“I’m sure it’s delightful.” He leaned forward and took her hand in his. “As are you.”

When Greyley took her hand, her whole body tingled as if afire. When Rupert took her hand, it was all she could do to keep from snapping at him. She freed her fingers. “That’s enough of that, Rupert.”

“Not for me, it isn’t,” he said, his voice low. “Anna, I feel—”

“Indigestion, most likely,” she answered easily. “The roast was not well cooked last night and it has made even me uneasy.” Why was it so simple to turn aside this perfectly charming and handsome man, yet she could not make herself walk away from an arrogant, domineering ass like Greyley?

Rupert sighed. “You are making this very difficult for me, aren’t you?”

“As much as possible.”

A reluctant smile touched his lips. “Anna, I hope you don’t think I’m too forward, but I couldn’t help but notice that my cousin seems rather taken with you.”

“Oh, he’s quite decided that I’m to be his mistress,” Anna said without thinking.

Rupert barely managed to keep his mouth from dropping open. For some reason, such openness was disturbing in a woman. Of course, Anna Thraxton wasn’t an ordinary woman. In the past two weeks, Rupert had come to realize exactly what it was that had Anthony in an uproar.

He felt a momentary twinge of guilt. It was quite unlike Greyley to pursue an honest woman, and Rupert had little doubt that Miss Thraxton was every bit as virtuous as she seemed. That left only one possibility—that there was a genuine attraction between the two.

His mother had been right after all. “I hope my cousin hasn’t made things awkward for you.”

“Heavens, no! Greyley is rude, perhaps, but never awkward. I’ve told him I’ll have none of him.”

“He doesn’t seem to have heard you.”

“Yes, well, he’s a wretched listener. Quite impossible.”

Rupert had to smile. “I’ve never heard it said quite like that, but yes, he is a wretched listener.”

Anna glanced at the children. “Yet he has done a great deal for your family.”

Indeed he had. More than Anna could guess. Rupert’s twinge of guilt grew. “I don’t know if you are familiar with the particulars of the Elliot family, but suffice it to say that we are singularly lacking in decorum, grace, and quality.”

“That’s rather harsh.”

“But true. Before Anthony took the family in hand, we were on the brink of ruin, both financially and socially. My uncle owed money to almost every peer in the realm, even the prince. And as you know, that is not an enviable position for anyone.”

“I should say not. But Greyley seems to have prospered despite it all.”

Rupert leaned a shoulder against a wall. “I don’t know about that. He was only seventeen when he took the family reins. He’s more somber now. He doesn’t laugh as he used to.”

A shadow darkened her eyes. “He takes on a lot, doesn’t he?” she said softly.