A Regency Match Read Free

glint of his eyes. “I assure you, ma’am, that my name is not Bertie,” he told her, smoothing the folds of his neckcloth, the pristine perfection of which Sophy had disturbed.
    â€œSophy, you goose,” chortled a voice at her ear. She whirled around to face a rather rotund, ruddy-cheeked young man who stood grinning at her from a height not an inch taller than her own. “ I’m Bertie.”
    Sophy stared at him for a moment, gasped, looked from him to the tall stranger and back again, and burst into giggles. “Oh, dear,” she exclaimed sheepishly, “now that I see you, Bertie, I do recognize you.”
    â€œStill making a cake of yourself, I see,” he grinned, holding out his arms to hug her.
    â€œBertie, dear ,” she responded warmly, hugging him in return, “it’s been such an age!”
    There was a loud laugh behind them. “Well, Marcus,” snorted one of the men in the circle to the fellow Sophy had first embraced, “what do you think of the likeness? Can’t say I see much of a resemblance.”
    The gentleman called Marcus merely flicked him an unamused glance and said nothing. Bertie, however, blushed furiously. “She’s my cousin,” he explained. “Ain’t seen her since she was ten. Best of chums we were then, but it’s been a long time …”
    The gentleman made a polite bow in acknowledgement and turned to go. But Sophia caught his arm and caused him to turn back. “I am so sorry, sir,” she said with her most disarming smile.
    The gentleman stepped back out of her reach. “Think nothing more of the matter, ma’am,” he said with scrupulous politeness.
    Sophia’s eyes brightened with sudden interest. The gentleman’s swarthy face was attractively lean, his eyes sharp and magnetic, and his shoulders broad and powerful-looking in his well-fitted evening coat. Her smile widened, her dimples very much in evidence, and her eyes shone with a look of supreme confidence in her ability to coax an answering warmth from any gentleman on whom that smile was bestowed. “I must have caused you extreme discomfort and embarrassment,” she insisted. “I’d been so looking forward to seeing my dear cousin again that I suppose I was overeager.” She extended her hand. “I most sincerely regret my error.”
    The tall stranger did not respond to her smile with an answering one. Nor did he take the proffered hand. Instead, he raised his quizzing-glass and looked at her with cool scrutiny. Unaccustomed to such a reaction, Sophia felt herself blush. She suddenly became aware of a sense of embarrassment at the daringly low décolletage of her dress and its too-bright color. Her hand dropped awkwardly to her side. The gentleman dropped his quizzing-glass, bowed politely and turned away.
    The blood drained from her cheeks. She’d been given the cut direct ! The snub was unmistakable. Never in her life had she been rebuffed, and this had been done with such cold finesse! She clenched her fists to keep the world from noticing her trembling fingers.
    Beside her, Bertie was watching the group move away from them as the rest of the onlookers turned away, grinning. “Hummmph!” he muttered. “Not a very friendly fellow, that.”
    â€œNo, not very,” she answered with a laugh that was compounded of equal parts of shock and chagrin. “Was it a very dreadful scene I made?”
    â€œThat fellow must have found it so,” Bertie shrugged. “But let’s not bother our heads about him. Everyone will have forgotten the matter by tomorrow. Now, let me look at you.” He surveyed her admiringly. “I say, Sophy, you’ve grown up to be a regular out-and-outer.”
    â€œThank you, Bertie,” she smiled, but as she took a last, quick glance at the stranger who was disappearing with his friends into one of the card rooms, her expression changed.