The Duke of Edenham walked into their circle of
conversation as if he had every right to enter where and
when he chose. Dukes were like that, according to every
rumor of them. This duke was quite tall, quite handsome,
and quite elegant looking, if one liked the type. Having
never been exposed to his type before she was withholding
judgment. He was very handsome. He also did not seem at
all overawed by her brothers, which was refreshing. In New
York, there were very few men who would risk anything at
all with her for fear of her brothers’ comeuppance. Such a
nuisance, really. Her brothers were always at sea. What
sort a squeamish man lived in fear of what would happen
six months in the future? Life in New York was far more
dull than it should have been. She blamed her brothers
entirely.
The second gentleman was the Marquis of Ruan, a most
dangerous and rugged looking man, not nearly as elegantly
arranged as the Duke of Edenham, but handsome nonetheless,
though in a more ruthless fashion entirely.

It was perfectly obvious that Sophia was well-acquainted
with both men. Jane would hardly have expected anything
less.

The introductions having been made, the immediate result
being that Jed had escaped from Sophia’s highly focused
attention, Jed then gave every indication that he was
going to leave this newly arranged circle of conversation
and drag her with him. She was not ready to leave. Sophia
hadn’t got her way yet, had she? Which meant that Jane
hadn’t got her way. She was going to stay, and she wasn’t
going to leave Sophia’s side until it was formally decided
that she was to remain in London.

Jane put the most innocent look upon her face, for her
brothers’ benefit, obviously, and ignored both the duke
and the marquis. But the duke was staring at her with the
most peculiar expression on his face. His odd behavior was
not helping her at all.

She ignored him more pointedly.

He continued to stare.

Joel shifted his weight and rolled his shoulders a bit.

Oh, mercy.

Looking innocent and disinterested was not putting the
duke off one bit. How very like a duke to behave as he
pleased and attempt to ruin her plans in such thoughtless
fashion. Could he not go off and bother some other poor
girl? Some girl who did not have two brothers at her
elbows?

“Edenham,” Sophia said, “I’m so delighted to see you here.
And your enchanting sister, she is with you?”

“Yes,” the Duke of Edenham replied, turning his gaze from
Jane just long enough to make eye contact with Sophia,
cast a quick glance over Jed and Joel, and then looked
into her eyes. He had lovely eyes, a warm shade of brown,
and quite a nice brow. She averted her gaze after noting
that, only the most obvious details of his appearance,
which she would argue quite forcefully if Jed said one
word about it, and then turned to stare with bland
attention at Joel. Joel rolled his shoulders again and
kept his gaze on Edenham. Edenham kept his gaze upon her.
The stupidity of dukes was thus proved. “A cause for
celebration. We wish Hyde nothing but joy.”

Sophia smiled and said, “With three sons married within a
single Season, I can assure you that they feel nothing but
joy. And with the happy addition of the Elliots to share
in their joy, why, what can they do but smile away their
days? Which brings me back round to you, darling,” Sophia
said to Jed, laying her gloved hand upon his arm in a
light caress. “Surely you must allow Miss Elliot to stay
and partake of the general joy to be found within Hyde
House. I assure you that she will be well cared for.”

It was perhaps not the ideal thing to say to sway Jed to
release them all from their Father’s instructions. Only a
little over a day in London, within the very walls of Hyde
House, and the Elliots had heard word of how three of
Hyde’s sons had come to be married in a single Season.

The word was ruin.

No one seemed especially bothered by it, certainly not the
sons, yet neither were their wives, which was most
strange, wasn’t it? Of all the things she had been told
about the British, their odd habits and proclivities, a
facility and easiness about being ruined was not among
them.

“Not as well cared for as upon an Elliot ship,” Jed said,
which was likely very true.

“Truly?” Sophia said brightly, her gaze almost resolutely
removed from the Marquis of Ruan. Jane began to wonder if
Sophia was not on the most cordial of terms with the man,
which would not surprise her in the least as some of what
her mother had told her about Sophia left no doubt that
Sophia could and did make a very firm enemy and that her
enemies were entirely deserving of the position. Jane gave
Lord Ruan a cold look of bland curiosity at the
thought. “No storms?” Sophia continued. “No violent waves?
No enemy ships? No contrary currents? No pirates? What has
quiet and serene Hyde House to offer by way of excitement
that an Elliot ship can not merely match but overmatch?”

