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.