The Trouble with Anna

Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

E IGHT HUNDRED POUNDS! ” LORD HARTLEY yelped.

“ Shh! Not so loud!” Anna cast a wary glance behind her. The Dowager might be lurking. Or Julian. Or any number of sneaks and spies.

“I happen to know Ramsay paid seven hundred for Charon, and that price was outrageous!” said Hartley. “Why should I pay even more?”

Anna took a sip of champagne and felt the little bubbles zing through her. The whole room was zinging, in fact, but it wasn’t the champagne. As always, Julian made her fizz.

“You will pay a hundred pounds more because we’ve both ridden him now. I saw the way you mooned. Perhaps we should say nine hundred pounds?”

“Highway robbery! I thought we were friends!”

Anna touched Hartley’s sleeve. “How kind! We are friends. But we’re talking horses, you see.”

Hartley sputtered. “You must consider—it’s not the thing to buy a horse another man has recently gifted his—”

Anna was spared Lord Hartley’s lecture because a slim but surprisingly strong hand whipped out and yanked her away.

“Excellent work!” Charlotte whispered as she dragged Anna into the crowd. “Julian nearly had an apoplexy watching you flirt with Hartley. On to your next partner.”

Anna dug her heels in. “I was not flirting with Hartley, I have no interest in dancing, and furthermore—”

“No interest in dancing?” Charlotte cried. “But your next set is with Prince Belozersky! Do you really wish to leave a dear friend of Gran’s unpartnered?”

Anna wilted. “Oh, dash it! Of course not!”

Charlotte’s voice held the oddest note of laughter. “Do your best to be charming. His Highness is a Russian prince, so if the conversation lags you should mention his soul, or your soul, or any sort of suffering. Tell him your mother is dead! There’s nothing like tragedy to please a Russian.”

She marched them off into the crowd again, and when they jerked to a stop at last, Anna’s eyes went wide, her face turned crimson, and she shot Charlotte a look that promised revenge.

Charlotte pushed her down into a curtsey.

Prince Belozersky was no friend of the Dowager’s, or at least he wasn’t an old man, as Charlotte had implied. He was in his prime and then some, as if he’d stolen a few other people’s primes, distilled them like vodka, and poured the whole heady mix into a black Russian military jacket with scarlet-lined tails. Anna took one look at the daunting magnificence of the man’s shoulders and marveled that he fit through doors.

The Prince returned Anna’s stare with a bow and a lazy grin that flashed shining white teeth, and her stomach flopped around like a puppy.

“Oh, good, you’re gaping at him,” said Charlotte. “His Highness does tend to have that effect on people. Do you know, I think his lashes might be longer even than mine?” She craned her neck to look over the crowd. “Julian looks properly furious! Enjoy your dance.”

She shoved them toward the forming set.

“How do you do?” Anna said to the Prince in her steadiest voice, resisting the urge to glance in Julian’s direction. It was too much—even for her—to mortify herself in front of two men simultaneously.

The Prince smiled again. His eyes were a staggering blue that made her think of glaciers, Siberian skies, and ways to warm up in a snowstorm.

“Lady Charlotte does not dance this evening?” he asked, as the music started.

“No. She’s much too busy interfering.” Anna squinted up at him. “Are you really a friend of the Dowager’s?”

“But of course! Lady Alice is all that is charming.” The Prince had the most extraordinary voice. He seemed to linger over his vowels, as if he were licking them. What a shame that another voice, clipped and demanding, had spoiled her for Russians. “But I believe we must make Lord Ramsay jealous, da ?”

“I have no desire to make Lord Ramsay jealous,” Anna said firmly, trying hard to believe it.

Prince Belozersky spun her closer. “I shall flirt with you and change your mind?” He tugged Anna closer and gave her the most outrageous wink.

Anna gave in and sneaked a glance at Julian. He was leaning against a pillar and watching her, looking impossibly cold and remote—not the least bit jealous. “I could murder Charlotte. Do you know she told me you were very important and I was to talk to you about your soul?”

The Prince gave a shout of laughter. “I am very important. And if Lady Charlotte only had a soul, I would marry her.”

A gurgle of laughter escaped Anna. “The two of you might deserve each other.”

The Prince put a hand on his heart. “I agree. But she has turned me down three times, imagine!” He pulled Anna closer. “We shall make her jealous too, da ? How can I—how do you say—put stars on your face?”

“Put the stars in my eyes, you mean.”

The Prince dropped his voice. “I am your most obedient servant. I will put my stars wherever you want them.”

Her face flamed. “You are ridiculous!”

“Again, I agree! And still Charlotte will not marry me!”

Anna laughed again. She was flushed and hectic by the time the last notes of the song died away and the Prince held out his arm to escort her back to the Dowager.

Something across the ballroom caught his attention and he went still. “You know them?”

“Who?” Anna asked.

He indicated the far corner with his chin. “Those two, there. Who stare at you so rudely.”

Anna looked over and spotted the pair, an old woman and a rather faded middle-aged man standing next to her, like a pale copy. The woman was tall and held herself rigidly, with an air of joyless command Anna recognized at once.

Anna pasted on a smile as cold climbed up her vertebrae. “Congratulate me. I believe I am about to meet my relatives.”

