Those Scandalous Ravenhursts Volume 3. Louise Allen

private, if you both take some of the men and join our committee.’

      ‘Very well. You do not ask me to take Harriet Golding back?’

      ‘I assumed that to ask you to help her would be a lost cause.’ Vaguely she was aware that the noise level in the room had dropped—people must be moving off towards the buffet.

      ‘Not necessarily. I will not take her back, but I could probably get her employment at one of the other theatres.’ Eden’s attention was on the fan, holding it on his knee while he untangled the ornamental cord, which had twisted around his wrist. Maude found herself studying his face, the thick lashes hiding his eyes, the fine modelling of his cheekbones under the olive skin, the strong line of his jaw, the mobile mouth that looked as though it should betray so much and yet hid its secrets so well.

      ‘Then why don’t you?’

      He did not look up. ‘That would mean asking a favour, putting myself in someone’s debt. It would need to be worth my while.’

      ‘What would make it worth your while?’ she asked. And then he did look up, straight into her eyes and she could not look away, nor, strangely, did she blush. The look went too deep for that.

      ‘Do you know what decided me to play the English gentleman for your father the other night?’ he asked.

      ‘No.’ The glass was in her hand and Maude drank as though thirsty, her eyes not leaving his. She had asked herself over and over again why he had accepted her money, accepted her interference in his theatre, troubled to soothe her father’s concerns. ‘Tell me.’

      ‘Because when you want something, you say so. And if you do not get it, then you put forward reasons, you negotiate. You do not wheedle or whine or pout or flutter your eyelashes. You have no idea how refreshing that is.’

      ‘Oh,’ Maude said. ‘Thank you.’ I think. It appeared to be a compliment. He liked her intelligence enough to take her investment. So to continue to influence him, to insinuate herself deeper into his life, she had to ensure she did not deploy any of the feminine armoury of flirtation or persuasion. Not that I have ever whined in my life, she added to herself. ‘What would make it worth your while to help Miss Golding?’ she asked briskly.

      ‘Dine with me after the performance on Tuesday.’

      After a second Maude became aware that her mouth was open and shut it. Then she reached out, took the fan from him and began it ply it vigorously. How much champagne had she drunk? Two glasses? Or three? Because she was surely hearing things. ‘What did you say?’

      ‘Dine with me.’

      ‘Impossible.’

      ‘You have a prior engagement?’

      ‘No.’ Her appointments book was so full for the next month that she had deliberately kept this next Tuesday night free. Papa would be out so she would have the evening to herself to curl up with a frivolous novel.

      ‘You see, Maude? How refreshingly unusual for a young lady to admit she is not engaged every night of the week. Well?’

      ‘I promised Papa I would not go behind the scenes at the theatre in the evening and you are not, I hope, suggesting I dine at your house?’ She felt her voice rising slightly and swallowed. Was she wrong about him after all? Was he simply a heartless rake who would try and seduce her?

      ‘I am not suggesting that, no. I am intent upon getting to know you, Maude,’ Eden said, ‘not ravishing you.’ He grinned, the look of genuine amusement transforming his face, taking at least five years off her estimate of his age.

      ‘How old are you?’ she blurted out.

      ‘Twenty-seven,’ he admitted.

      ‘I thought you older,’ Maude said. ‘But that is irrelevant.’ Probably. ‘Where are you proposing we dine?’

      ‘Somewhere private that is not my house and will not cause you to break any promise to your father.’ He smiled, tempting her.

      ‘If I agree, it will be because I wish to know you better as a business partner and because I desire to help Miss Golding. You should not conclude anything else about my motives,’ she stated, trying to look businesslike and not as though Lady Wallace’s words were dazzling her brain like exploding sky rockets: spectacular in bed…

      ‘You think I might jump to conclusions?’

      ‘I have heard about your reputation, Eden.’ There, she had said his name aloud. ‘You are notorious for your liaisons with married women, so I hear.’ She could feel the heat in her face, just speaking of such things.

      ‘But you are not married, Maude. Say yes.’ There had been a shadow behind his eyes when she spoke of his affaires, a fleeting darkness, gone so rapidly she thought she had imagined it.

      Distracted, she spoke before she had time to consider properly. ‘Yes, Eden. I will dine with you on Tuesday.’ It must be the wine, otherwise why had she agreed? So fast, so much faster than I thought. All my plans scattering like dust. How did I ever think I could make him fall in love with me according to a design? How could I not realise that he would set the agenda for whatever he is involved in?

      ‘Thank you. And will you be my partner for supper now?’ He glanced across the room and Maude followed his gaze. The crush had diminished greatly and the sound of the string quartet was once again clearly audible. ‘If there is any left, that is.’

      ‘You have obviously never been to one of the Standons’ soirées before.’ Maude stood up, still holding her glass. Eden lifted his and the champagne bottle in one hand and offered her his arm. She took it, smiling up at him. ‘They are famous both for quality and quantity—you need not fear going hungry.’

      The queue into the refreshment room was not great and footmen were hurrying back and forth replenishing the long tables. Eden stretched up, looking over the sea of heads. ‘I can see a table for two over there in the far corner. If you trust me to choose for you, you could take it now.’

      ‘Anything except crab,’ Maude told him, gathering her skirts ready to slip through in the direction he was looking. ‘And lots of marchpane sweets, please. Give me the bottle and glasses.’

      A young lady should pretend to have the appetite of a bird, of course, she acknowledged ruefully as she found the table and set out the wine. And, given that she wanted Eden to fall in love with her, she supposed she ought to be employing all the ruses at her disposal to make him see her as attractive.

      ‘Why are you frowning?’ Eden enquired, placing a platter laden with what must be a selection of every savoury on the buffet in the middle of the table. He was followed by a footman with two plates, forks and a dish brimming with marchpane sweetmeats. ‘Enough?’

      ‘A feast! Thank you, but I couldn’t eat a tenth of it.’

      ‘I will help.’ He poured more wine. ‘Now, why the frown?’

      ‘I was thinking—’ Could she tell him? Oh, why not? He professed to like her lack of feminine tricks. ‘Any lady will tell you that it is most unbecoming to display any appetite at all. I should be nibbling on one patty, perhaps, and you could then, with much persuasion, tempt me to sample a sweetmeat.’

      ‘I see.’ Eden’s lips quirked into a smile. ‘And you have just given yourself away? I have often wondered—and seeing that we are being so frank, perhaps I may ask—are all young ladies, except yourself, possessed of incredible will-power or are your stays laced so tight there is no room to eat?’

Chapter Nine

      Maude burst into laughter. Not a giggle, not a titter, but genuine, uninhibited laughter. Heads turned,