jealous?”
Alex could have been knocked flat with a pin. Was Owen Monroe actually indicating that he didn’t want her to spend time with another man? “I didn’t know you cared so much about making Lavinia jealous,” she countered.
“I don’t, but I—” He paced away again, scrubbing his hands through his hair. “I suppose your part of our plan worked if Berkeley is now paying you attention.”
This was going to be the most difficult part. “Yes,” Alex breathed. “Thank you for that.” She fought the tears that unexpectedly popped to her eyes. If only Lucy and Cass hadn’t been so adamant. “Make him think Berkeley is the only man for you,” Lucy had said. “Tell him how much you’ve fancied him,” Cass had added. Jane had merely looked up from her book and rolled her eyes a bit. “I want no part of this,” she’d declared.
“Don’t act so innocent, Janie,” Lucy had said, her hands on her hips. “You pretended to have a nonexistent chaperone once upon a time and were embroiled in a positive scandal of your own making.”
“Yes,” Jane had replied. “That’s precisely how I know how much trouble it all leads to.” She’d pushed up her spectacles and turned to Alex. “I wish you the best, Lady Alexandra, truly. But I cannot offer any advice. Besides, Lucy is the real plotter here. I hate to say it, but if you follow her advice, you have a very good chance of getting exactly what you want … eventually. Even I must admit that a bit of competition worked with me and Mrs. Langford, the war widow, when it came to Garrett.”
Alex hadn’t particularly liked how Jane had said “eventually,” but she’d been heartened by the rest of the statement. And Lucy had been adamant that Alex insist that she was madly in love with Lord Berkeley.