“Anna Reston?” The tall woman inspected Anna slowly, thoroughly, as if her gaze alone could peel back Anna’s skin to pick past her bones and poke at the secrets inside her.

“She is addressed as Lady Anna,” the Prince corrected. His laziness fell away, and he stood still and alert, like a hunting borzoi. “I am Prince Mikhail Nikolaevich Belozersky. You may address me as Your Highness.”

The woman curtsied and gave a tight smile. “You will excuse us, Your Highness. This person is my niece and we have much to say to each other.”

Anna dipped her own curtsey. “Lady Prudence, and my cousin Simon, the new Lord Barton.”

The words felt strange in her mouth. Her stomach felt strange too, queasy at the idea of this petulant, fish-eyed man carrying her grandfather’s title.

“We have family matters to discuss, Your Highness,” said Lady Prudence. “I wouldn’t want to bore you.”

The Prince remained at Anna’s side, vast and solid as a mountain. “But what luck! I myself am most interested in family matters.”

Anna put a hand on his sleeve. “It’s quite all right, Your Highness. Thank you for the dance.”

He frowned. “You do not need me?”

“No, thank you.”

“I have not had the opportunity to fight a duel since I came to this country. Not a single one, imagine!”

“Your luck is out again tonight, I’m afraid.”

Prince Belozersky sighed, raised her hand, and gave it a loud, smacking kiss. “Until next time, Lady Anna.”

As he left, Lady Prudence was moved to raise her eyebrows. “You’ve found yourself in exalted circles, girl. How your circumstances have risen.”

“I am fortunate to have good friends.”

“Friends?” Lady Prudence gave a soft laugh. “Raised by a recluse, daughter of a slut, with no particular charms of your own. Where did a girl like you get such friends?”

Anna sucked in her breath. “It seems friends are preferable to relations, my lady.”

“You bought those friends with the money that was meant to come to my son . Chatham was meant to be ours . I will not stand by and watch you steal it.”

Anna’s stomach lurched. Little did they know it, but in just a few months these awful people would own the whole estate. The house, the stables, the horses—even her own sweet Sally. Her hands fisted by her sides. “Do you prefer Chatham to be gambled away? I understand that’s what your son does best. My congratulations! How proud he does the family name.”

Lord Barton gave a cry and his damp hand snaked out and clamped down on Anna’s wrist. She tried to jerk herself free, but he only twisted her arm tighter.

“Release me!”

“Simon!” Lady Prudence hissed. “This is not the place.”

Lord Barton yanked Anna closer, his thin lips hovering next to her ear while couples dipped and swirled all around them. “Tried to buy yourself a husband, did you, girl? That’s right, I’ve read the will. Did you think it would remain a secret?”

Anna’s laugh was scathing, even as her eyes began to tear. “Is that your threat? To spread the shocking information that an earl plans to marry for property, when half the Ton has done the same? You really are as stupid as your reputation suggests, my lord.”

He twisted her arm tighter. “You little bitch! I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” said an arctic voice from behind him. “I wonder—do you dare finish that sentence to my face?”

“Ramsay!” Lord Barton dropped Anna’s arm and staggered back from her, his face pale with fright.

Julian turned to Anna. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine!” she cried, even as a wave of relief swept over her. “I can manage on my own.”

“So I heard, my dragon. I thought you only spoke to me that way. Do you have any more to say? Shall I hold him still so you may skewer him again?”

“Not worth our time,” said Anna in a shaky whisper.

Barton sagged with relief, but the movement only attracted Julian’s attention.

“Not so fast, you little toad. If you so much as look at Lady Anna again, I’ll—” Julian broke off and turned his attention to Anna. “You once told me not to interfere without permission. May I interfere now?”

Anna gave a watery laugh even as her heart flipped over. “As you wish, my lord.”

He flashed her a grin and turned back to Barton. “—If you so much as look at Lady Anna again, I’ll squash you under my boot. Do you understand?”

Barton flushed a dull, humiliated red, but he jerked out a nod.

Julian studied the other man with distaste. “I don’t trust your intelligence, so let me make it clearer. Tomorrow, I intend to buy your gambling debts. I’ll buy the ones you have now and any you acquire in the future. If you step in Lady Anna’s direction, if you so much as breathe her name, you’re done.”

“It must be easy for you, my lord, as rich as you are,” Lady Prudence said fiercely. “But my boy—”

“It is easy for me. Shockingly easy not to accost young women, easy not to put my estate or those who depend on me in jeopardy. Your son was born with all the same advantages I have, but he gambled them away.”

The Dowager wafted up the group. “Lady Prudence, how red you look! Shall we take a cooling turn on the terrace? We have much to discuss, you and I.” The Dowager patted her grandson’s arm. “Julian, be a darling and escort Anna to Lord Maltraver’s study.”

Julian stiffened. “I beg your pardon?”

“I believe Anna could use a rest. Please escort her to Lord Maltraver’s study.”

Julian looked strangled. “You want me to take Anna to Lord Maltraver’s study ?”

The Dowager smiled serenely. “Was I not clear?”

“I don’t need a rest!” protested Anna.

The Dowager widened her eyes. “My goodness! One would almost think you two don’t trust yourselves to be alone together.”

“God help me,” Julian muttered grimly.

He sketched his grandmother a short bow and swept Anna away.