“Men?” Joel said. Jed gave him an approving look, annoyed
but approving.

“British men, most assuredly,” Sophia said, casting a
casual glance in the general direction of both Edenham and
Ruan. Edenham blinked and continued to stare at her.
Ruan’s mouth tightened, against a smile or a grimace Jane
could not determine. “But what is that? Certainly they are
not to be feared. Or do you think otherwise, Captain?”

Well, then, there was a pretty insult, and delivered so
sweetly, too. Jed looked properly angered. Joel did not
appear angry so much as bewildered by the sudden turn the
conversation had taken. As to that, Jane felt much the
same. Is this how Sophia got what she wanted? By insults?
She had not heard that about her. Not at all.

“In the proper circumstances, it is wise to consider any
man with due caution,” Jed said stiffly, eyeing both
Edenham and Ruan. Edenham ignored him. Ruan returned the
look and nodded sharply.

“And what of improper circumstances?” Sophia said. “I do
confess to having more experience of men in improper
circumstances.”

“If we are speaking of English men, then I must confess
the same,” Jed said, smiling slightly.

“Captain Elliot, you shock me. I am intrigued,” Sophia
said, smiling, and raising her fan to obscure her face,
which naturally resulted in all the men, Edenham excluded,
staring with increased intensity at her. Jane needed a
better fan, if only to shield herself from Edenham’s
obsessive gaze. It was becoming something of an
embarrassment to her, and was not at all helpful with her
brothers standing at her elbow and witnessing his complete
break from polite behavior. Or what she assumed was polite
behavior. The two countries could not be that different,
could they? “Please, tell me all,” Sophia urged. “Is it
improper circumstances to which you refer, or improper
men? Or is it the extreme Englishness of both which
results in the impropriety?”

“Lady Dalby, you have left me,” Jed said, his eyes
twinkling. “I fear the conversation has twisted out of my
hands. I am a simple man. I beg you to show me mercy.”

“Lady Dalby is not known for showing mercy,” Lord Ruan
said abruptly, “though she may be partial to men who beg,
Captain Elliot. You would do well to show her the same
caution you practice when facing an unidentified ship.”

“But Lord Ruan, how absurd,” Sophia said, her voice soft
and her gaze sharp. “I am flying my colors boldly, as is
my practice. There is no mystery attached to me.”

“Lady Dalby, you are a woman,” Ruan responded, his green
eyes searching Sophia’s face. “You are as mysterious as
the sea. As turbulent. As unfathomable. As compelling. And
as dangerous.”

Sophia said nothing for a moment, but there was something
that passed between them, something sparkling and hot,
something buried and smoldering. It was gone almost before
it had begun. Jane was left with the shimmer of it before
her gaze, and then it vanished.

“Which is why Jane will come home with me,” Jed said. “I
would see her stay a calm pond of decorum and not become a
turbulent sea of mystery.”

“Lovely,” Jane muttered. “I suppose that was intended as a
compliment?”

“Of course,” Jed said, looking both annoyed and befuddled.
Typical.

Sophia laughed. “But, darling, she is your sister and,
like any brother, you do not see her clearly at all. Miss
Elliot is already a sea of mystery to any man who is not
related to her.”

And, naturally, both Jane and Sophia could not resist the
impulse to glance at Edenham, who was still staring.

“The sea can be calm at times, usually the most
inconvenient times, is that not so?” Edenham said, sparing
a glance for Jed. “There is no cause to anticipate any
trouble for Miss Elliot. I cannot think but that Hyde
would care for her as a beloved daughter.”

“Now I am a calm, inconvenient sea?” Jane said. “Can not a
new metaphor be framed? I grow weary of this one as it
does nothing at all to flatter me.”

Sophia laughed, as did Jed and Joel, which was something
of a relief. Edenham smiled. Ruan did not; he studied her,
which she did not enjoy at all. Lord Ruan was capable of a
very focused gaze. She was not certain that was destined
to be flattering to her either.