His expression was indulgent. "If you wish."

Sebastian guided Helena through the throng and tried to ignore her nearness-the subtle warmth of her slender figure, the light touch of her fingers on his. Tried to block out the French perfume she wore, that wreathed about her and none too subtly beckoned the beast, urged him to seize and devour.

Spending so much time with her was fraying his reins, raising expectations yet leaving them unfulfilled. Only his supreme dislike of conducting his affairs in the full glare of the ton's attention held him back from pursuing her overtly. The news he was to wed would cause a sensation, but if he waited just a few weeks more until Christmas drew close and the ton quit the capital, then the necessary formalities of his offer and her acceptance could be played out in private.

Infinitely preferable, given he was not entirely sure of her.

A surprise and a challenge-she continued to be both.

Taking advantage of his height, he scanned the guests, noting any gentlemen potentially useful for pa.s.sing the time-for distracting her. Carefully avoiding Were. That had been a misjudgment; Were was a friend. He had never been one to fashion rods for his own back. Helena would not get another chance to consider Were, not if he could help it.

They were leaving a group of ladies who'd waylaid them when George emerged from the throng. One glance at his brother's face was enough to tell him Martin had opened his lips to one person at least.

George's delight was unfeigned; he beamed at Helena and didn't wait for an introduction. "Lord George Cynster, comtesse." He bowed extravagantly over the hand she extended. "I'm enchanted to meet you, quite enchanted." The light in his eye declared that no lie.

"And I am equally glad to make your acquaintance, my lord." Amused, Helena shot Sebastian a glance. "How many brothers do you have, Your Grace?"

"For my sins, three. Arthur, Almira's husband, you've yet to meet. Arthur and George are twins. Martin's the youngest."

"No sisters?" Helena shifted her gaze to George. He was not quite as tall as Sebastian but of similar build. He had darker hair but the same blue eyes. The same somewhat dangerous aura hung about him. In Martin that had been less p.r.o.nounced; in Sebastian it was more powerful, more blatant. Helena concluded that the characteristic developed with age and experience-she judged George to be in his early thirties.

"One."

The answer came from Sebastian. Helena glanced up to find his gaze fixed on the crowd behind her.

"And unless I miss my guess-"

He stepped sideways, reaching through the crowd to close his fingers about the elbow of a lady flitting past.

Tall, elegantly dressed, with her brown hair piled high, the lady turned, brows rising haughtily, ready to annihilate whoever possessed the temerity to lay hands on her. Then she saw who it was. Her expression changed in a blink to one of joy.

"Sebastian!" The lady clasped his hand in both of hers and stepped free of the crowd. "I hadn't expected to find you still in town."

"That, my dear Augusta, is patently obvious."

Augusta wrinkled her nose at him, at his censorious tone, and let him draw her to join them. She grinned at George. "George, too-how goes it, brother dear?"

"So-so." George grinned back. "Where's Huntly?"

Augusta waved behind her. "Somewhere here." Her gaze had come to rest on Helena. She glanced briefly at Sebastian.

"Augusta, Marchioness de Huntly-Helena, comtesse d'Lisle." Sebastian waited while they exchanged curtsies, then added to Helena, "As you've no doubt gathered, Augusta is our sister. However"-his gaze shifted to Augusta and sharpened-"what I fail to understand, Augusta, is why you're gadding about London given your present state."

"Don't fuss. I'm completely all right."

"You said that last time."

"And despite the panic, it turned out perfectly well in the end. Edward's thriving. If you must know-and I suppose you'll demand to-I was quite moped in Northamptonshire. Huntly agreed just a little socializing would do no harm."

"So you travel to London to attend b.a.l.l.s and routs."

"Well, what would you? It's not as if there's any socializing in Northamptonshire."

"It's hardly the far end of the world."

"In terms of entertainment it might as well be. And anyway, if Huntly doesn't mind, why should you?"

"Because you wound Herbert around your finger before you were wed and have yet to set him loose."

Far from denying it, Augusta replied, "It's the only way to keep a husband, dear Sebastian, as I think you well know."

He caught her gaze, held it. Augusta tilted her chin at him but shifted, then glanced away.

Helena stepped into the breach; she caught Augusta's gaze. "You have a child?"

Augusta beamed at her. "A son-Edward. He's at home at Huntly Hall, and I do miss him."

"A situation easily rectified," Sebastian put in.

Helena and Augusta ignored him.

"Edward's just two. He's a scamp."

"He takes after his mother." When Augusta pulled a face at him, Sebastian's lips curved; he tugged a lock of her hair. "Better that than prose on like Herbert, I suppose."

Augusta pouted. "If you've a mind to be disagreeable over dearest Herbert-"

"I was merely stating a fact, my dear. You must admit that Huntly is singularly lacking in, er . . . devilment, while our family is, if anything, overendowed."

Augusta laughed. "You can talk."

"Indeed. Who better?"

Helena listened as, between them, Sebastian and George extracted a list of Augusta's likely engagements and the date she planned to return to Northamptonshire.

"Then we'll see you at Christmas at Somersham." Augusta glanced at Sebastian. "Do you want me to bring Edward?"

Both her brothers looked at her as if she'd grown two heads.

"Ofcourse you'll bring him!" George said. "We'll want to see our nephew, won't we?"

"Quite," Sebastian said. "But I apprehend you've been talking to Almira. Pray discount anything she may have said regarding my wishes over Christmas or anything else. I'll naturally be expecting Edward at Somersham-aside from all else, Colby's been searching out a present for him and would be disappointed if he didn't appear to claim it."

Helena watched Augusta's expression change from guarded to relieved to happy, but at the mention of Colby's name she frowned at her brother. "Nota horse-he's too young. I've already forbidden Huntly even to think about it."

Sebastian flicked a speck of lint from his sleeve. "Herbert did mention your restriction, so I've instructed Colby to look for a pony-one small enough for Edward to sit on and be led. He's old enough for that."

Helena hid a smile as Sebastian pretended not to notice Augusta's struggle between maternal delight and maternal disapprobation. Then he slanted her a sidelong glance. "You may thank me at Christmastime."